Lower Assam division

Lower Assam division is one of the 5 administrative divisions of Assam in India. It was formed in 1874, consisting of the undivided Kamrup district of Western Assam, undivided Darrang and Nagaon districts of Central Assam and Khasi & Jaintia hills of Meghalaya, created for revenue purposes.^[1] The division is under the jurisdiction of a Commissioner, who is stationed at Guwahati. The division currently covers the Western Brahmaputa Valley.^{[citation needed]} Shri Jayant Narlikar, IAS is the current Commissioner of Lower Assam division.

Lower Assam Division
Division
Rangia is the important and most developed city in Lower Assam division
The five divisions of Assam
Country	India
State	Assam
Capital	Rangia
Largest City	Guwahati
Area
• Total	22,024 km2 (8,504 sq mi)
Population  (2011 census)
• Total	11,252,365
• Density	510/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)

History

Most parts of Lower Assam was under the Kingdom of Bhutan before the 1865 Duar War

Most parts of Lower assam districts till the 19th century were under the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Districts

Lower Assam division contains 12 districts, namely Dhubri, South Salamara, Kokrajhar, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Barpeta, Bajali, Nalbari, Baksa, Kamrup and Kamrup metropolitan.^[2] Among these, 3 districts namely Kokrajhar, Chirang and Baksa lie within Bodoland.^[3]

Code[4]	District	Headquarter	Population (2011)[5]	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
BK	Baksa#	Mushalpur	950,075	2,457	387
-	Bajali	Pathsala	253,816	600	423
BP	Barpeta	Barpeta	1,439,806	2,645[6]	544
BO	Bongaigaon	Bongaigaon	738,804	1,093	676
CH	Chirang#	Kajalgaon	482,162	1,170	412
DU	Dhubri	Dhubri	1,394,144	1,608	867
GP	Goalpara	Goalpara	1,008,183	1,824	553
KM	Kamrup Metropolitan	Guwahati	1,253,938	1,528	821
KU	Kamrup	Rangia	1,517,542	3,105	489
KJ	Kokrajhar#	Kokrajhar	887,142	3,169	280
NB	Nalbari	Nalbari	771,639	2,257	342
SSM	South Salmara-Mankachar	Hatsingimari[7]	555,114	568	977
Total	12	—	1,12,52,365	22,024	511

^# Districts within the Bodoland Territorial Region

Demographics

As per 2011 census, Lower Assam division has a population of 11,252,365 people.

Languages

Languages spoken in Lower Assam Division (2011)^[8]

  Assamese (52.98%)

  Bengali (30.90%)

  Boro (7.73%)

  Hindi (2.83%)

  Others (5.56%)

According to 2011 census, the total number of Assamese speakers in the division were 59,61,583, Bengali speakers were 34,76,953, Boro speakers were 8,70,198 and Hindi speakers were 3,17,958. Although the Bengali speaking population was 30.9% as per the 2011 census language report, but Lower Assam Division is home to a large Muslim population of Bengali origin, most of whom now identify as Assamese speakers in the census.^[9][10]

Muslims are around 49.5% of the total lower Assam population at the time of the 2011 Census.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Upper Assam Division

References

1. Bose, Manilal (1985). Development of Administration in Assam: With Special Reference to Land. Concept Publishing Company.
2. "Divisions | General Administration | Government of Assam, India".
3. "Bodoland.in".
4. ISO 3166
5. "District Census 2011".
6. "District Profile | Barpeta District | Government of Assam, India".
7. "South Salmara-Mankachar dist inaugurated". Assam Tribune. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
8. "C-16 Population By Mother Tongue – Assam". censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
9. Saikia, Arunabh. "A new generation of 'Miya' Muslims in Assam may vote for Congress-AIUDF – but only out of compulsion". Scroll.in. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
10. X, Samrat. "National Register of Citizens: Identity issue haunts Assam, again". Newslaundry. Retrieved 16 July 2021.