It is not clear how the name Assam came into existence. The name "Assam" may be derived from the Sanskrit term "Asom" that means unparalleled, or one with no equal. The term "Asom" in Sanskrit also means undulated or uneven. The rugged nature of the land of Assam may also be a reason for her name. In addition, the Ahoms ruled Assam for six hundred years till the early part of the 19th century.

Assam has one elected legislature which meets in Dispur, a temporary capital region inside the principal city of Guwahati. The elected head of government is called the Chief Minister.

(lengths within the borders of the state; Units are in miles (kilometers)

Brahmaputra  435 (700)
Burhidihing    223 (360)
Danshiri (South)  219 (352)
Subansiri  198 (318)
Kopili  185 (297)
Dihang  163 (263)
Disang  142 (230)
Dikhou  124 (200)
Lohit  119 (192)
Puthimari  118 (190)
Kalang  106 (171)
Manas (Main)    95 (153)
Jinjiram   89 (143)
Dikrang   83 (134)
Kulsi   76 (122)

By Timothy Larson

(Areas in square miles (kilometers))
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Kaziranga National Forest 241 (624)
Manah Sancutary 151 (390)
Sonai-Rupai Sanctuary 68 (175)
Nameri Sanctuary 53 (137)
Orang Sanctuary 28 ( 72)
Laukhowa Sanctuary 27 ( 70)
Pabha Sanctuary 19 ( 49)
Barnadi Sanctuary 10 ( 26)
Pabitora Sanctuary 6 ( 16)
Garampani Sanctuary 2.3( 6)
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Animal Count in the Kaziranga National Forest (as of 1984)
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Temperatures (degree Farenheit)

By Jugal Kalita

Distances of principal towns and cities from Guwahati (Units are miles (kilometers):
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Barpeta 87 (140)
Dibrugarh 275 (443)
Diphu 168 (271)
Dhubri 180 (290)
Goalpara 93 (150)
Golaghat 179 (288)
Haflong 178 (287)
Jorhat 191 (308)
Karimganj 210 (338)
Kokrajhar 147 (236)
Lumding 139 (224)
Mangaldoi 42 ( 68)
Marigaon 48 ( 78)
Nagaon 76 (123)
Nalbari 44 ( 71)

Oh, My Musical Tongue
The Lyrical Voice of Assam

Assamese is the eastern-most language of the Indo-European family of langauges. It is spoken by about twenty million people in Assam on both banks of the mighty Brahmaputra. It has an illustrious written history going back almost a thousand years.

By Pradip Acharya

A proverb is a short saying that conveys commonly held ideas in a certain culture. It can express a prevalent moral or a generally accepted observation about life based on experience. Proverbs are related to other phenomena in folk literature such as riddles and fables. They are all part of the oral tradition of a linguistic or cultural group. Examples of proverbs in English are:

One of the best sources of information of the conditions prevailing in the country during the days of the Raj has been the books written by British administrators posted in India, some in areas that were remote and unexplored. The North East has been one such area. Though the region came under the British umbrella later than other parts of the Indian subcontinent, the British officers took keen interest in Assamese culture and society and wrote delightful accounts of their stay there.

Our Assam is Beautiful, Her Virtues are Infinite

Assam, the land of hills and valleys, the land of the mighty river Brahmaputra, the land of Mother Goddess Kamakhya, lies in the northeastern corner of India. In these pages, you will find a few glimpses of Assam and Assamese people.

For a state secluded in the far eastern corner of India, Assam has come a long way in the education of it's youth. The state has excellent English medium schools, Arts and Science Colleges, and Engineering and Medical Colleges. The most recent additions in the state's educational infrastructure, are the Indian Institute of Technology at Guwahati, and the Two Central Universities. These institutes are among the very best facilitated in the nation.

The population of Assam is a broad racial intermixture of Mongolian, Indo-Burmese, Indo-Iranian and Aryan origin. The hilly tracks of Assam are mostly inhabited by the tribes of Mongolian origin. This broad racial intermixture is the native of the state of Assam, called their language and the people ``Asomiya'' or ``Assamese'' which is also the state language of Assam.

The early history of Assam is obscure, although there are numerous references in the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras to a great kingdom known as Kamrup that encompassed the Brahmaputra Valley, Bhutan, Cooch Behar, and the Rangpur region in eastern Bengal.

Assam is a state of breath taking scenic beauty, rarest flora and fauna, lofty green hills, vast rolling plain, mighty waterways and a land of fairs and festivals.