About Tirap District

    Tirap District, covered by picturesque hills, lies in the southern part of Arunachal Pradesh. It is located approximately between latitudes 26°38′N and 27°47′N and longitudes 95°16′E and 95°40′E. The district is bordered by Dibrugarh District of Assam in the north, Myanmar in the south, Changlang District in the east, and Longding District in the west. It covers an area of approximately 1170 sq. km and had a population of 95,022 as per the 2011 Census.

    The district derives its name from the river Tirap, which rises from a high peak in Laju in the southeast and flows northeast into Changlang District, finally merging with the Burhi-Dihing river near Ledo in Assam. Historically, the district was known as the Tirap Frontier Tract, created in 1943 by carving out areas from Lakhimpur and Margherita, and placed under the charge of a Political Officer. After India’s independence, under the North-East Frontier Area (Administration) Regulation, 1954, it was renamed as the Tirap Frontier Division, and its headquarters moved from Margherita to Khela, then later shifted to the present headquarters at Khonsa. In 1965, the division was formally recognized as Tirap District, and the Political Officer was designated as Deputy Commissioner.