About Tirap District

Tirap District lies in the southern part of Arunachal Pradesh, between approximately 26°38′N–27°47′N and 95°16′E–95°40′E. It borders Dibrugarh (Assam) to the north, Myanmar to the south, Changlang to the east, and Longding to the west. The district is named after the river Tirap, which rises near Laju and flows northeast into Changlang before joining the Burhi-Dihing near Ledo in Assam.

Created in 1943 as the Tirap Frontier Tract from parts of Lakhimpur and Margherita, the area was administered by a Political Officer. After independence it became the Tirap Frontier Division; headquarters moved from Margherita to Khela, then to present-day Khonsa. In 1965 it was formally recognised as Tirap District with a Deputy Commissioner as head of administration.

In November 1987, Tirap was bifurcated into Tirap and Changlang districts. In March 2012, Longding was carved out from Tirap. Climate varies from hot plains (Deomali) to cold hills (Lazu); Khonsa, the headquarters, enjoys a generally moderate and pleasant climate year-round.

Tirap is among the more densely populated districts in Arunachal Pradesh (about 47 persons per sq km, 2011 census). It has 112 villages and two notified towns—Khonsa and Deomali. The region is celebrated by anthropologists for tribal diversity, especially the Nocte and Tutsa communities.

The Noctes live mainly in the northeast. Villages sit on hilltops in close clusters. Skilled in bamboo and cane crafts, they once wore traditional dress and ornaments; tattooing among women is fading. Chalo Loku, the principal harvest festival in late November, offers visitors a vivid glimpse of Nocte traditions. See Festivals for seasonal events.