Chapter 3 NAGA POPULATION AND DISTRIBUTION This chapter deals with the overall population scenario of the Nagas. The Naga Hills is sandwiched between the Brahmaputra valley (Assam) in the west, lower Himalayas in the northern side, Chindwin river of Myanmar in the eastern side and Imphal valley of Manipur in the south. The consolidated Naga Hills is located between 93°30' E and 95°15'E longitudes and 24°30'N and 27°0'N latitudes. The Naga Hills has a mountainous character with numerous ridges, spurs, peaks and narrow river valleys. As noted in chapter 1, the contiguous Naga Hills ranges falls under different political administration units. The distribution of Naga communities are distributed in Tirap district and Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, in the Nagaland State, in the Hill districts cif Manipur consisting (Tamenglong, Senapati, Chandel and Ukhrul), and part of Karbi Anglong district and North Cachar Hills district of Assam. 3.1 Population The various Naga communities traditionally lived in well-defined ethnic territories. But, in the process of Indian State re-organisations and subsequent emergence of state political boundaries cut across the Naga ethnic territory. This had been done without the consent of the Nagas concerned. For instance, the Zeliangrong Nagas was divided into three administrative units that is, Manipur State, Nagaland State and Assam State According to Population Census of India (1991), the Government oflndia (GOI) listed the following Naga groups as Scheduled Tribes (see table 3.1). The Naga 64
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Chapter 3
NAGA POPULATION AND DISTRIBUTION
This chapter deals with the overall population scenario of the Nagas. The Naga Hills is
sandwiched between the Brahmaputra valley (Assam) in the west, lower Himalayas in
the northern side, Chindwin river of Myanmar in the eastern side and Imphal valley of
Manipur in the south. The consolidated Naga Hills is located between 93°30' E and
95°15'E longitudes and 24°30'N and 27°0'N latitudes. The Naga Hills has a
mountainous character with numerous ridges, spurs, peaks and narrow river valleys. As
noted in chapter 1, the contiguous Naga Hills ranges falls under different political
administration units. The distribution of Naga communities are distributed in Tirap
district and Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, in the Nagaland State, in the Hill
districts cif Manipur consisting (Tamenglong, Senapati, Chandel and Ukhrul), and part of
Karbi Anglong district and North Cachar Hills district of Assam.
3.1 Population
The various Naga communities traditionally lived in well-defined ethnic territories. But,
in the process of Indian State re-organisations and subsequent emergence of state
political boundaries cut across the Naga ethnic territory. This had been done without the
consent of the Nagas concerned. For instance, the Zeliangrong Nagas was divided into
three administrative units that is, Manipur State, Nagaland State and Assam State
According to Population Census of India (1991), the Government oflndia (GOI)
listed the following Naga groups as Scheduled Tribes (see table 3.1). The Naga
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communities recognised as Scheduled Tribes by the Constitution of India are given in
table 1. The Naga groups like Tarao, Thangal, poumei. Kharam of Manipur State and
Kalya Konguyu of Nagaland State are yet to be recognised as Scheduled Tribes by the
Government of India.
TABLE 3.1 Reco2nised Naga community as Scheduled Tribes 1991 Nagalang 1\'[anipur !Arunachal lAss am I. Angami* I. Anal I. Tangsa IZeliangrong 2. Ao 2. Chiru ~. Wancho ~· Chakhesang 3. Chothe 3. Nocte 4. Chang 4. Kabui (including Puimei) 5. Chirr 5. Kacha Naga (Zeme & Liangmei) p. Khiemnungan 6. Koireng 17. Konyak 7. Lamgang 8. Lotha 8. Mao (including Poumei) 19. Makhori 9. Maram IO. Phom IO. Maring II. Rengma II. Monsang I2. Sangtam I2.Moyon 13. Serna* 13. Tangkhul I4. Tikhir I5. Yimchunger I6.Zeliang I7. Pochury
* These two communities are also recognised as ST in Manipur State.
Source of Data: In the absence of authentic information and reliable source of data,
estimation of Naga population is a very difficult. Another problem associated with it is,
the Naga population falls into different political and administration units making it
difficult to calculate as one. However, the present figures have been based on the
Official data published by the Government oflndia.
The present Naga population is generated from the decadal publications of the
Population Census of India1• Every decade, the Office of the Registrar General and
Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (Gol) conduct
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census to enumerate the Indian population. The Nagas living outside the jurisdiction of
Union Government oflndia cannot be tabulated because of the lack ofinformation.
As noted earlier, the Indian Population Census (1991) listed 35 Naga groups as
Scheduled Tribes. Out of a total of 35 Naga groups, 17 are found in Nagaland State, 15
(fifteen) Naga communities inhabits in the four hill districts of Manipur State and the
district are Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel. The remainig Three Naga
groups are in the districts of Tirap and Chanlang in Arunachal Pradesh. Some of the
Zeliangrong Nagas falls under the North Cachar Hill district in Assam.
Population Size and Growth Rate
It is obvious that three demographic variables- fertility, mortality, and migration are
responsible for population growth. When there is a positive difference between the
number of births and the number of deaths, population grows and this increase of births
over deaths is known as the natural increase of population. Table 3.2 shows the size and
growth rate of total Naga population. In 1991 population census, the total Nagas living in
Indian sub-continent is recorded as 14,54,8642 persons. In the 1981 census, the total
Naga population recorded was 8,92,356 persons. Among the Naga communities, Ao
Nagas recorded the largest absolute number of 1,65,893 persons in 1991 census. The
second largest is Serna Nagas with 1 ,50, 780 persons and it is closely followed by
Konyak Nagas, 1,36,458 persons and Tangkhul Nagas, 1,07,244 persons. The smallest
Naga groups are Makhori with only 826 persons, Koireng 873 persons, Monsang 1803
persons and Chirr 2067 persons.
The decadal growth rate of the whole Naga population in the decade 1971-1981
is 29.6 per cent. However, in the decade 1981-1991, the total Naga population registered
a growth rate as high as 63.3 per cent. The difference in the percentage change between
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the two decades 1971-1981 and 1981-1991 is 33.3 per cent. In the following section we
shall examine the population scenario by state-wise.
Nagaland State: The percentage share of population among the various Naga
communities in Nagaland State are follows: The Ao Nagas has the highest population
share with 16.1 per cent to total Naga population in the state. This is followed by Serna
Nagas with 14.6 per cent. The Konyak Nagas is 13.2 per cent, Angami Nagas 9.4 per
cent, Chakhesang Nagas 8.6 per cent, Lotha Nagas 8 per cent and Phom Nagas 6.3 per
cent. The rest of the Naga groups constitute a very low proportion of percentage.
The Nagas of Nagaland state recorded a growth rate of 65.8 per cent in the
decade 1981-1991. This shows a high growth rate of Naga population in recent years.
Among major Naga groups, the highest decadal growth rate is recorded in Phom Nagas
the percentage being 352.8 per cent. The decadal growth rate among Konyak Nagas, Ao
Nagas, Serna Nagas and Angami Nagas are 63.1 per cent, 58.6 per cent, 58.2 per cent
and 55.7 per cent respectively. This is closely followed by Chakhesang Nagas (46.7 per
cent) and Lotha ( 42.3 per cent). The decadal growth rate among the smaller Naga
com~unities like Tikhir Nagas and Rengma Nagas also registered a very high and the
percentage are 155.7 and 111.3 respectively.
The percentage change among the major Naga groups in the state indicates a low
proportion between the decade 1971-81 and 1981-91. However, the major Naga
community like Phom Nagas, Ao Nagas, Serna Nagas, Angami Nagas, Konyak Nagas,
Lotha Nagas and Chakhesang Nagas contributes larger population in terms of absolute
number. Though the smaller Naga groups accounted for high percentage of decadal
growth rate like Tikhir Nagas, Makhori Nagas, Rengma Nagas and Sangtam Nagas but
their contribution to total population is considerably low.
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Manipur State: Among the Naga groups in Manipur, Tangkhul Nagas constitutes the
largest proportion recording 32.1 percentage. This is followed by Mao Nagas and Kabui
Nagas and the percentage are 23 and 18.7 respectively. But the rest of the Naga groups
constitutes very low proportion (see table 2).
During 1981-1991, the decadal growth rate ofNaga population in Manipur state
is recorded as 59.5 per cent during. This indicates a considerably increase of Naga
population in the last decades. In the previous decade 1971-1981, the population growth
rate was only 19.2 per cent. During the decade 1981-1991, the two majorNaga groups,
that is, Kacha and Kabui had registered high growth rate with 163.7 per cent and 140.2
per cent respectively. Mao Nagas and Tangkhu1 Nagas also exhibits considerable growth
rate with 51.7 per cent and 35.7 per cent. In the case of smaller groups, the decadal
growth rate is considerably low as compared to the larger groups.
Arunachal Pradesh and Assam: In Arunachal Pradesh, Wancho Nagas share half of the
total Naga population present in the ~tate and the proportion is 57.7 per cent. The Nocte
Nagas and Tangsa Nagas have a proportion of population of 29.9 per cent and 12.9 per
cent respectively. The growth rate of these three Nagas is considerably low. Negative
growth rate is recorded in Tangsa Nagas in the 1991 population census. The Naga groups
living in Assam State are small in size. In 1991, there were only 12,908 persons. In
Assam, the growth rate could not be calculated because there is no census conducted in
Assam State in the year 1981.
To sum up the Nagas of Nagaland state registered high decadal growth rate in
1991. The same pattern is also observed in Manipur but here the growth rate is slightly
lower. For Nagas as a whole, the highest growth rates are largely shown by the major
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Naga groups. Perhaps, the high growth rate in the Naga population is a result of the
natural growth. However, enumeration inadequacy cannot be ruled out.
TABLE 3 2 s· Sh 1ze, are an d G wth R t fN ro a eo aga P I f opu a 100
State/Naga Total population Percentage Decadal Growth Rate Difference Groups
I. Nocte 23165 19606 23,418 29.91 -15.36 19.44 34.81 2. Tangsa 6941 9896 I 9,682 12.36 42.57 -2.16 -44.74 3. Wancho 28650 32441 45,182 57.71 13.23 39.27 26.04 Total Nae:as 58756 61943 78282 100.00 5.42 26.38 20.95 ASSAM I
All Nae:as 8481 * 12,908 **Excluding Assam as no census was conducted m 1981. Source: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner. 1971, 1981 and 1991. Special Tables for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, and Arunchal Pradesh,. New Delhi: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner.
Sex Composition
Sex of the individual holds an important place in a demographic examination. Sex is a I
biological characteristic that divides ,human beings into male and female. The sex -
composition oflndia's population shows a shortage of females per 1000 males and this
shortage has aggravated over time. A favourable sex ratio to males and the declines in
the proportion of females in the population has been a matter of great concern and is
being viewed with serious concern by demographers and several women's organisation.
In 1991 population census, the sex ratio in India was 929 females per 1000 males. This i
has been continuously declining since 1921. Premi (1992) raises three questions in
respect of the sex ratio trends in India- (a) Have the living conditions of females,
particularly the access to medical facilities deteriorated during the 1980s as compared to
the 1970s? (b) Has the sex ratio at birth become more favourable to males in recent
years? and (c) Has there been a greater under-enumeration of females in the 1991 census
as compared to the 1981 census.
The sex ratio in Naga population exhibits the declining trends in the recent
decades (see table 3.3). In 1991 census, there are about 951 females per 1000 males
against 995 females per 1000 males in 1981. According to population reports, a
considerable shortage of female population has been indicated in the Naga society. Now
we shall examine the sex ratio in the state Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal.
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In Nagaland State, there is drastic declined in female population during 1981-91. i
The table 3 shows that during the decade 1971-1991, the sex ratio declined in spite of I
slight gain in 1981. In 1981 there were 987 females per 1000 males, but it has come i
down to 94 7 females in 1991. Out of the total 17 Naga groups, nine groups are below the I
total Naga average. The highest sex ratio is recorded in Rengma Nagas (996 females per
1000 males population), this is closely followed by Angami (986 females) and Chirr
Nagas (984 females). The lowest sex ratio is observed in Chang Nagas and the sex ratio
is 922 females per 1000 males. All the Naga groups in Nagaland State exhibit a decline
of female population except Angami Naga that indicates a steady increase in female
population and the sex ratio is 974 females per 1000 males in 1981 and 986 females per
1000 males in 1991.
In Manipur, we also observed the same pattern of declining female population. In
spite of high sex ratio in the last two census years, that is, 1045 females per 1000 males
in 1971 and I 025 females per 1000 male in 1981, the 1991 population census registered
only 957 females per 1000 males. Among the various Naga groups in the state, five Naga
groups are below the total Naga average. The highest sex ratio is recorded in Koireng
Urban 0.00 0.00 1.28 0 0 Total Nagas in Nagaland Rural 95.73 89.90 87.86 23.64 38.29
Urban 4.46 11.24 13.81 69.7 49.8 Source: same as table 3.2
TABLE 3.4(b) Percent of Rural and Urban Population in Manipur and Arunachal State/Name of the Naga groups Population (in Per cent) Percentage of decadal
. district's total Source: Office of the Regtstrar General and Census Comrmss10ner. 1971, 1981 and 1991. Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, and Arunchal Pradesh. Special Tables for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. New Delhi: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner.
Manipur state has eight districts namely, Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel,
Ukhrul, Imphal, Churachandpur, Thoubal and Bishnupur. Out of total eight districts,
four districts, that is, Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel, and Ukhrul are Nagas dominated
area. Table 3.5(b) shows the proportion share of Naga population to district's total
population. The highest Naga population to district's total is recorded in Ukhrul district
(82.9 per cent), followed by Tamenglong, Senapati, and Chandel and the proportion are
77.7 per cent, 54.5 per cent and 46.81 per cent respectively.
In Senapati district, Mao Nagas constitutes 65.9 per cent to total district's Naga
population and is followed by Kacha Nagas (8.47 per cent), Tangkhul Nagas (8.38 per
cent) and Maram Nagas (8.16 per cent). Kabui Nagas (that is Rongmei and Puimei
78
NAGA POPULATION, 1991 ARUNACHAL, ASSAM, NAGALAND AND MANIPUR
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PERCENTAGE OF NAGA POPULATION
• 9.0 AND ABOVE
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~ 30- so
F---i 30 AND BELOW
Nagas) and Kacha Nagas dominant Tamenglong district and the proportion are 62.2 per
cent and 35 per cent. This shows that the Kacha Naga groups are divided into two
districts, viz., Senapati and Tamenglong. In Ukhrul district, the population is exclusively
predominated by Tangkhul Nagas accounting for about 99.6 per cent. Also, Tangkhul
Naga population are found in the district of Senapati and Chandel too. The Chandel
district consists of several smaller Naga groups and proportional share among the groups
are 38.2 per cent to Maring Nagas and the other Naga groups share are Anal Nagas (29.7
per cent), Moyon Nagas (5.7 per cent), Chothe Nagas (4.7 per cent), Monsang Nagas
(4.2 per cent) and Tangkhul Nagas (3 per cent).
In Arunachal Pradesh, the Naga population is found in Tirap and Changlang
district. While in Assam, the Naga population is found in North Cachar district and
Karbi Anglong district of Assam albeit the proportion is very low.
From the above analysis, we found that Naga population are distributed
according to the ethnic territory and it is clearly definable of the various Naga ethnic
groups and traditional boundaries. However, some Naga groups are divided into two or
more districts and states. For instance, the contiguous homeland ofkacha Nagas and
kabui Nagas are divided into Tamenglong, Senapati and Churachandpur districts of
Manipur, Kohima district of Nagaland and North Cachar Hill district of Assam. The
decline in the proportion of Naga population in the districts could be attributed to the
presence ofnon-Nagas migrants.
TABLE 3.5(b) Distribution ofNaga Population by District, Manipur, 1991 Percentage Share of Population to the Total Naga Population
The above analysis is entirely based on the official data of Government of India. At the ;
same time in the absence of authentic information and reliable sources of data,
examination ofNaga population is very difficult. As per 1991 population census the total
Naga population recorded is 14,54,864 persons. Among the Nagas, the Ao Nagas
registered the largest groups followed by the Konyak, Tangkhul, and the smallest Naga
groups are Makhori, Koireng and Mongsang. In the decade 1981-1991, the Naga
population records a growth rate of 63.30 per cent which is much higher then the
previous one (29.66 per cent). The best known for the growth rate ofNaga population is
that the major or bigger groups contribute the most population in the total Naga
population.
The sex ratio exhibits a declining trend in the last decade. As per census report
there is considerable shortage of female population in the Naga society. However, this
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report needs further examination and in-depth investigation. About rural and urban
distribution, a majority of the Naga population lives in the rural areas, that is, village. As
per 1991 population census about 90 per cent ofthe Naga lives in the village.
Each of the Naga ethnic groups are found in their respective district. For instance
the Ao Naga is found in Makokchung district, Semas in Zunheboto district and Tangkhul
in Ukhrul dsitrict.
Notes
1 Before examining the size and growth rate patterns of the Naga population, it is important to consider some aspects of census enumeration process followed by the GO I. The enumeration of India's population is based on extended de facto type wherein the enumeration is spread over a J'eriod of roughly three week (generally in the month of February). The enumeration for the 14 census was held from February 9 to 28, 2001. India's census is considered as world's largest census operations involving more than 5 Lakh workers.
2 This figure is purely based on the India Population Census' report.