Tripura is the third-smallest state in India, bordered by the states of Assam and Mizoram and by Bangladesh. The Kokborok-speaking Tripuri people (children pictured) are the major group among 19 tribes and many subtribes; Bengali people form the ethno-linguistic majority. Before becoming part of the newly independent India in 1949, the area was ruled for several centuries by the Tripuri dynasty. Ethnic strife between the indigenous people and Bengalis has been eased by the establishment of an autonomous tribal administrative agency and other strategies. Five mountain ranges run north to south; Agartala, the capital, is located on a plain to the west. Forests cover more than half of the area, in which bamboo and cane tracts are common. Tripura, which has a tropical savanna climate, has the highest number of primate species found in any Indian state. Economic progress is hindered by its geographical isolation – only one major highway connects it with the rest of India. Most residents are involved in agriculture and allied activities. Mainstream Indian cultural elements, especially from Bengali culture, coexist with traditional practices of the ethnic groups. (Full article...)

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