Imphal

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?Imphal Manipur • India
Imphal
Coordinates: 24°49′N 93°57′E / 24.82, 93.95
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 786 m (2,579 ft)
District(s)	Imphal West, Imphal East
Population	217,275 (2001)
Codes • Pincode • Telephone	• 795xxx • +3852

Coordinates: 24°49′N 93°57′E / 24.82, 93.95

Imphal pronunciation (help·info) is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.

In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Until 2003, the grounds used to be occupied by the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force. Another place of historical interest is the Polo Ground which is the oldest existing polo ground in the world. Near the Polo Ground is the Manipur State Museum, which has a good collection of old artifacts and nice pictures depicting the history of Manipur. 'Ima Keithel' at Khwairamband Bazar is the only market in the world where, as the name suggests, all the stalls are run by women.

In 1944 during World War II the Battle of Imphal, along with the simultaneous Battle of Kohima, was the turning point in the Burma Campaign. For the first time in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II the Japanese lost the initiative to the Allies, which they retained until the end of the war.

The state is also famous for the Brow-antlered Deer called the Sangai. This species of the deer is endemic to Manipur and is on the verge of extinction. Last count of Sangai deer revealed only 162 left in the Keibul Lamjao National Park.

On 18 June 1997, the Imphal district was split into Imphal East and Imphal West.

1 Geography
2 Transport
3 Demographics
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Geography

Imphal is the capital of Manipur,located at 24.82° N 93.95° E^[1]. It has an average elevation of 786 metres (2578 feet). It is located in the extreme east of India.

The Imphal Valley is drained by several small rivers originating from the hills surrounding it. These include the Imphal, Iril, Sekmai, Thoubal, and Khuga rivers.

[edit] Transport

Air

Daily flights are available from New Delhi to Imphal via Guwahati, capital of Assam.

Railroads

In 2007, the Economist newspaper reported that a railway line from Guwahati via Imphal to Moreh, the last frontier town less than a km. from the border of Myanmar would be built.

Roadways

If you are a sight seeing enthusiast and fancy the beautiful, picturesque landscapes of the mountains, and do not mind the tiresome fourteen odd hrs. bus journey to Imphal, you could buy a Super Delux Bus ticket from Guwahati. You will surely be blessed with the view of your bus ride through the clouds while crossing Kohima, the capital of Nagaland. You could see the birds flying below you.

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census^[2], Imphal had a population of 217,275. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Imphal has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 74%. In Imphal, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.dfdf