Ziro

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?Ziro Arunachal Pradesh • India
Ziro
Coordinates: 28°01′N 93°50′E / 28.02, 93.83
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 1,688 m (5,538 ft)
District(s)	Lower Subansiri
Population	12,289 (2001)

Coordinates: 28°01′N 93°50′E / 28.02, 93.83 Ziro is a census town in Lower Subansiri district in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Places to Visit
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Geography

Ziro is the district headquarter of Lower Subansiri district and is one of the oldest towns in Arunachal Pradesh. It was the headquarters of the undivided Subansiri district comprising of the present districts of Upper Subsansiri, Kurung Kumey, Lower Subansiri and Papum Pare. Located at 27.63° N 93.83° E^[1] at an elevation of 1688 metres (5538 feet) to 2438 meters (8000 feet), it is considered one of the most beautiful towns in India. Its cool weather in summer is its major attraction. It is famous for its pine clad gentle hills around it and tranquil rice field all around.

Apatani tribal women in Hija Village, Ziro.

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census^[2], Ziro had a population of more than 50,000 [1]. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Ziro has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 72%, and female literacy is 60%. In Ziro, 17% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Inhabited by the Apatani people, Ziro is a beautiful plateau dotted with a number of hillocks beneath the lush paddy fields. The Apatanis are known for their hospitality, more so during festivals like Myoko, Murung and Dree. The women design beautiful handloom and handicrafts products. They practice the famous paddy-cum-fisciculture cultivation. The area is rich in biological diversity having varied flora and fauna as per altitudinal zonation from sub tropical to alpine forest. The climate is cool in summer and chilly in winter. The Apatanis of Ziro are the most industrious people in the state and are famous for settled rice cultivation. Confined to an are of only 200 km² in Kamala Velley, they utilise land to its best. A detailed account of the Apatanis can be had from "A History of Arunachal Pradesh" written by Dr. Deepak Pandey and published by Bani Mandir, Pasighat.

[edit] Places to Visit

Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary Arunachal Pradesh as a whole contain 40% of the floral and faunal species in India. The Ziro valley has a good share of this biodiversity. Thirty kilometers from Ziro is the famous Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.

At the altitude of 2400meters, Talley is a plateau with dense forest of silver fir trees, pine clad plateau of beautiful grandeur, and a vast wasteland. The area has some of the most important endangered species including the clouded leopard [2].

Kardo Hills A Nepali worker was felling a tree down in a forest near Hapoli (Ziro). When the tree was falling down, it changed its direction in the mid-air. The worker was dumbstruck! He explored the site where the tree was originally expected to land. A stone was sticking out of the soil at the site. He dug the soil and discovered that it was no ordinary stone but a magnificent Shiva Linga! That was how the little known Kardo Hill has shot to fame in the recent years.

The Shiva Linga in the Kardo Hills is said to be the tallest one in the world. The place is located some 4 km from Hapoli [3]..

Sacred Groves