The name 'Mizoram' is derived from Mi (people), Zo (lofty place, such as a hill) and Ram (land), and thus Mizoram implies 'land of the hill people'

Mizoram is a state located in North-East India, with Aizawl as its capital city. The name 'Mizoram' is derived from Mi (people), Zo (lofty place, such as a hill) and Ram (land), and thus Mizoram implies 'land of the hill people'. Mizoram shares border with three states in India - Assam, Manipur and Tripura and also with neighboring countries Bangladesh and Myanmar. About 95% of current Mizoram population is of diverse tribal origins who settled in the state, mostly from southeast Asia. Mizoram is one of three states of India with a Christian majority (87%). Mizoram is a highly literate agrarian economy. The state has about 871 kilometres of national highways, with NH-54 and NH-150 connecting it to Assam and Manipur respectively. It is also a growing transit point for trade with Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Profile of Mizoram State in India's Northeast

 The state of Mizoram is popularly known as the songbird of India and is one of the smallest states in the country. The name Mizoram signifies the land of the Lushai highlanders. It is located in the southern corner of Northeast India nestled mainly between Myanmar and Bangladesh, but also shares a part of its boundaries with its neighboring states of Assam, Manipur and Tripura. The hilly region of Mizoram was previously a part of Assam but was later made a separate state. It is a diverse land with mountains and valleys as well tribal villages and urban centers with modern culture and lifestyle unlike elsewhere in India.

Shrouded as the mist that prevails the hills, not much is known or was recorded about the history of Mizoram. The oral traditions of most tribes of Mizoram believe to have originated from Khul, a mythical cave in southern China which was believed to be a hole in the earth. The tribes then migrated westwards to Manipur, then southwards to Assam and finally settled in the hills of Mizoram and Chin region of Myanmar. Prior to the arrival of British, the tribes had independent chiefdoms and some were tributary chiefs to the kings of Manipur. Mizoram was the last territory to be explored and conquered by the British in India in nineteenth century. The tea plantations in Cachar area of southern Assam near the foothills of Mizoram were often subjected to raids by the hill tribes. This led the British to send military expeditions to the Lushai hills in 1840 to revenge the hill tribes. Opportunists as they were, the British eventually colonized the hills with the help of the Thadou tribe in 1850 when the tribes were at war with each other. The Mizo hills finally became a part of British India in 1895; the northern area was a part of Assam while the south was a part of Bengal. Both parts were merged together to form Lusai Hills province. After independence, Mizoram was carved out as a separate state from Assam after decades of insurgency when the hill folk demanded for self rule. Peace was restored in 1986 and ever since Mizoram has become a peaceful and highly literate Christian state where the air carries folk, music and scents of flowers.

Aizawl, located near the Tropic of Cancer, is the bustling hilly capital of Mizoram. Though a small town with large churches, it is interesting to see fashionable urban culture and modern lifestyle of its residents. Lunglei in the southern part of Mizoram is another important town, it was the centre of administration during the British colonial days when the British troops conquered southern Lushai Hills and built Fort Lunglei. Small towns such as Champhai, Serchip and Saiha also developed in the recent decades due to border trade with Myanmar. Hmuifang, located near the cliffs of Hmuifangtlang is a small town which has significance for tourism and adventures.

This landlocked little state is a land of scenic beauty with a variety of landscape from the ridges of Aizawl, deep gorges of Hmuifang, valley of Champhai to the lofty peaks of Blue Mountain National Park. The hills are also blessed with beautiful water bodies such as the Vantawng Falls, Tam Dil and Rih Dil lakes that have attracted many visitors who seek to enjoy the scenery of the highlands. Though the indigenous people may have been influenced by western missionaries, they still believe in the old tribal practices of welcoming visitors whole heartedly and a sense of old folk life prevails the atmosphere.