Itanagar

Itanagar derives its name from Ita Fort, the 'fort of bricks' situated in the heart of Itanagar. The fort has an irregular shape, built mainly with bricks, dating back to the 14th-15th century of the Chutia kingdom.^[2]

As of 2011^[update] India census,^[3] Itanagar had a population of 59,490. Males constituted 53% of the population and females 47%. Itanagar has an average literacy rate of 66.95%, lower than the national average of 74.4%: male literacy is 73.69%, and female literacy is 59.57%. In Itanagar, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Itanagar is located at 27.1°N 93.62°E / 27.1; 93.62 in the southern foothills of the Eastern Himalayas. It has an average elevation of 320 m (1,050 ft). The city occupies an undulating landscape of forested hills and intervening valleys, with the terrain descending southwards towards the Brahmaputra Valley in neighbouring Assam.^[6]

Itanagar forms part of the wider Itanagar Capital Complex, an administrative jurisdiction that also includes Naharlagun and Banderdewa.^[7] The Capital Complex covers an area of approximately 200 km² (77 sq mi).^[8]

Around 6 km (3.7 mi) from the city centre is Gekar Sinyi, commonly called Ganga Lake. It is a naturally formed lake enclosed by hard-rock banks and surrounded by trees, ferns and orchids. Its Nyishi name is commonly translated as “confined water”.^[9]

As the state capital, Itanagar is a multi-ethnic urban centre inhabited by communities from across Arunachal Pradesh. These include the Nyishi, Adi, Apatani, Galo and Tagin, among others. The city's diversity is also reflected in its languages: the 2011 census recorded Nyishi, Adi, Apatani, Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, Assamese and Bhojpuri among its widely spoken mother tongues.^[10]

Festivals associated with the different communities of the state are publicly celebrated in the capital. These include Nyokum Yullo of the Nyishi, marked by communal rituals, traditional dances and feasting, and Losar, observed by the city's Buddhist communities.^[11]

A major institution documenting the cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh is the Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum. Its collections include traditional textiles, weapons, household objects, handicrafts and archaeological material representing the state's different communities. The Craft Centre and Emporium displays local handloom products, traditional clothing, wall paintings and objects made from cane and bamboo.^[9]

The Centre for Buddhist Culture, commonly known as the Gompa, is situated on a hill above the State Museum and serves as one of the city's principal Buddhist religious and cultural landmarks.^[12]

Itanagar has a number of tribes, i.e., Nyishi, Adi, Apatani, Tagin, Galo, etc.

• Ita Fort, one of the most important historical sites in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. The name literally means "Fort of bricks"( brick being called "Ita" in the Assamese language). The Ita Fort was built as early as the 14th or the 15th century. The fort is mainly built with bricks, forming an irregular shape. The total brickwork is of 16,200 cubic meters, which has been identified by some scholars with the Chutiya kingdom. The fort has three different entrances on three different sides, which are the western, eastern, and southern sides.
• Jawaharlal Nehru Museum, Itanagar is also known for showcasing the rich tribal culture of the state.
• Gekar sinyi (Ganga Lake) is a beautiful natural lake which literally means confined lake in the Nyishi dialect. It is surrounded by a landmass of hard rock. Primeval vegetation, orchid masses on tall trees and tree ferns contribute to its popularity as a hot picnic spot and recreation hub. Boating facilities and a swimming pool are available at the site.
• Buddhist monastery [Gompa mandir]

Itanagar features a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cwa), with dry, mild winters and hot, humid and wet summers.

• 
  Sacred Heart Church, Naharlagun suburb of Itanagar
• 
  Ita Fort
• 
  Jawaharlal Nehru Museum, Itanagar
• 
  Centre for Buddhist Culture, also known as the Gompa Temple

• Arunachal Pradesh
• Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly
• Tourism in North East India