Mokokchung Metropolitan Area

Mokokchung Metropolitan Area
town
Mokokchung Metropolitan Area is located in Nagaland Mokokchung Metropolitan Area Location in Nagaland, India
Coordinates:
Country	India
State	Nagaland
District	Mokokchung
Languages
• Official	English
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)

Mokokchung Metropolitan Area is a major urban agglomeration in Mokokchung district in the Indian state of Nagaland, with Mokokchung town as its main urban hub. Also known as Alichen-Mokokchung-DEF agglomeration, it is a string of continuous settlements from Alichen in the south, through Mokokchung town up to Amenyong and Khensa in the North West; and from Mokokchung town through Fazl Ali College up to DEF colony in the North East.

Geography and climate

The metro area is a hilly one with altitude between 1000–1500 metres above sea level. Mokokchung is located at an altitude of 1325m while Alichen, the southernmost suburb is at an altitude of 1000m. Due to its altitude, Mokokchung metro enjoys a pleasant climate throughout the year, though winters are chilly. The area receives an annual rainfall of around 200 cm on an average.

History and recent trends

The trend of sub urbanization in Mokokchung ( which had started in Western countries in the sixties) started in the eighties with the mushrooming of satellite towns like Yimyu and Marepkong. Today, the urban settlement has spilled outside the historical boundary of Mokokchung town. This trend has speeded up (since the late nineties) so much so that the erstwhile satellite town of Yimyu boomed and spread towards Mokokchung and became conjoined with it. Today it has become a ward of Mokokchung. As a result of this flight to the suburbs, population growth in Mokokchung town (the area under the municipality comprising the fifteen wards) has slowed down while the satellite towns are booming.

People are now living miles away from the main town in smaller suburbs as well as villages, who drive to work daily to the main town. This phenomenon is in sharp contrast to other towns in Nagaland like Kohima, Wokha and Zunheboto where an overwhelming majority of the population tend to be concentrated in the main town ( i.e. the area under the municipality).

The main satellite towns/ suburbs of Mokokchung

• • Marepkong
  • Aolijen
  • Alichen
  • ICIT Campus
  • Impur
  • DEF Township
  • FAC Campus
  • Alisungkum
  • Mokokchung Compound
  • Amenyong
  • Ngaza

Besides, the following villages have been engulfed by the spiralling urban spread of Mokokchung and have acquired urban characteristics. In fact, though not part of the municipality, they have become very much a part of Mokokchung and are confused by many tourists as being localities of the town.

• • Chuchuyimpang
  • Mokokchung Village
  • Khensa
  • Ungma

Population distribution of the metropolitan area

Place	Status	Region	Population (2001 Census Figures)
Kumlong	Urban (i.e. Ward)	West	3,804
Kichutip	Urban	West	1,160
Aongza	Urban	West	2,361
Yimyu	Urban	North-West	2,586
Khensa	Village	North-West	3,914
Amenyong	Suburban	North-West	632
Alempang	Urban	North	2,622
Dilong	Urban	North	1,712
Sangtemla	Urban	Central	2,721
Arkong	Urban	Central	2,546
Salangtem	Urban	Central	2,160
Alongmen	Urban	Central	2,200
Tongdentsuyong	Urban	North-East	1,746
Sungkomen	Urban	North-East	1,645
Chuchuyimpang	Village	North-East	3,438
DEF & FAC Campus	Suburban	North-East	924
Majakong	Urban	East	2,118
Penli	Urban	East	2,447
Mokokchung Village	Village	East	3,874
Marepkong	Suburban	South	1,170
Ungma	Village	South	7,189
Aolijen	Suburban	South	826
Alichen	Suburban	South	4,403
Artang	Urban	South	1,963
TOTAL			60,161

Sources

• http://www.mokokchung.nic.in
• http://www.tiryimyim.com
• http://www.nagaland.nic.in