Imphal district was a former administrative district of the Indian state of Manipur, centred on the state capital, Imphal. It existed as a single unit until it was bifurcated in 1997 into two successor districts, Imphal East and Imphal West, both situated in the Imphal Valley.
| Name | Imphal district |
|---|---|
| Type | Former district |
| State | Manipur |
| Country | India |
| Headquarters | Imphal |
| Successor districts | Imphal East, Imphal West |
| Status | Bifurcated in 1997 |
Manipur, which became a full-fledged Indian state in 1972, was initially organised into a small number of districts. Imphal district covered the central plains of the state, encompassing the capital city of Imphal and its surrounding agricultural belt in the Imphal Valley. The district was the principal centre of administration, commerce, education, and population in Manipur, and was geographically distinct from the surrounding hill districts inhabited largely by tribal communities.
The district lay in the Imphal Valley, an oval-shaped alluvial plain ringed by hills. The valley is drained by the Imphal River and its tributaries and forms part of the catchment of Loktak Lake further south. The terrain, fertile soil, and moderate climate of the valley made the district the demographic and economic core of Manipur, with rice cultivation as the dominant agricultural activity.
In 1997, the Government of Manipur reorganised the district by splitting it into two new districts:
The reorganisation was intended to bring administration closer to the people and to enable more focused development planning in the densely populated valley region.
As the predecessor of the two present-day Imphal districts, the former Imphal district remains relevant in historical, statistical, and administrative records of Manipur prior to 1997. Census data, electoral rolls, and government reports issued before the bifurcation refer to the unified district, and successor administrative units inherited its institutions, including key offices, courts, educational establishments, and healthcare facilities concentrated in and around Imphal city.