South Tripura (Dakshin Tripura) is an administrative district in the state of Tripura in north-eastern India. It occupies the southernmost portion of the state and is one of the eight districts into which Tripura is currently divided. The district headquarters is located at Belonia.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Tripura |
| Headquarters | Belonia |
| Region | Southern Tripura |
| Type | District |
South Tripura was constituted as one of the original districts when Tripura's district structure was reorganised. In 2012, the Government of Tripura carved out new districts from the existing units; as part of this reorganisation, parts of the earlier South Tripura district were separated to form the new Gomati district, leaving the present South Tripura district with a smaller area centred on the southern subdivisions.
The district is administered by a District Magistrate and Collector. It is divided into subdivisions, which include Belonia, Santirbazar and Sabroom, each further organised into administrative blocks and revenue circles. The town of Sabroom, in the southern part of the district, lies close to the international boundary with Bangladesh and is the southernmost urban centre of Tripura.
South Tripura shares an international border with Bangladesh on the south, west and east, while in the north it adjoins Gomati district. The terrain consists of low hill ranges interspersed with valleys, drained by rivers including the Muhuri and the Feni, the latter forming part of the international boundary near Sabroom. The climate is humid sub-tropical, with heavy monsoon rainfall and dense vegetation typical of the region.
The district economy is largely agrarian, with paddy as the principal crop along with rubber, tea, areca nut and horticultural produce. Rubber plantations, supported by the Tripura Rubber Mission and the Rubber Board of India, form an important component of rural livelihoods. The National Highway 8 (formerly NH 44) passes through the district, linking Belonia and Sabroom with Agartala. The Agartala–Sabroom railway line, extended to Sabroom in recent years, has improved rail connectivity, and the Maitri Setu bridge over the Feni river near Sabroom connects the district with the port of Chattogram in Bangladesh.
The population is mixed, comprising Bengali-speaking communities and indigenous groups including the Tripuri, Reang (Bru), Chakma, Mog and Halam. Bengali and Kokborok are widely spoken, and major festivals observed in the district include Durga Puja, Garia Puja and Buddha Purnima, the last being significant among the Buddhist communities of the south.