MeredithRodrigue: formatting fix

2026-02-01T17:35:20Z

formatting fix

>C1MM: /* Demographics */ Added better image

2021-07-02T06:29:31Z

Demographics: Added better image

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{{Infobox settlement
| name = Dang district
| native_name = Dandakaranya
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = [[List of districts of Gujarat|District]] of [[Gujarat]]
| coordinates = {{coord|20.7588|N|73.6886|E|source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:IN|display=title}}
| image_skyline = Saputara view from table top.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = View of river near [[Saputara]]
| image_map = Dang in Gujarat (India).svg
| map_caption = Location of Dang district in Gujarat
| latd =
| latm =
| lats =
| latNS =
| longd =
| longm =
| longs =
| longEW =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Gujarat]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| seat_type = Headquarters
| seat = [[Ahwa]]
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| leader_title = District Collectorate
| leader_name =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 1,764
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 228,291
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]], [[Hindi language|Hindi]], [[English language|English]]
| demographics1_title2 = Spoken
| demographics1_info2 = [[Khandeshi language|Khandeshi]], [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]], [[Bhili language|Bhili]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Hindi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| registration_plate =
| website = {{URL|dangs.nic.in}}
| footnotes =
| official_name =
}}

'''Dang''' is a district in the state of [[Gujarat]] in [[India]]. The administrative headquarters of the district are located in [[Ahwa]]. Dang has an [[area]] of 1,764 km² and a [[population]] of 228,291 (as of 2011).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindiamaps.net/page/India_WhizMap/IndiaMap.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-08-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5Qeg4fOlH?url=http://www.censusindiamaps.net/page/India_WhizMap/IndiaMap.htm |archive-date=2007-07-27 }}</ref> As of 2011, it is the least populous district of Gujarat (out of [[Districts of Gujarat|33]]).<ref name="districtcensus">{{cite web | url = http://www.census2011.co.in/district.php | title = District Census 2011 | access-date = 2011-09-30 | year = 2011 | publisher = Census2011.co.in}}</ref> As per the Planning Commission, Dang is one of the most economically distressed district out of 640 districts in India.<ref>[http://groundreport.com/Governance-in-Gujarat-Under-Modi-A-Critique/ "Governance in Gujarat Under Modi - A Critique"]</ref> 94% of the population belongs to one of the scheduled tribes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dangs.gujarat.gov.in/about-dang|title=About Dang}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.ws/prakashjm45/goa/eastindian.html|title=Konkanian Origin of the 'East Indians'}}</ref> The five Kings of Dangs are the only hereditary royals in India whose titles are currently recognized by the government owing to an agreement made during the British Raj in 1842.<ref name="history1" /><ref name="kings" />

==Etymology==
The origin of the name of the Dang is uncertain. In common parlance the word 'dang' means a hilly village. There is another connotation of the word 'dang' which means [[bamboo]] (a place of bamboo). The name is also associated with [[Hindu mythology]]. It is related to the [[Dandakaranya]] of the [[Ramayana]]. It is said that during the exile, [[Rama]] passed through this area on his way to Nashik.<ref name="Gazetteer1971">{{cite book|editor=G. D. Patel|title=Gazetteer of India: Dangs District|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fUhuAAAAMAAJ|year=1971|publisher=Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications|location=Ahmedabad|pages=1–2}}</ref>

==Kings of Dang==
[[File:Surat Agency with all princely states with labels British India 1880-1933.svg|thumb|The Dangs (''orange'') within [[Surat Agency]], British India|350px]]
{{see also|Surat Agency}}
The five Royal [[Bhil]] Kings of Dangs are currently the only hereditary rulers in India.<ref>[https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/kings-of-the-dang/article19132643.ece Kings of the Dang]</ref>

Before Independence several wars were fought between the five tribal kings of Dang and the [[British Raj]]. According to the history of Dang, the biggest war to took place at 'Lashkaria Amba', in when the kings of all the five states joined together to protect Dang from British rule.<ref name=history1>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/Dangs-darbar-gets-off-to-royal-start/articleshow/4239572.cms Dangs darbar gets off to royal start]</ref> The British were beaten and agreed to a compromise.<ref name=history1/>

As per the treaty signed in 1842 the British were allowed to use the forests and their natural products against which they had to pay around 3,000 silver coins to the five kings. Currently the kings receive a monthly political pension by the Government of India, which is the main source of their income. This payment is continued even though all privy purses for the Princely states of India were stopped in 1970 since the agreement was between then monarchy of Dangs and the British.<ref name=history1/><ref name=history2/>

At the end of each fiscal year during [[Holi]], the kings gather in Ahwa for a traditional royal ceremony, in their richly decorated buggies and bands with tribal dancers, to receive the payment as per the agreement of 1842.<ref name=kings/> In ancient Indian Scriptures Dang is known as Dand Aranyaka, meaning ''Bamboo Forest''.<ref name=history2>{{Cite news| last = Andrabi| first = Jalees| title = Once a year, peasant rulers are given the royal treatment| newspaper = The National| date = 13 March 2009| url = http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090313/FOREIGN/623646488/1103/NEWS| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130115001326/http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090313/FOREIGN/623646488/1103/NEWS| url-status = dead| archive-date = 15 January 2013| access-date = 19 April 2010}}</ref> Recently the Dangs Kings have urged the government to protect their depleting forest cover due to [[illegal logging]].<ref>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/Dang-tribal-kings-urge-Modi-to-protect-their-jungle/articleshow/5822620.cms Dang tribal kings urge Modi to protect their jungle]</ref>

The five kingdoms are [[List of current constituent Asian monarchs|Daher-Amala, Linga, Gadhvi, Vasurna and Pimpri]].<ref>{{Cite news| title = Kings hold durbar at Dangs, but at Govt expense| newspaper = Indian Express Newspapers| date = 28 February 1999| url = http://www.expressindia.com/news/ie/daily/19990301/ige01026p.html| access-date = 19 April 2010}}</ref>

=== '''Rulers'''<ref name="history1" /><ref name="kings">[http://www.dnaindia.com/india/slideshow-dangs-darbar-kicks-off-at-ahwa-1521007 Dangs Darbar kicks off at Ahwa]</ref> ===
#''Linga'' - Raja Bhawarsinh
#''Daher-Amala'' - [[Raja Tapatrao Anandrao|Raja Tapatrao Anandrao Pawar]]
#''Gadhvi'' - Raja Karan Singh Yashwantrao Pawar
#''Vasurna'' - Raja Dhanrajsinh Chandrasinh Suryavanshi
#''Pimpri'' - Raja Trikamrao Sahebrao Pawar

==Demographics==
{{historical populations|11=1901|12=18,333|13=1911|14=28,926|15=1921|16=24,142|17=1931|18=33,495|19=1941|20=40,236|21=1951|22=47,282|23=1961|24=71,567|25=1971|26=94,185|27=1981|28=1,13,664|29=1991|30=1,44,091|31=2001|32=1,86,729|33=2011|34=2,28,291|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A2_Data_Table.html Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901]</ref>|align=right}}According to the [[2011 census of India|2011 census]], Dang district has a [[Demographics of India|population]] of 228,291,<ref name="districtcensus"/> roughly equal to the nation of [[Vanuatu]].<ref name="cia">{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison:Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | access-date = 2011-10-01 | quote = Vanuatu 224,564 July 2011 est.
}}</ref> This gives it a ranking of 587th in India (out of a total of [[Districts of India|640]]).<ref name=districtcensus/> The district has a population density of {{convert| 129 |PD/sqkm|PD/sqmi}} .<ref name=districtcensus/> Its [[Family planning in India|population growth rate]] over the decade 2001-2011 was 21.44%.<ref name=districtcensus/> Dang has a [[sex ratio]] of 1007 [[Women in India|females]] for every 1000 males,<ref name=districtcensus/> and [[Literacy in India|literacy rate]] of 76.8%.<ref name=districtcensus/>

At the time of the [[2011 Census of India]], 59.59% of the population in the district spoke [[Dhanki language|Dangi]], 32.55% [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]], 3.18% [[Gamit language|Gamit]], 2.00% [[Marathi language|Marathi]] and 1.21% [[Hindi]] as their first language.<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16.html 2011 Census of India, Population By Mother Tongue]</ref>

==Economy==
In 2006 the [[Ministry of Panchayati Raj]] named Dang District as an [[Poverty in India|economically distressed district]], one of 250 out of a total of 640 [[Districts of India|districts]].<ref name=brgf/> It is one of the six districts in Gujarat currently receiving funds from the [[Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme]] (BRGF).<ref name=brgf>{{cite web|author=Ministry of Panchayati Raj |date=September 8, 2009 |title=A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme |publisher=National Institute of Rural Development |url=http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |access-date=September 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405033402/http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |archive-date=April 5, 2012 }}</ref>

==Forest==
Dang District has part of a forest that includes [[Purna Wildlife Sanctuary]],<ref name="TrivediSoni2006">{{cite journal |author=Trivedi, P. and Soni, V.C. |year=2006 |title=Significant bird records and local extinctions in Purna and Ratanmahal wildlife sanctuaries, Gujarat, India |journal=Forktail |volume=22 |pages=39–48 |url=http://birdingasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Trivedi-Purna.pdf}}</ref> which is shared between the districts of Dang and [[Tapi district|Tapi]] in Gujarat and [[Nandurbar District]] in [[Maharashtra]],<ref name="GujaratTourismPurna">{{cite web |title=Mahal Eco Campsite |publisher=Gujarat Tourism |url=http://www.gujarattourism.com/destination/details/5/142 |access-date=2017-01-25}}</ref><ref name=Jhala2011>[[Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala|Jhala]], Y. V., Qureshi, Q., Sinha, P. R. (Eds.) (2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20120120232451/http://www.projecttiger.nic.in/whtsnew/Tiger_Status_oct_2010.pdf ''Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India, 2010.''] National Tiger Conservation Authority, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. TR 2011/003 pp-302</ref> and [[Vansda National Park]] in [[Navsari District]], which shares a continuous tract of forest with [[Valsad district]].<ref name="TrivediSoni2006"/><ref name="GujaratTourismVansda">{{cite web |title=Vansda National Park |publisher=Gujarat Tourism |url=http://www.gujarattourism.com/destination/details/12/130 |access-date=2017-01-29}}</ref>{{better source|date=November 2017}}

A [[rusty-spotted cat]] was sighted for the time in 1991 in [[Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary]].<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Chavan, S.A. |author2=Patel, C. D. |author3=Pawar, S. V. |author4=Gogate, N. S. |author5=Pandya, N. P. |year=1991 |title=Sighting of the rusty-spotted cat ''Felis rubiginosa'' (Geoffroy) in Shoolpaneshwar Sanctuary, Gujarat |journal=Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |issue=88 |pages=107−108 }}</ref>

In [[Purna Wildlife Sanctuary|Purna]] and [[Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary]]s, eight bird species are considered [[locally extinct]], including [[Indian grey hornbill]], [[jungle bush quail]], [[red spurfowl]] and [[large woodshrike]].<ref name="TrivediSoni2006"/> Also, [[Bengal tiger]], [[Indian giant squirrel]] and [[gaur]] are reportedly extinct in Gujarat.<ref>Worah, S. (1991). The ecology and management of a fragmented forest in south Gujarat, India: the Dangs. Ph.D. thesis, University of Poona, Pune, India.</ref>

==Talukas==
# [[Subir]]
# [[Waghai]]
# [[Ahwa]]

==Rivers of district==
* [[Purna River (Gujarat)|Purna River]]
* [[Ambika River]]
* [[Gira River]]
* Khapri River
* Dhodad River

==See also==
* [[Inner Terai Valleys of Nepal|Valley]] and [[Dang District, Nepal|District of Dang]] in [[Nepal]]
* [[Dang, Uttar Pradesh]]
* [[Dang, Iran]]
* [[Gulf of Khambhat]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://dangs.nic.in/ Official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150520112658/http://dangdp.gujarat.gov.in/dang/index.htm Dang District Panchayat-Official web]
* [http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/are-there-tigers-in-gujarat/article22413777.ece Are there tigers in the Dangs?]

{{Commons category|Dang district}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Dang district
|North = [[Tapi district]]
|Northeast = [[Nandurbar district]], [[Maharashtra]]
|East = [[Dhule district]], [[Maharashtra]]
|Southeast =
|South = [[Nashik district]], [[Maharashtra]]
|Southwest =
|West = [[Navsari district]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Gujarat}}

[[Category:Districts of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Dang district, India]]

Dang district, India - Revision history

MeredithRodrigue: formatting fix

>C1MM: /* Demographics */ Added better image