The Naga Hills District of Assam and the Tuensang Frontier Division of the North-East Frontier Agency merged on December 1, 1957, to form the Naga Hills Tuensang Area, which was to be administered by the central government. This transformative event resulted in the creation of three new subdivisions, namely Kohima District, Mokokchung District, and Tuensang District. After undergoing a renaming process in February 1961, the Naga Hills Tuensang Area was christened Nagaland, eventually becoming the 16th state of India in December 1963.

Subsequent years witnessed a flurry of district formations, which further bolstered Nagaland's administrative framework. On December 19, 1973, Mokokchung District was divided to create Wokha District and Zünheboto District, while Mon District emerged from the bifurcation of Tuensang District, and Kohima District gave birth to Phek District. A new district, Dimapur, was carved out of Kohima District on December 2, 1997, and formally inaugurated in April 1998.

October 24, 2003, was a significant date for Nagaland, as it marked the creation of three new districts, namely Kiphire District, Longleng District, and Peren District. Tuensang District was split to form Kiphire and Longleng Districts, while Peren District was formed out of Kohima District.

In recent times, Nagaland's administrative map has undergone a few more changes. On January 20, 2021, Noklak District, which was previously a sub-district of Tuensang, was granted district status. December 18, 2021, saw the creation of three more districts: Chümoukedima District and Niuland District were carved out of Dimapur District, while Tseminyü District emerged from Kohima District. Finally, on January 19, 2022, Shamator District was established by dividing Tuensang District, thus becoming Nagaland's 16th district.

Districts of Nagaland

Nagaland is divided into 16 districts. Each of these districts has a listed headquarters and is further subdivided into sub-districts and tehsils. A District Magistrate or Collector governs each district, with the assistance of a Superintendent of Police. Check out the names of the Nagaland districts here. We've also shared the names of each district's headquarters, as well as the dates they were established.