Shillong, city in northeastern India, and capital of Meghalaya state, one of the least populous Indian states. Shillong is about 65 km (40 mi) north of the border with Bangladesh and about 100 km (60 mi) south of the border with Bhutan. Meghalaya is the home of the Khasi people, and Shillong is its largest town. It is located at an altitude of about 1500 m (4920 ft) in the Khasi Hills. This mountainous area, which makes up much of the state, receives a high amount of rainfall, giving rise to pine groves, waterfalls, and streams, which explains why the Shillong area was once known as the “Scotland of the East.” Shillong, destroyed by an earthquake in 1897 and since rebuilt, was a favorite hill resort for British families before Indian independence, and English country-style houses remain a prominent feature of the landscape. Today, the people of Meghalaya practice shifting cultivation, and Shillong trades in the cash crops of oranges, cotton, and potatoes. Rich deposits of mica, gypsum, and coal are known to exist and have been minimally exploited. There is no large-scale industry but forest exploitation is occurring. Population (1991) 131,719.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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