The Indian state of Nagaland, has 17 administrative districts: Chümoukedima, Dimapur, Kiphire, Kohima, Longleng, Meluri, Mokokchung, Mon, Niuland, Noklak, Peren, Phek, Shamator, Tuensang, Tseminyü, Wokha and Zünheboto.

There is ongoing demand for several new districts, especially from the relatively inaccessible remote hilly sub-districts of the larger districts farther away from the existing district headquarters.

Administration

Commissioner’s Divisions headed by the Divisional commissioner

In Nagaland, there is no intermediate administrative tier—such as the Commissioner's Divisions found in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, or West Bengal—functioning between the Nagaland Legislative Assembly and individual district administrations headed by the District Commissioner.District Administration in Nagaland, Govt of Nagaland, accessed 6 Feb 2026. Instead of multiple regional heads, Nagaland utilizes a single State Commissioner who centralizes the supervisory and judicial functions that would typically be split among several Divisional Commissioners in larger states.About the Commissioner's Office, Government of Nagaland, accessed 6 Feb 2026.

Civil law authority of the State Commissioner

Under the state's unique customary law framework protected by Article 371A of the Constitution of India, the Commissioner serves as the apex appellate and supervisory authority for a hybrid legal system where Naga customary traditions govern civil and criminal justice.Constitution of India: Special provision with respect to the State of Nagaland, Ministry of Law and Justice, accessed 6 Feb 2026. This role is distinct because the Commissioner oversees the Dobhashi Courts and Village Councils, ensuring that traditional tribal adjudication for land disputes and social matters is harmonized with the Rules for Administration of Justice and Police in Nagaland, 1937, effectively acting as the final executive-judicial bridge for the entire state.Rules for Administration of Justice and Police in Nagaland, 1937, India Code, accessed 6 Feb 2026.

Wide-ranging authority of the State Commissioner in civil and customary tribal court cases: The division of jurisdiction between customary courts and the formal judiciary is defined by the nature of the offense and the identity of the parties involved. Customary courts, which include Village Councils and Dobhashi Courts, possess nearly unlimited jurisdiction over civil disputes, particularly those involving land ownership, inheritance, and tribal social practices under the Nagaland Village and Tribal Councils Act, 1978.The Nagaland Village and Tribal Councils Act, 1978, Government of Nagaland, accessed 6 Feb 2026. Very limited authority of the State Commissioner only in the petty criminal cases: In criminal matters, however, their authority is strictly limited to "trifle" or petty offenses. Serious and heinous crimes must be reported to the Deputy Commissioner and tried only by formal statutory courts to ensure compliance with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.Functions of the Justice and Law Department, Govt of Nagaland, accessed 6 Feb 2026.

Territorial multi-district tribal authorities

In Nagaland, territorial and tribal authorities are structured through a hierarchy of customary and statutory bodies that operate from the village level to the regional state level. Traditional governance is legally anchored in the Nagaland Village and Tribal Councils Act, 1978, which recognizes a hierarchy consisting of Village Councils for local administration and justice, Village Development Boards (VDBs) for implementing developmental schemes, and individual Apex Tribal Councils (such as the Naga Hoho or tribal Sendens) that manage customary laws for the state's 17 officially recognized major ethnic groups. These groups include 15 Naga tribes and the 2 non-Naga tribes as follows:

15 Naga tribes: These groups include 15 Naga tribes, Angami, Ao, Chakhesang, Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Lotha, Phom, Pochury, Rengma, Sangtam, Sumi, Tikhir, Yimkhiung, and Zeliang (Zeliangrong). 2 non- Naga tribes: These groups include 2 non-Naga tribes, Kuki and Kachari tribes.Tribes of Nagaland, Government of Nagaland Official Portal, accessed 6 Feb 2026.

Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority - territorial multi-district tribal authority for the Eastern Nagaland

On 5 February 2026, the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) via a tripartite agreement between the Government of India, the Government of Nagaland, and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) was created covering 8 tribes and 6 eastern-most districts of Nagaland on India–Myanmar border.Government of India signs historic agreement for Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority, Press Information Bureau, accessed 6 Feb 2026. The FNTA provides legislative, executive, and financial autonomy over 46 subjects for six eastern-most districts on India–Myanmar border, (listed north to south) Mon, Longleng, Tuensang, Noklak, Shamator, and Kiphire — representing eight tribes including the Konyak, Sangtam, Chang, Khiamniungan, Yimkhiung, Tikhir, Phom, and Sumi.Central Government and ENPO ink pact for Eastern Nagaland autonomy, The Hindu, accessed 6 Feb 2026.

Districts headed by the District Commissioner

A district of an Indian state is an administrative geographical unit, headed by a district magistrate or a deputy commissioner, an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service. The district magistrate or the deputy commissioner is assisted by a number of officials belonging to different wings of the administrative services of the state.

A superintendent of police, an officer belonging to the Indian Police Service is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues at the district level.

History

On 1 December 1957, the Naga Hills District of Assam and Tuensang Frontier Division of the North-East Frontier Agency (now Arunachal Pradesh) were joined to form the centrally governed Naga Hills Tuensang Area. At that point the previous subdivisions became Kohima District, Mokokchung District and Tuensang District. February 1961 saw the renaming of Naga Hills Tuensang Area to "Nagaland", and in December 1963 Nagaland became the 16th state of India.

19 December 1973 saw the new districts of Wokha District and Zünheboto District carved out of Mokokchung District, Mon District carved from Tuensang District, and Phek District created out of Kohima District.

On 2 December 1997, Dimapur District was carved out from Kohima District and was inaugurated in April 1998.

Three more districts were added on 24 October 2003: Kiphire District, Longleng District and Peren District. Kiphire and Longleng Districts were carved out from Tuensang District, Peren District was carved from Kohima District.

Noklak District was created on 20 January 2021, previously having been a sub-district of Tuensang District.

On 18 December 2021, three new districts were created: Chümoukedima District and Niuland District carved from Dimapur District and Tseminyü District carved from Kohima District.

On 19 January 2022, Shamator District carved from Tuensang was created as the 16th district of Nagaland.

In 2024, Meluri sub-division of the Phek district was upgraded to form Meluri district.

Districts

List of districts

The seventeen districts of Nagaland, and their headquarters, 2011 census populations, areas and elevations (of the seat) are: Sl No District Headquarter Area(km2) Elevation(m) Populationtotal Populationrural Populationurban DatecreatedMap1Chümoukedima District Chümoukedima 610 171 125,400 81,884 43,516 20212 Dimapur District Dimapur 70 145 170,000 0 170,000 19973 Kiphire District Kiphire 1,130 896 74,004 57,517 16,487 20044 Kohima District Kohima 1,207 1,444 267,988 146,900 121,088 19575 Longleng District Longleng 885 1,100 50,484 42,871 7,613 20046 Meluri District Meluri 1,011 n/a 22,558 n/a n/a 20247 Mokokchung District Mokokchung 1,719 1,325 194,622 138,897 55,725 19578 Mon District Mon 1,786 655 250,260 215,816 34,444 19739 Niuland District Niuland 440 154 11,876 11,876 0 202110 Noklak District Noklak 1,152 59,300 59,300 0 201711 Peren District Peren 2,300 1,445 95,219 81,429 13,790 200412 Phek District Phek 2,026 1,524 163,418 138,843 24,575 197313 Shamator District Shamator 410 n/a 12,726 n/a n/a 202214 Tseminyü District Tseminyü 256 1,261 63,629 60,766 2863 202115 Tuensang District Tuensang 2,536 1,371 137,296 100,522 36,774 195716 Wokha District Wokha 1,628 1,313 166,343 131,339 35,004 197317 Zünheboto District Zünheboto 1,255 1,852 140,757 113,160 27,597 1973

Subdivisions

District (DC headquarter) Sub-districts (ADC headquarters) Sub-divisions (SDO headquarters) Circles (EAC headquarters) Chümoukedima District Medziphema Chümoukedima, DhansiriparSeithekema Dimapur District– Kuhuboto– Kiphire District Pungro, Seyochung– Amahator, Khonsa, Kiusam, Longmatra, Sitimi Kohima District Chiephobozou Jakhama, Sechü Zubza Botsa, Kezocha Longleng District Tamlu– Bora Namsang, Sakshi, Yachem, Yongnyah Mokokchung District Mangkolemba, Tuli Changtongya, Tzürangkong Alongkima, Chuchuyimlang, Kobulong, Longchem, Merangmen, Ongpangkong Mon District Aboi, Naginimora, Tizit, Tobu Angjangyang, Chen, Monyakshu, Phomching, Wakching Hunta, Longching, Longshen, Mopung, Shangnyu Niuland District–– Aghunaqa, Nihokhu Noklak District– Thonoknyu Nokhu, Panso Peren District Tening, Jalukie Athibung Kebai–Khelma, Ngwalwa, Nsong Phek District Chozuba, Meluri, Pfütsero Chizami Sakraba, Sekrüzu, Phokungri, Khezhakeno, Chetheba, Khuza, Zuketsa, Phor, Lephory, Razeba Shamator District– Chessore Mangko, Tsurangto Tuensang District Longkhim Noksen Chare, Chingmei, Ngoungchung, Sangsangnyu, Sotokur Tseminyü District–– Tsogin Wokha District Bhandari, Sanis Ralan Aitepyong, Baghty, Champang, Chukitong, Englan, Lotsü, Süngro, Wozhüro Zünheboto District Aghunato, Akuluto, Atoizu, Pughoboto, Satakha Suruhuto Akuhaito, Asuto, Ghathashi, Hoshepu, Saptiqa, Satoi, V. K

Demands for new districts

Several sub-districts and local demand committees in Nagaland have proposed the creation of new administrative districts. These demands are primarily driven by the need to bridge significant geographical distances to current district headquarters, improve public service delivery, and address localized administrative requirements.