Meghalaya, a state of India, is located in the North Eastern part of the country. It is bounded by the Indian state of Assam to the north and northeast and by Bangladesh to the south and southwest. The state capital is the hill town of Shillong, located in east-central Meghalaya.
Meghalaya—alaya (“abode”) and megha (“of the clouds”)—occupies a mountainous plateau of great scenic beauty. It became a state in 1972. Area 8,660 square miles (22,429 square km). Pop. (2011) 2,964,007.