Assam (; Assamese: [ˈɔxɔm] (listen)) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of 78,438 km2 (30,285 sq mi). The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur to the east; Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Bangladesh to the south; and West Bengal to the west via the Siliguri Corridor, a 22 kilometres (14 mi) wide strip of land that connects the state to the rest of India. Assamese and Bodo are the official languages of Assam, while Bengali is an additional official language in the Barak Valley. Assam is known for Assam tea and Assam silk. The state was the first site for oil drilling in Asia. Assam is home to the one-horned Indian rhinoceros, along with the wild water buffalo, pygmy hog, tiger and various species of Asiatic birds, and provides one of the last wild habitats for the Asian elephant. The Assamese economy is aided by wildlife tourism to Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park, which are World Heritage Sites. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is famed for its feral horses. Sal tree forests are found in the state which, as a result of abundant rainfall, look green all year round. Assam receives more rainfall than most parts of India; this rain feeds the Brahmaputra River, whose tributaries and oxbow lakes provide the region with a hydro-geomorphic environment.

Bongaigaon ( (listen)) is a major city in the Indian state of Assam. Its urban area spans across Bongaigaon and Chirang district. The city also serves as the gateway of the North-East Frontier Railway Zone with its New Bongaigaon Junction railway station, the second biggest railway station in North-East India. It also acts as the district headquarters of Bongaigaon district and commercial and industrial hub of the west part of the state of Assam. Bongaigaon is one of the most populated urban agglomerations in Assam, alongside Guwahati, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Silchar.The city was the last capital of Koch Hajo and is home to many historical monuments of Koch Rajbonsghi and Kamatapuri cultures. The city, divided into two parts – Old Bongaigaon and New Bongaigaon - is situated 180 kilometres (112 mi) north west of Guwahati, the largest city of Assam. To meet the demands of the Bodo people of Assam, Bongaigaon was divided up to create Chirang district. Bongaigaon has a major petrochemical industry, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL BGR). The town joined the Indian Railways system with the establishment of the railway station in the year 1908. Most of the city's institutions, such as ITI, Bongaigaon College, the Office of the Assam State Electricity Board and other elements of the town's development were established in the early 1960s. The city developed further with the establishment of the Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (BRPL) complex in the year 1972 at Dhaligaon, and the Thermal Power Plant at Salakati. Though these areas are not within the limits of Bongaigaon Municipality, the town also caters to the demand of this population. The city today has evolved to be one of the major commercial and business hubs of the state, with increasing numbers of shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, residential apartments and educational institutions. The city also serves as the base for tourism to places such as the Manas National Park. Centrally located within the state, the city has a vibrant Assamese township and culture.