The Simte are one of the ethnic groups in India. They are mainly concentrated in the southern parts of the state of Manipur

Manipur

Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...

. A significant number also are settled in neighbouring areas of Mizoram

Mizoram

Mizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in North Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987. Its capital is Aizawl. Mizoram is located in the...

 and Assam. There are also Simte in Chin State

Chin State

Chin State is a state located in western Burma . The Chin State is bordered by Rakhine State in the south, Bangladesh in south-west, Sagaing Division and Magway Division in the east, Indian state of Manipur in the north and Indian state of Mizoram in the west. The Chin ethnic group make up the...

 in Myanmar

Myanmar

Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....

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Demography

According to the 2001 official census, the Simte population was 11,065, which is about 1.5% of the total Scheduled Tribe population of Manipur. Simte are chiefly rural people, with about 98% of them living in the countryside. Interestingly, unlike the average negative sex ratio of India (927 females per 1000 males), the Simte maintain a balanced sex ratio. The ratio actually favours females in the age group of 0-6 with 1,039 females for 1,000 males. The literacy rate among the Simte tribe is a healthy 67%, which is well ahead of the National Average of 61%. The chief occupation of the Simte people is cultivation, with around 77% of the population engaged in it.