The district is a part of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and is administered according to the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

[4] Prior to the British colonisation of the area, the hill tribes of Northeast India maintained their independence from the surrounding settled kingdoms due to their geographic location being relatively isolated from the rest of the Brahmaputa valley.

Classified as "Partially Excluded Areas," the Mikir Hills was exempt from the jurisdiction of the Assam government and was administered directly under the special powers of the Governor.

[7] Despite its division in 1970, the region formerly known as the United Mikir & North Cachar Hills district continues to see ongoing aspirations for an autonomous state.

[3] The West Karbi Anglong district is situated between 25° 33' and 26º 09' north latitude and 92º 08' and 93º 04' east longitude[3] and it occupies an area of 3,035 square kilometres.

Other languages include Bhojpuri (10.37%), Nepali (6.98%), Bengali (5.89%), Garo (5.73%), Tiwa (5.43%), Assamese (4.69%), Khasi (3.27%), Hindi (3.18%), Dimasa (1.45%), and Boro (1.28%).

[18] The Principal Secretary (generally an officer selected from IAS/ACS cadre) of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council is the administrative head of the district.

There are also nine autonomous council constituencies in West Karbi Anglong: Duar Amla, Amri, Chinthong, Socheng, Rongkhang, Bithung Rengthama, Kopili, Hamren and Amreng.

Major crops cultivated in the district include ginger, sugarcane, maize, cotton, coconut, chilies, and black pepper.

Pig rearing is the most common livestock activity, with nearly every tribal household in semi-urban and rural areas raising a small unit of local or exotic breeds.

Dairy farming has the potential to become a major occupation for unemployed educated youth and provide significant supplemental income for small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, and women in the district.

Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Transport buses run at regular intervals from the district headquarters to major destinations like Guwahati, Nagaon, Diphu, Lanka, Hojai and Jowai.