Sikkim

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Sikkim

Area: 7,096 sq km
Capital: Gangtok
Languages: Lepcha, Bhutia, Hindi, Nepali, Limbu
Districts: 4
Sikkim, the 22nd state of the Indian Union, is a small mountain state in the eastern Himalayas. It is bounded by Tibet on the north, Nepal on the west andbBhutan on the east, West Bengal lies to its south. It is the least populous state in the Union. Sikkim is strategically important for India. It lies astride the shortest route from India to Tibet.




Sikkim became a state of the Indian Union under the Constitution (Thirty-sixth Amendment) Act, 1975, which came into force with restrospective effect from 26th April, 1975, when the amending bill was originally passed by both Houses of Parliament.

Physiography: The state is entirely mountainous. About a third of the land is covered with dense forests, where sal, simbal, bamboo and other plants thrive. Some of the finest forests lie in the northern-most areas in Lachen and Lachung. Here the mountains rise to elevations of 7000 metres and more. Kanchen-junga(8579 m), the world's third highest peak, rises from this area. The forests here
are inaccessible and remain for the most part unexploited.The population of Sikkim is mainly made up of the Lepchas, the Bhutias and their allied clans and the Nepalese. The Lepchas were the first settlers in Sikkim.

The Bhutias came from Tibet in the 14th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries the Nepalese came into Sikkim and established themselves. And, today, they form the majority community in the state.

On an average, Sikkim receives 125 cm rain. But the rainfall varies widely between various regions like sheltered valleys, foothills and high mountains. River Tista and its tributaries drain the state. Tista is a perennial river being both rain-fed and snow-fed.Sikkim boasts of several hundred different kinds of orchids and is frequently referred to as a botanist's paradise.

Administration: The state has a unicameral legislature.Sikkim is divided into four districts.

Districts
  1. East
  2. North
  3. South
  4. West
Economy: The state's economy is basically agrarian. The principal crops are maize, paddy, millet, wheat and barley, orange and cardamom are the main cash crops. Sikim has the largest area and the highest production of large cardamom in India. Other imporant crops are potatoes, apples and buck-wheat.
Total power potential is about 8000 MW.Sikkim's tea estate at Temi and Kewzing extends over an area of 400 acres. Sikkim has been declared industrially backward. There are units engaged in food processing, tanning, watch assembling and distilleries, breweries and flour mills. Industrial Development and Investment Corporation has been established.

The first unit of the Rangi hydro-electric project, now under erection in western
Sikkim, is expected to be commissioned soon.

Universities:
  • Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical & Technological Sciences, Gangtok, Pin: 737 102
Tourist Centres: Some of the important tourist centres are: Gangtok, Bakkhim–a natural garden, Yoksum–meeting of three great lamas, Dhubdi monastery, Tashing Monastery, Rumtek monastery, etc.

There are 200 monasteries in Sikkim.

Khangchendzonga National Park is one of the highest national parks in the world and includes the world's third highest mountain (Kanchenjunga).The yak and the musk deer are animals found in Sikkim.There are over 4000 species of plants.

There is no airport in Sikkim. Bagdogra airport in West Bengal caters to the state. The closest railway stations are Siliguri (114 km) and Jalpaiguri (125 km). Road length in the state is 2383 km.

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