Sikkim
Sikkim is a state situated in the North-eastern region of India and is the least populated state of the country. Sikkim touches borders with three neighbouring countries – China, Bhutan and Nepal. Its culture is a blend of Hinduism and Buddhism and many Buddhist festivals like Losoong, Tseshi, Lhabsol, Dasain, etc. are widely celebrated in every part of the state. The people of Sikkim enjoy music and dance during celebration time and are also very fond of sports like football and cricket. The state is a heaven for tourists and nature lovers. It is blessed with gifts from Mother Nature and the serenity of the place draws large number of visitors. National Parks, museums, temples and shrines also attract tourists to visit Sikkim.
Sikkim (/ˈsɪkɪm/; Nepali: [ˈsikːim]) is a state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to India’s Siliguri Corridor near Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second smallest among the Indian states. A part of the Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates, as well as being a host to Kangchenjunga, the highest peak in India and third highest on Earth.[7] Sikkim’s capital and largest city is Gangtok. Almost 35% of the state is covered by the Khangchendzonga National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[8]
Geography
Nestling in the Himalayan mountains, the state of Sikkim is characterised by mountainous terrain. Almost the entire state is hilly, with an elevation ranging from 280 metres (920 ft) in the south at border with West Bengal to 8,586 metres (28,169 ft) in northern peaks near Nepal and Tibet. The summit of Kangchenjunga, the world’s third-highest peak, is the state’s highest point, situated on the border between Sikkim and Nepal.[51] For the most part, the land is unfit for agriculture because of the rocky, precipitous slopes. However, some hill slopes have been converted into terrace farms.
Subdivisions
Sikkim has four districts – East Sikkim, North Sikkim, South Sikkim and West Sikkim. The district capitals are Gangtok, Mangan, Namchi and Gyalshing respectively.[69] These four districts are further divided into 16 subdivisions; Pakyong, Rongli, Rangpo and Gangtok are the subdivisions of the East district. Soreng, Yuksom, Gyalshing and Dentam are the subdivisions of the West district. Chungthang, Dzongu, Kabi and Mangan are the subdivisions of the North district. Ravongla, Jorethang, Namchi and Yangyang are the subdivisions of the South district.[70]
Economy
Sikkim’s nominal state gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at US$4.6 billion in 2019, with GDP per capita being $7,530 (₹ 5,50,000) thus constituting the third-smallest GDP among India’s 28 states.[10] The state’s economy is largely agrarian based on the terraced farming of rice and the cultivation of crops such as maize, millet, wheat, barley, oranges, tea, and cardamom.[82][83] Sikkim produces more cardamom than any other Indian state and is home to the largest cultivated area of cardamom.[84]
Because of its hilly terrain and poor transport infrastructure, Sikkim lacks a large-scale industrial base. Brewing, distilling, tanning and watchmaking are the main industries and are mainly located in the southern regions of the state, primarily in the towns of Melli and Jorethang. In addition, a small mining industry exists in Sikkim extracting minerals such as copper, dolomite, talc, graphite, quartzite, coal, zinc, and lead.[85] Despite the state’s minimal industrial infrastructure, Sikkim’s economy has been among the fastest-growing in India since 2000; the state’s GDP expanded by 89.93 percent in 2010 alone.[86] In 2003, Sikkim decided to fully convert to organic farming and achieved this goal in 2015 becoming India’s first “organic state”.[13][14][15][12]
