?Sikkim India
Gangtok
Coordinates: 27°20′N 88°37′E / 27.33, 88.62
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area	7,096 km² (2,740 sq mi)
Capital	Gangtok
Largest city	Gangtok
District(s)	4
Population • Density	540,493 (28th) • 76. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Indian Standard Time ( IST) is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a Time offset of UTC+530. UTC+530 is the Timezone for Indian Standard Time Sri Lanka Time The geography of India is diverse with landscape ranging from snow-capped mountain ranges to deserts plains rainforests hills and plateaus To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of Indian state Gangtok ( Nepali and Hindi: गंगटोक is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok ( Nepali and Hindi: गंगटोक is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. A district is an administrative division of a state in India India is divided into twenty-eight states and seven Union territories (UT In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume This is a list of the States of India in order of population 17 /km² (197 /sq mi)
Language(s)	Nepali, Limbu, Bhutia, Lepcha
Chief Minister	Dr Rakesh Kumar Chamling
Governor	Sudarshan Agarwal
Established	16 May 1975
Legislature (seats)	Unicameral (32)
ISO abbreviation	IN-SK
Website: www.sikkim.nic.in
Seal of Sikkim

Coordinates: 27°20′N 88°37′E / 27.33, 88.62

Sikkim (Nepali: सिक्किम (help·info), also Sikhim) is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas. The Constitution of India envisages Hindi as the primary official language to be used by the Union Government, with English as the subsidiary official language Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma Limbu is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Nepal, Sikkim, Kashmir and Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India Sikkimese (also known as Bhutia) is a sublanguage of South Tibetan (Bhutanese-Sikkimese Lhoke language. Lepcha is a language spoken by the Lepcha people in Sikkim in India, and parts of Nepal and Bhutan. Chief Ministers of Sikkim See also Sikkim Governors of Sikkim See also Sikkim Sudarshan Agarwal (born June 19, 1931) was the Governor of Sikkim from October 2007 to July 2008 The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India 's states and territories. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO ISO 3166-2IN is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to India. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. It is the least populous state in India,^[1] and the second-smallest in area after Goa. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Goa ( Konkani: गोंय /ɡɔ̃j/ is India 's smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest in terms of population. The thumb-shaped state borders Nepal in the west, China to the north and east, and Bhutan in the southeast. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. The Indian state of West Bengal borders Sikkim to its south. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. ^[2] The official language of the state is English, while there is a sizeable population who converse in are Nepali, Lepcha Bhutia, and Limbu. The Constitution of India envisages Hindi as the primary official language to be used by the Union Government, with English as the subsidiary official language English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma Lepcha is a language spoken by the Lepcha people in Sikkim in India, and parts of Nepal and Bhutan. For the Bhutia pony see Indian Country Bred. The Bhutias are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Sikkim, other parts Limbu is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Nepal, Sikkim, Kashmir and Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India It is an ancient land also known as 'Indrakil' or garden of Indra, the king-god of heaven, in Hindu religious texts. Indra ( Sanskrit: इन्द्र or इंद्र Indra, Malay: Indera, Thai: พระอินทร์ Phra-Intra The predominant religions are Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and Gangtok is the capital and largest town. Gangtok ( Nepali and Hindi: गंगटोक is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. ^[3]

Despite its tiny size, Sikkim is geographically diverse, owing to its location on the Himalaya. The climate ranges from subtropical to high alpine. The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of For the climate of the mountains named the Alps, see Climate of the Alps. Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, is located in the northwestern part of the state on the boundary with Nepal, and can be seen from most parts of the state. Kangchenjunga ( Nepali:कञ्चनजङ्घा Kanchanjaŋghā) SewaLungma ( Limbu language) is the third highest Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. ^[2] Sikkim is a popular tourist destination for its culture, scenic beauty and biodiversity.

Contents 1 Origin of name 2 History 3 Geography 3.1 Geology 3.2 Hot springs 3.3 Climate 4 Subdivisions 5 Flora and fauna 6 Economy 6.1 Macro-economic trend 7 Transport 8 Demographics 9 Culture 10 Government and politics 11 Infrastructure 12 Media 13 Education 14 Notes 15 References 16 External links

Origin of name

The most widely accepted origin of the name Sikkim is that it is a combination of two words in the Limbu Su, which means "new", and Khyim, which means "palace" or house, in reference to the palace built by the state's first ruler, Phuntsok Namgyal. Limbu is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Nepal, Sikkim, Kashmir and Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India The Tibetan name for Sikkim is Denjong, which means the "valley of rice". Tibetan refers to a group of languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering South Asia as well as by overseas ^[4] The Lepchas, original inhabitants of Sikkim called it Nye-mae-el or paradise and the Bhutias call it Beymul Demazong, which means the hidden valley of rice. For the Bhutia pony see Indian Country Bred. The Bhutias are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Sikkim, other parts ^[5]

History

Main article: History of Sikkim

The earliest recorded event related to Sikkim is the passage of the Buddhist saint Guru Rinpoche through the land in the 8th century. Padmasambhava () The Lotus Born, is said to have transmitted Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet in the 8th century. The Guru is reported to have blessed the land, introduced Buddhism to Sikkim, and foretold the era of monarchy in the state that would arrive centuries later. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices In the 14th century, according to legend, Khye Bumsa, a prince from the Minyak House in Kham in Eastern Tibet, had a divine revelation one night instructing him to travel south to seek his fortunes. Khye Bumsa was a 14th century prince from the Minyak House in Kham in Eastern Tibet. Minyak is a place in Eastern Tibet. Guru Tashi a 13th century Buddhist saint hailed from Minyak For other meanings see Kham (disambiguation. KHAM (995 FM) is a commercial Radio station that is licensed to serve the Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European His descendants were later to form the royal family of Sikkim. In 1642, the fifth-generation descendant of Khye Bumsa, Phuntsog Namgyal, was consecrated as the first Chogyal (king) of Sikkim by the three venerated Lamas who came from the north, west and south to Yuksom, marking the beginning of the monarchy. Phuntsog Namgyal (1604&ndash1670 was the first Chogyal (monarch of Sikkim, now an Indian state The Chogyal ( were the monarchs of the former kingdom of Sikkim. Yuksom was the first capital of Sikkim. It was consecrated in

Phuntsog Namgyal was succeeded in 1670 by his son, Tensung Namgyal, who moved the capital from Yuksom to Rabdentse. Tensung Namgyal (1644-1700 was the second Chogyal (monarch of Sikkim. Rabdentse was the second capital of Sikkim. It was shifted from Yuksom in 1670 by Tensung Namgyal, In 1700, Sikkim was invaded by the Bhutanese with the help of the half-sister of the Chogyal, who had been denied the throne. The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. The Bhutanese were driven away by the Tibetans, who restored the throne to the Chogyal ten years later. Between 1717 and 1733, the kingdom faced many raids by the Nepalese in the west and Bhutanese in the east, culminating with the destruction of the capital Rabdentse by the Nepalese. ^[6]

In 1791, China sent troops to support Sikkim and defend Tibet against the Gurkhas. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Prithvi Naraya Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur The Way of Sacrifice The Rajputs Pages 28-30 Graduate Thesis South Asian Studies Department Dr Following Nepal's subsequent defeat, the Qing Dynasty established control over Sikkim. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China Following the arrival of the British Raj in neighbouring India, Sikkim allied with them against their common enemy, Nepal. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The Nepalese attacked Sikkim, overrunning most of the region including the Terai. The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India This prompted the British East India Company to attack Nepal, resulting in the Gurkha War of 1814. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or The Gurkha War ( 1814 – 1816) sometimes called the Gorkha War or the Anglo-Nepalese War, was fought between Nepal and the British Treaties signed between Sikkim and Nepal — the Sugauli Treaty — and Sikkim and British India — the Titalia Treaty — returned the territory annexed by the Nepalese to Sikkim in 1817. The Sugauli Treaty (also spelled Segowlee and Segqulee) was signed on December 2, 1815 and ratified by March 4, 1816 The Treaty of Titalia was signed between the Chogyal (monarch of Sikkim and the British East India Company. Ties between Sikkim and the British administrators of India grew sour, however, with the beginning of British taxation of the Morang region. Morang District, a part of Kosi Zone, is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal, a Landlocked country of South Asia. In 1849 two British doctors, Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker and Dr Archibald Campbell, the latter being in charge of relations between the British and Sikkim Government, ventured into the mountains of Sikkim unannounced and unauthorised. A physician, medical practitioner or medical doctor who practices Medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human Health Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, OM, GCSI, MD, FRS (30 June 1817 – 10 December 1911 was an English Botanist and Explorer Archibald Campbell may refer to Archibald Campbell Argyll, one of several Dukes and Earls of Argyll by the same name Arthur Campbell (British The doctors were detained by the Sikkim government, leading to a punitive British expedition against the Himalayan kingdom, after which the Darjeeling district and Morang were annexed to India in 1835. Darjeeling ( Nepali:) is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. The invasion led to the Chogyal becoming a puppet king under the directive of the British governor. ^[7]

In 1947, a popular vote rejected Sikkim's joining the Indian Union and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru agreed to a special protectorate status for Sikkim. The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू ʤəʋäɦəɾläl nɛɦɾu (14 November 1889 27 May 1964 was a major political leader of the Congress Party In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect Sikkim was to be a suzerainty of India, in which India controlled its external affairs, defence, diplomacy and communication. Suzerainty (ˈsjuːzərənti RP or /ˈsjuːzəreɪnti/ RP) (/ˈsuːzərənti/ GA) is a situation in which a Region or people is a A state council was established in 1955 to allow for constitutional government for the Chogyal. Meanwhile trouble was brewing in the state after the Sikkim National Congress demanded fresh elections and greater representation for the Nepalese. In 1973, riots in front of the palace led to a formal request for protection from India. The Chogyal was proving to be extremely unpopular with the people. However, a popular belief among the inhabitants of the former kingdom is that the Indian Government at the time and her local agents fomented the unrest. In 1975, the Kazi (Prime Minister) appealed to the Indian Parliament for representation and change of Sikkim's status to a state of India. KAZI (887 FM) is an Urban contemporary Community radio station in Austin Texas. The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. In April, the Indian Army moved into Sikkim, seizing the city of Gangtok, disarming the Palace Guards. A referendum was held in which 97. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita 5% of the people voted to join the Indian Union. A few weeks later on May 16, 1975, Sikkim officially became the 22nd state of the Indian Union, and the monarchy was abolished. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[6][8] In 2000, in a major embarrassment for the government of People's Republic of China, the seventeenth Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje, who had been proclaimed a Lama by China, made a dramatic escape from Tibet to the Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim. The Karmapa (officially His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa) is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa ( Tibetan The recognition of the Seventeenth Karmapa, the head of the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism, has been the subject of controversy Rumtek ( also called the Dharmachakra Centre, is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery located in the Indian state of Sikkim near the capital Chinese officials were in a quandary on this issue as any protests to India on the issue would mean an explicit endorsement of India's governance of Sikkim, which the Chinese still regarded as an independent state occupied by India. China eventually recognised Sikkim as an Indian state in 2003, which led to a thaw in Sino-Indian relations. also called China-India relations refer to the ties and relations between China and India. In return, India announced its official recognition of Tibet as an integrated part of China. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European As part of a significant pact between India and China signed by the prime ministers of the two countries, Manmohan Singh and Wen Jiabao, China released an official map clearly showing Sikkim as part of the Republic of India. Manmohan Singh (ਮਨਮੋਹਨ ਸਿੰਘ (born 26 September 1932 is the 17th This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wen. Wen Jiabao ( (born 15 September 1942 is the Premier of the ^[9] On July 6, 2006 the Himalayan pass of Nathula was opened to cross-border trade, a further evidence of improving sentiment over the region. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Nathu La ( Chinese: 乃堆拉山口 Nepali: नाथू ला IAST: Nāthū Lā;) is a Mountain pass in the Himalayas ^[10]

Geography

The thumb-shaped state of Sikkim is characterised by wholly mountainous terrain. Kangchenjunga ( Nepali:कञ्चनजङ्घा Kanchanjaŋghā) SewaLungma ( Limbu language) is the third highest Almost the entire state is hilly, with the elevation ranging from 280 metres (920 ft) to 8,585 metres (28,000 ft). The summit of the Kangchenjunga is the highest point. Kangchenjunga ( Nepali:कञ्चनजङ्घा Kanchanjaŋghā) SewaLungma ( Limbu language) is the third highest For the most part, the land is unfit for agriculture because of the precipitous and rocky slopes. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture However, certain hill slopes have been converted into farm lands using terrace farming techniques. Numerous snow-fed streams in Sikkim have carved out river valleys in the west and south of the state. These streams combine into the Teesta and its tributary, the Rangeet. The River Teesta (टिस्ता खोला Tista Khola তিস্তা নদী Tista Nodi) said to be the lifeline of the Indian state The Rangeet River is a Tributary of the Teesta River, the largest river in the Indian state of Sikkim. The Teesta, described as the "lifeline of Sikkim", flows through the state from north to south. About a third of the land is heavily forested.

The lofty Himalayan ranges surround the northern, eastern and western borders of Sikkim in a crescent. For things named Crescent see Crescent (disambiguation. In art and symbolism a crescent is generally the shape produced when a The populated areas lie in the southern reaches of the state, in the Lower Himalayas. The state has twenty-eight mountain peaks, twenty-one glaciers, 227 high-altitude lakes, including the Tsongmo Lake, Gurudongmar and Khecheopalri Lakes, five hot springs, and over 100 rivers and streams. "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the Tsongmo Lake (also called Changu Lake or Tsomgo Lake) is a large Lake in the East Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim Gurudongmar Lake (also known as Gurudogmar Lake) is one of the highest lakes in the world located at an altitude of 17100 feet (5148 m Khecheopalri lake in West Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim is considered a holy lake both by the Buddhist and the A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated Groundwater from the earth's crust. Eight mountain passes connect the state to Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. ^[2]

Geology

The hills of Sikkim mainly consist of gneissose and half-schistose rocks, making their soil brown clay, and generally poor and shallow. Gneiss (ˈnaɪs is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from preexisting formations that were originally The schists form a group of medium-grade Metamorphic rocks chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar Minerals such as Micas chlorite The soil is coarse, with large amounts of iron oxide concentrations, ranging from neutral to acidic and has poor organic and mineral nutrients. Altogether there are sixteen known Iron Oxides and oxyhydroxides In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are This type of soil tends to support evergreen and deciduous forests.

A large portion of the Sikkim territory is covered by the Precambrian rock and is much younger in age than the hills. The Precambrian ( Pre-Cambrian) is an informal name for the supereon comprising the eons of the Geologic timescale that came before the current The rock consists of phyllites and schists and therefore the slopes are highly susceptible to weathering and prone to erosion. Phyllite is a type of foliated Metamorphic rock primarily composed of Quartz, Sericite Mica, and chlorite; the rock represents The schists form a group of medium-grade Metamorphic rocks chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar Minerals such as Micas chlorite Weathering is the decomposition of earth rocks, Soils and their Minerals through direct contact with the planet's Atmosphere. Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind This, combined with the intense rain, causes extensive soil erosion and heavy loss of soil nutrients through leaching. Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind As a result, landslides are frequent, isolating the numerous small towns and villages from the major urban centres. A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement such as rock falls deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows which can occur ^[2]

Hot springs

Sikkim has many hot springs known for medicinal and therapeutic values. A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated Groundwater from the earth's crust. The most important hot springs are at Phurchachu (Reshi), Yumthang, Borang, Ralang, Taram-chu and Yumey Samdong. All these hot springs have high sulphur content and are located near river banks. The average temperature of the water in these hot springs is 50°C.

Climate

The climate ranges from sub-tropical in the south to tundra in the northern parts. The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of In physical Geography, tundra is an area where the Tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons Most of the inhabited regions of Sikkim, however, enjoy a temperate climate, with the temperatures seldom exceeding 28 °C (82 °F) in summer or dropping below 0 °C (32 °F) in winter. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 The state enjoys five seasons: winter, summer, spring, and autumn, and a monsoon season between June and September. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months The average annual temperature for most of Sikkim is around 18 °C (64 °F). Sikkim is one of the few states in India to receive regular snowfall. "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. The snow line is around 6 000 metres (19,600 feet). The snow line is the point above which or poleward of which snow and ice cover the ground throughout the year The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit

During the monsoon months, the state is lashed by heavy rains that increase the number of landslides. The state record for the longest period of non-stop rain is eleven days. In the northern region, because of high altitude, temperatures drop below −40 °C in winter. Fog also affects many parts of the state during winter and the monsoons, making transportation extremely perilous. Fog is a cloud that is in contact with the ground Stratus clouds are usually the only clouds that touch the ground ^[2]

Subdivisions

Sikkim has four districts, each overseen by a Central Government appointee, the district collector, who is in charge of the administration of the civilian areas of the districts. The District Collector is a Central Indian Government appointee who is in charge of the governance of a district in a state. The Indian army has control of a large territory, as the state is a sensitive border area. The Indian Army (Bharatiya Thalsena भारतीय थाल्सेना is one of the armed forces of India and has the responsibility for land-based Many areas are restricted and permits are needed to visit them. The Foreigners (Protected Areas Order states that a Protected Area Permit (PAP is required for non-Indians to visit certain areas in India (mainly in the North-East There are a total of eight towns and nine subdivisions in Sikkim.

The four districts are East Sikkim, West Sikkim, North Sikkim and South Sikkim. East Sikkim is one of the four administrative districts of the Indian state of Sikkim. West Sikkim is a district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Its capital is Geyzing, also known as Gyalshing North Sikkim is a district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Its capital is Mangan. South Sikkim is a district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Its capital is Namchi. The district capitals are Gangtok, Geyzing, Mangan and Namchi respectively. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> For people named Mangan see Mangan (surname. Namchi is the capital of the South Sikkim in the Indian state of Sikkim. ^[3] These Four Districts are further divided into Subdivisions. "Pakyong" is the subdivision of East District. "Soreng" is the subdivision of West District. "Chungthang" is the subdivision of North District. "Ravongla" is the subdivision of South District. ^[11]

Flora and fauna

Sikkim is situated in an ecological hotspot of the lower Himalayas, one of only three among the Ecoregions of India. A biodiversity hotspot is a Biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction Because of its size and range of latitude topography and climate India is home to a great diversity of Ecoregions ranging from permanent ice and snow to Tropical The forested regions of the state exhibit a diverse range of fauna and flora. Fauna is all of the Animal life of any particular region or time In Botany, flora ( Plural: floras or florae has two meanings The first meaning flora of an area or of time period, refers to all Owing to its altitudinal gradation, the state has a wide variety of plants, from tropical to temperate to alpine and tundra, and is perhaps one of the few regions to exhibit such a diversity within such a small area.

The flora of Sikkim includes the rhododendron, the state tree, with a huge range of species occurring from subtropical to alpine regions. Rhododendron (from the Greek: rhodos, "rose" and dendron, "tree" is a genus of flowering plants in the family Orchids, figs, laurel, bananas, sal trees and bamboo in the lower altitudes of Sikkim, which enjoy a subtropical-type climate. Ficus is a Genus of about 850 Species of woody Trees Shrubs Vines Epiphytes and hemi-epiphytes in the family The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of Flowering plants included in the order Laurales. For the fruit see Banana. For other meanings see Banana (disambiguation. Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of In the temperate elevations above 1,500 metres, oaks, chestnuts, maples, birches, alders, and magnolias grow in large numbers. The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin Chestnut ( Castanea) (including some chinkapin or Chinquapin) is a Genus of eight or nine Species of Deciduous Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or Birch is the name of any Tree of the genus Betula ( Bé-tu-la) in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the Alder is the common name of a Genus of Flowering plants ( Alnus) belonging to the Birch family (Family Betulaceae) Magnolia is a large Genus of about 210 Flowering plant Species in the subclass Magnolioideae of the family The alpine-type vegetation includes juniper, pine, firs, cypresses and rhododendrons, and is typically found between an altitude of 3,500 to 5 000 m. For the climate of the mountains named the Alps, see Climate of the Alps. Junipers are Coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation. Firs ( Abies) are a genus of between 45-55 species of Evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. The Genus Cupressus is one of several genera within the family Cupressaceae that have the common name cypress; for the others Sikkim boasts around 5,000 flowering plants, 515 rare orchids, 60 primula species, 36 rhododendron species, 11 oak varieties, 23 bamboo varieties, 16 conifer species, 362 types of ferns and ferns allies, 8 tree ferns, and over 424 medicinal plants. Primula is a Genus of 400–500 Species of low-growing Herbs in the family Primulaceae. A fern is any one of a group of about 20000 Species of Plants classified in the phylum or division Pteridophyta, also known as Filicophyta The order Cyatheales is a Taxonomic division of the Fern subclass Cyatheatae, which includes the tree ferns. A variant of the Poinsettia, locally known as "Christmas Flower", can be found in abundance in the mountainous state. "Christmas Star" redirects here For the Christian tradition see Star of Bethlehem. The orchid Dendrobium nobile is the official flower of Sikkim. The Dendrobium nobile is a member of the family Orchidaceae. It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in Traditional Chinese medicine, where

The fauna includes the snow leopard, the musk deer, the Bhoral, the Himalayan Tahr, the red panda, the Himalayan marmot, the serow, the goral, the barking deer, the common langur, the Himalayan Black Bear, the clouded leopard, the Marbled Cat, the leopard cat, the wild dog, the Tibetan wolf, the hog badger, the binturong, the jungle cat and the civet cat. The Red Panda, Firefox, Fire Cat, or Lesser Panda, "or Ailurus fulgens ("shining cat" is a mostly herbivorous Mammal The snow leopard ( Uncia uncia) sometimes known as the ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia from Afghanistan Northern Musk deer are Artiodactyls of the genus Moschus, the only genus of family Moschidae. Bauhinia vahlii ( Bhoral or Mehroin) is a species of Tree found in Sikkim. The Himalayan Tahr ( Hemitragus jemlahicus) is a large Ungulate and a close relative to the wild goat The Red Panda, Firefox, Fire Cat, or Lesser Panda, "or Ailurus fulgens ("shining cat" is a mostly herbivorous Mammal Himalayan Marmots are Marmots found in the Himalayan regions ranging in elevation from 300 metres to 4500 metres The serows are six Species of small Goat -like or Antilope -like mammals of the genus Capricornis. The gorals are the four Species in the Genus Naemorhedus. They are small Ungulates with a Goat -like or Antelope The gray langurs are a group of Old World monkeys and make up the entirety of the Genus Semnopithecus. The Clouded Leopard ( Neofelis nebulosa) is a medium-sized cat, 55 to 110 cm (2 ft to 3 ft 6 in long and weighing between 15 and 23 kg (33 to 50 lb The Marbled Cat ( Pardofelis marmorata) is similar in size to the Domestic Cat, with a longer more thickly furred tail an indicator of an arboreal life-style where The Leopard Cat ( Prionailurus bengalensis) is a small wild cat of Southeast Asia. The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order The Tibetan wolf is a Gray wolf species ( Canis lupus chanco) found in parts of Central China, southwest Russia, Manchuria, The Hog Badger ( Arctonyx collaris) is a terrestrial Mammal up to long with medium-length brown hair stocky body white throat two black stripes on an elongated The Binturong ( Arctictis binturong) also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan Bearcat, or simply the Bearcat, is a species of the family The jungle cat ( Felis chaus) also called the swamp lynx (although not closely related to the Lynxes, is a medium-small cat but is now considered the largest Among the animals more commonly found in the alpine zone are yaks, mainly reared for their milk, meat, and as a beast of burden. The yak ( Bos grunniens) is a long-haired Bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Qinghai - Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the Mammary glands of female Mammals (including Monotremes.

The avifauna of Sikkim is comprised of the Impeyan pheasant, the crimson horned pheasant, the snow partridge, the snow cock, the lammergeyer and griffon vultures, as well as golden eagles, quail, plovers, woodcock, sandpipers, pigeons, Old World flycatchers, babblers and robins. The Himalayan Monal, Lophophorus impejanus also known as the Impeyan Monal or Impeyan Pheasant is a Bird of genus Lophophorus The Satyr Tragopan Tragopan satyra also known as the crimson horned pheasant is a Pheasant found in the Himalayan reaches of India The Snow Partridge ( Lerwa lerwa) is a Gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds The snowcocks are a group of bird Species in the genus Tetraogallus of the pheasant family Phasianidae. The Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus ("Bearded Vulture-Eagle" is an Old World vulture, the only member of the genus The Griffon Vulture, or Eurasian Griffon Vulture, ( Gyps fulvus) is an Old World vulture in the Bird of prey family Accipitridae The Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized Birds in the Pheasant family Phasianidae, or in the family Odontophoridae. Plovers are a widely distributed group of wading Birds belonging to the Subfamily Charadriinae. The woodcocks are a group of seven extant very similar wading Bird Species in the Genus Scolopax, characterised by a long slender "Sandpiper" redirects here For the 1965 film see The Sandpiper. The Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae is a large family of small Passerine Birds restricted to the Old World. A total of 550 species of birds have been recorded in Sikkim, some of which have been declared endangered. An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation ^[2]

Sikkim also has a rich diversity of arthropods, much of which remains unexplored even today. The best studied group remains, as with the rest of India, the butterflies. A butterfly is an Insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a Of the approximately 1438^[12] butterfly species found in the Indian subcontinent, 695 have been recorded from Sikkim. This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. These include the endangered Kaiser-i-hind, Yellow Gorgon and the Bhutan Glory amongst others. The Kaiser-i-Hind ( Teinopalpus imperialis) is a rare species of Swallowtail Butterfly native to India. The Yellow Gorgon, Meandrusa payeni, is a species of swallowtail found in parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The Bhutan Glory, Bhutanitis lidderdalii, is a species of Butterfly found in Bhutan, parts of northeastern India and parts of Southeast ^[13].

Economy

Macro-economic trend

This is a chart of trend of gross state domestic product of Sikkim at market prices estimated by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with figures in millions of Indian Rupees. ^[14]

Year	Gross State Domestic Product
1980	520
1985	1,220
1990	2,340
1995	5,200
2000	9,710
2003	23,786 [1]

Sikkim's gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $478 million in current prices.

Sikkim's economy is largely agrarian, based on traditional farming methods, on terraced slopes. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture The rural populace grows crops such as cardamom, ginger, oranges, apples, tea and orchids. The name cardamom (or cardamon is used for herbs within two genera of the Ginger family Zingiberaceae, namely Elettaria and Amomum Ginger is commonly used as a cooking spice throughout the world An orange —specifically the sweet orange —is the Citrus fruit Citrus sinensis ( syn The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market ^[3] Rice is grown on terraced hillsides in the southern reaches. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Sikkim has the highest production and largest cultivated area of cardamom in India. Because of the hilly terrain, and lack of reliable transportation infrastructure, there are no large-scale industries. Breweries, distilleries, tanning and watchmaking are the main industries. A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of Beer, though beer can be made in the home and has been for much of beer's history A watch is a timepiece that is made to be worn on a person The term now usually refers to a wristwatch, which is worn on the wrist with a strap or Bracelet. These are located in the southern reaches of the state, primarily in the towns of Melli and Jorethang. Melli (also spelt Malli is a town on the West Bengal - Sikkim border on the River Teesta. Jorethang is a major town in South Sikkim district in the Indian state of Sikkim. The state has an impressive growth rate of 8. 3%, which is the second highest in the country after Delhi. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population ^[15]

In recent years, the government of Sikkim has promoted tourism. Sikkim has a vast tourism potential and by tapping into this the state has grossed an earnings windfall. With the general improvement in infrastructure, tourism is slated to be the mainstay of Sikkim's economy. A fledgling industry the state has recently invested in is online gambling. Online gambling is a general term for Gambling using the Internet The "Playwin" lottery, which is played on custom-built terminals connected to the Internet, has been a commercial success, with operations all over the country. A lottery is a form of Gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks ^[16] Among the minerals mined in Sikkim are copper, dolomite, limestone, graphite, mica, iron and coal. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Dolomite (ˈdɒləmaɪt is the name of a Sedimentary Carbonate rock and a Mineral, both composed Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 The Mineral graphite, as with Diamond and Fullerene, is one of the Allotropes of carbon. The word "mica" is thought to be derived from the Latin word la micare, "glitteren" in reference to the brilliant appearance of this mineral (especially Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 ^[17]

The opening of the Nathula Pass on July 6, 2006 connecting Lhasa, Tibet to India is expected to give a boost to the local economy, though the financial benefits will be slow to arrive. Nathu La ( Chinese: 乃堆拉山口 Nepali: नाथू ला IAST: Nāthū Lā;) is a Mountain pass in the Himalayas Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Lhasa, ( in English l̥ʰásə or in Tibetan; Chinese: 拉萨 Pinyin: Lāsà sometimes spelled Lasa, is the administrative capital of the Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European The Pass, closed since the 1962 Sino-Indian War, was an offshoot of the ancient Silk Road, which was essential to the wool, fur and spice trade. The Sino-Indian War ( Hindi: भारत-चीन युद्ध Bhārat-Chīn Yuddh) also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict, was a war between The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species Fur is a body hair of any non-human Mammal, also known as the Pelage. A spice is a dried Seed, Fruit, Root, Bark or vegetative substance used in Nutritionally insignificant quantities as a Food additive ^[10]

Transport

Sikkim does not have any airports or railheads because of its rough terrain. The closest airport, Bagdogra Airport, is near the town of Siliguri, West Bengal. Bagdogra Airport or Civil Aerodrome Bagdogra, a military Airport that is open for civilian flights is located about from the city of Siliguri in Siliguri (শিলিগুড়ি ''Shiliguṛi'') is a rapidly developing metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. The airport is about 124 km away from Gangtok. A regular helicopter service run by the Sikkim Helicopter Service connects Gangtok to Bagdogra; the flight is thirty minutes long, operates only once a day, and can carry 4 people. History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. ^[18] The Gangtok helipad is the only civilian helipad in the state. The word helipad is a portmanteau meaning helicopter landing pad, a landing area for Helicopters Though helicopters can usually land anywhere flat a fabricated The closest railway station is New Jalpaiguri which is situated sixteen kilometres from Siliguri. Indian Railways (भारतीय रेल Bhāratīya Rail) abbreviated as IR (hi भारे is a Department of the Government of India under the Ministry WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> New Jalpaiguri is a Sister city of the city of Siliguri in India 's state The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand ^[3]

National Highway 31A links Siliguri to Gangtok. The highway is an all-weather metalled road which mostly runs parallel to the river Teesta, entering Sikkim at Rangpo. The River Teesta (टिस्ता खोला Tista Khola তিস্তা নদী Tista Nodi) said to be the lifeline of the Indian state WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Rangpo is a town in East Sikkim in the Indian state of Sikkim. Numerous public and privately run bus and jeep services connect the airport, railway station, and Siliguri to Gangtok. A branch of the highway from Melli connects western Sikkim. Melli (also spelt Malli is a town on the West Bengal - Sikkim border on the River Teesta. Towns in southern and western Sikkim are connected to the northern West Bengal hill stations of Kalimpong and Darjeeling. Hill station is a term used for a town usually at somewhat higher elevations Kalimpong (कालिम्पोङ is a Hill station (a hill town nestled in the Shiwalik Hills (or Lower Himalaya in the Indian state of West Darjeeling ( Nepali:) is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. Within the state, four wheel drives are the most popular means of transport, as they can navigate rocky slopes. Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4x4 ("four by four" is a four-wheeled Vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four Wheels to Minibuses link the smaller towns to the state and district headquarters. ^[3]

Demographics

Further information: Sikkimese people

Today the majority of Sikkim's residents are of Nepali ethnic-national origin who came to the province in the 19th century. Sikkimese people inhabit the Indian province of Sikkim. The native Sikkimese consist of the Lepcha, migrating from Tibet Bhutias descendants Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The native Sikkimese consist of the Bhutias, who migrated from the Kham district of Tibet in the 14th century, and the Lepchas who are believed to have migrated from the Far East. For the Bhutia pony see Indian Country Bred. The Bhutias are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Sikkim, other parts Tibetans reside mostly in the northern and eastern reaches of the state. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Immigrant resident communities not native to the state include the Marwaris, who own most of the shops in South Sikkim and Gangtok; the Biharis, most of whom are employed in blue collar jobs; and the Bengalis. South Sikkim is a district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Its capital is Namchi. Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang

Hinduism is the majority religion in the state with 60. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. 9% of the population adhering to the religion. Buddhism forms a large minority with 28. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices 1% of the population following the religion. Christians form 6. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth 7% of the population, consisting mostly of people of Lepcha origin, converted to the faith after British missionaries started preaching in the region in the late 19th century. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The state has never had inter-religious strife. Mosques in downtown Gangtok and Mangan also serve the Muslim population, which numbers at 1. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> For people named Mangan see Mangan (surname. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion 4% of the population.

Nepali is the lingua franca of Sikkim. Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma English and Hindi are also spoken and understood in most of Sikkim. Indian English comprises several Dialects or varieties of English spoken primarily in India, and by first-generation members of the Indian diaspora Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Other languages spoken in Sikkim include Bhutia, Dzongkha, Groma, Gurung, Lepcha, Limbu, Magar, Majhi, Majhwar, Nepal Bhasa, Rai, Sikkimese, Sherpa, Sunuwar, Tamang, Thulung, Tibetan, and Yakha. Sikkimese (also known as Bhutia) is a sublanguage of South Tibetan (Bhutanese-Sikkimese Lhoke language. Dzongkha (dz རྫོང་ཁ Wylie: rdzong-kha, Jong-kă is the national Groma is a language spoken in Sikkim and Tibet. It belongs to the southern group of Tibetan languages Gurung (also Tamu Kyi, Devnagari:तमु क्यी is a term used to collectively refer to Eastern Gurung (ISO 639-3 ggn and Western Lepcha is a language spoken by the Lepcha people in Sikkim in India, and parts of Nepal and Bhutan. Limbu is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Nepal, Sikkim, Kashmir and Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India Not to be confused with the Magyar language more commonly known as Hungarian Magar ( ISO 639-3: mgp /ISO 639-3 mrd is a language spoken in parts of This article is about the Majhi language for the Punjabi dialect see Majhi dialect. Majhwar (ISO 639-3 mmj is a language spoken in parts of Nepal and Sikkim. Dhanwar also known as Rai (ISO 639-3 dhw is a language spoken in parts of Nepal by an Indo-Aryan ethnic group Sherpa (ཤེརཔཱ, Devnagari: शेर्पा also Sharpa Sharpa Bhotia Xiaerba Serwa ISO 639-3 xsr is a language spoken in parts of Nepal and Sunwar is a Kiranti language spoken in parts of Nepal 950400 and Sikkim 26611 Tamang ( Devnagari:तामाङ is a term used to collectively refer to a group of languages spoken in parts of Nepal and Sikkim. Thulung is a Kiranti language spoken in parts of Nepal and Sikkim. Tibetan refers to a group of languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering South Asia as well as by overseas Yakha (ISO 639-3 ybh is a language spoken in parts of Nepal and Sikkim. ^[3][19]

As India's least populous state, Sikkim has only 540,493 inhabitants,^[20] with 288,217 males and 252,276 females. It is also one of the least densely populated states with only 76 persons per square kilometre. Its growth rate is 32. 98% (1991–2001). The sex ratio is 875 females per 1000 males. In Anthropology and Demography, the human sex ratio is the Sex ratio for Homo sapiens (i Female (♀ is the Sex of an Organism, or a part of an organism which produces ova (egg cells Male (♂ refers to the sex of an organism or part of an organism which produces small mobile Gametes called spermatozoa. With 50,000 inhabitants, Gangtok is the state's only significant town. The urban population in Sikkim is 11. 06%. ^[11] The per capita income stands at Rs. 11,356, which is one of the highest in the country. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country ^[19]

Culture

Sikkim residents celebrate all major Indian festivals such as Diwali and Dussera, the popular Hindu festivals. Diwali, or Deepavali, (also called Tihar and Swanti in Nepal (Markiscarali is a major Indian and Nepalese festival and a significant Dasara, also called "Navaratri" is among the most important festivals celebrated in India. Losar, Loosong, Saga Dawa, Lhabab Duechen, Drupka Teshi and Bhumchu are Buddhist festivals that are also celebrated. Losar ( is the Tibetan word for "new year" Lo holds the Semantic field "year" "age" sar holds the semantic Losar ( is the Tibetan word for "new year" Lo holds the Semantic field "year" "age" sar holds the semantic Vesak is an annual holiday observed by practicing Buddhists in many Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Lhabab Düchen, is one of the four festivals commemorating four events in the life of the Buddha, according to Tibetan traditions. Drupka Teshi is a Buddhist festival celebrated to observe Buddha 's first preaching of the "Noble Truths" at the Deer park in Sarnath Bhumchu (Bhum=pot Chu=water is a Buddhist festival celebrated to predict the future During the Losar – the Tibetan New Year – most government offices and tourist centres are closed for a week. Christmas has also recently been promoted in Gangtok to attract tourists during the off-season. ^[21]

It is common to hear Western rock music being played in homes and in restaurants even in the countryside. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Hindi songs have gained wide acceptance among the masses. Indian pop music often known as Indian-Pop, Hindi Pop or Indipop, is based on an amalgamation of Indian folk and classical music and modern beats from different Indigenous Nepali rock, music suffused with a Western rock beat and Nepali lyrics, is also particularly popular. Football and cricket are the two most popular sports. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries

Noodle-based dishes such as the thukpa, chowmein, thanthuk, fakthu, gyathuk and wonton are common in Sikkim. A noodle is food made from unleavened Dough that is cooked in a boiling liquid Momos, steamed dumplings filled with vegetable, buff (buffalo's meat) or pork and served with a soup are a popular snack. A momo ( is a type of Tibetan and Nepali Dumpling, similar to Mongolian Buuz or Chinese Jiaozi. Pork' is the Culinary name for Meat from the domestic Pig ( Sus scrofa) often specifically the fresh meat but can be used as an all-inclusive The mountain peoples have a diet rich in beef, pork and other meats. Alcohol is cheap owing to the low excise duty in Sikkim and beer, whiskey, rum and brandy are consumed by many Sikkimese - indeed, Sikkim has the highest alcoholism rate per capita of any Indian state. In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea Whisky (uisge-beatha or whiskey (uisce beatha or fuisce) refers to a broad category of Alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented Rum is a Distilled beverage made from Sugarcane by-products such as Molasses and sugarcane Juice by a process of fermentation Brandy (from brandywine, derived from Dutch brandewijn — “burnt wine” is a spirit produced by distilling Wine

Almost all dwellings in Sikkim are rustic, consisting of a bamboo frame, woven with pliable bamboo and coated with cow dung, providing a warm interior. Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily Cow dung is the Waste of bovine animal species These species include domestic Cattle ("cows" Bison ("buffalo" In the higher elevations, houses are made of wood.

See also: Music of Sikkim

Government and politics

Like all states of India, the head of the state government is a governor appointed by the Central Indian Government. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government His appointment is largely ceremonial, and his main role is to oversee the swearing in of the Chief Minister. A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e The Chief Minister, who holds the real executive powers, is the head of the party or coalition garnering the largest majority in the state elections. The governor also appoints the cabinet ministers on the advice of the Chief Minister. Sikkim has a unicameral legislature like most other Indian states. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber Sikkim is allocated one seat in each of both chambers of India's national bicameral legislature, the Lok Sabha, and the Rajya Sabha. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India The Rajya Sabha (meaning the "Council of States" is the Upper house of the Parliament of India. There are a total of 32 state assembly seats including one reserved for the Sangha. This article concerns the concept of Sangha in Buddhism. For information on other senses see Sangha (disambiguation. The Sikkim High Court is the smallest high court in the country. The Sikkim High Court (सिक्किम उच्च न्यायालय is the High Court of the state of Sikkim. ^[22]

State symbols^[3]

State animal	Red Panda
State bird	Blood Pheasant
State tree	Rhododendron
State flower	Noble orchid

In 1975, after the abrogation of Sikkim's monarchy, the Congress Party got the largest majority in the 1977 elections. A state mammal is the official or representative Animal of a U The Red Panda, Firefox, Fire Cat, or Lesser Panda, "or Ailurus fulgens ("shining cat" is a mostly herbivorous Mammal This is a list of Indian state (and Union territory) birds The Blood Pheasant, Ithaginis cruentus, is the only species in genus Ithaginis of the Pheasant family In a number of countries plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas Rhododendron (from the Greek: rhodos, "rose" and dendron, "tree" is a genus of flowering plants in the family In a number of countries plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas The Noble Orchid ( Cymbidium goeringii) is an Orchid found in Himalayan regions and in temperate locations Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. In 1979, after a period of instability, a popular ministry headed by Nar Bahadur Bhandari, leader of the Sikkim Sangram Parishad Party was sworn in. Nar Bahadur Bhandari (born October 5 1940) was the former Chief Minister of Sikkim from the Sikkim Parishad Party. The Sikkim Sangram Parishad Party is a political party based in the state of Sikkim in India. Bhandari held on to power in the 1984 and 1989 elections. In the 1994 elections Pawan Kumar Chamling from the Sikkim Democratic Front becoming the Chief Minister of the state. Pawan Kumar Chamling (b 22 September, 1950) is the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Sikkim. The Sikkim Democratic Front is the largest and ruling party of the Indian state of Sikkim. The party has since held on to power by winning the 1999 and 2004 elections. ^[7][18]

See also: Elections in Sikkim and Political_parties_in_Sikkim

[2]

Infrastructure

Although roads in Sikkim are often exposed to landslides and flooding by nearby streams, the roads are significantly better than the equivalent roads of other Indian states. Legislative Assembly election results of Sikkim The total number of seats in the assembly is 32 including one seat reserved for the Sangha. A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement such as rock falls deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows which can occur The roads are maintained by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), an offshoot of the Indian army. The Border Roads Organisation, also known by its Acronym BRO, is a unique combination of officers from the corps of engineers of Indian army and Border The Indian Army (Bharatiya Thalsena भारतीय थाल्सेना is one of the armed forces of India and has the responsibility for land-based The roads in South Sikkim and NH-31A are in good condition, landslides being less frequent in these areas. The state government maintains 1857. 35 km of roadways that do not fall in the BRO jurisdiction. ^[11]

Sikkim has a number of hydroelectric power stations, providing a steady electricity source. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water However the voltage is unstable and voltage stabilisers are needed. Per capita consumption of electricity in Sikkim is 182 kWh. Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' 73. 2% of households have access to safe drinking water,^[11] and the large number of streams assures abundant water supply, thus the state never witnesses droughts. A number of hydel projects are under construction on the Teesta river and their likely environmental impact is a matter of concern.

Media

The southern urban areas have English, Nepali and Hindi dailies. Nepali language newspapers are locally printed, whereas Hindi and English newspapers are printed in Siliguri. Siliguri (শিলিগুড়ি ''Shiliguṛi'') is a rapidly developing metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. Important local dailies are The Samay Dainik, Sikkim Express(English), Sikkim Now(English), etc. English newspapers include The Statesman and The Telegraph which are printed in Siliguri, as well as The Hindu and The Times of India, printed in Calcutta, and are received with a day's delay in the towns of Gangtok, Jorethang, Melli and Geyzing. The Statesman is among the leading daily Newspapers of India. The Hindu is a single-edition English-language Indian newspaper The Times of India ( TOI) is a leading English-language Broadsheet Daily newspaper in India. Jorethang is a major town in South Sikkim district in the Indian state of Sikkim. Melli (also spelt Malli is a town on the West Bengal - Sikkim border on the River Teesta. The Sikkim Herald is an official weekly publication of the government. The Haalkhabar is the only International standard daily news portal from Sikkim. Now Sahitya Srijana Shakari Samiti Ltd run first Indian Nepali Literary online magazine Tistarangit.

Internet cafés are well established in the district capitals, but broadband connectivity is not widely available, and many rural areas have yet to be linked to the Internet. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks Satellite television channels through dish antennae are available in most homes in the state. Channels served are the same available throughout India along with a Nepali language channels. The main service providers are Sikkim Cable, Dish TV, Doordarshan and Nayuma. Not to be confused with the American service Dish Network. Dish TV is India’s first direct to home entertainment service Doordarshan (दूरदर्शन literally Tele-Vision) is the public television broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati, a public The area is well serviced by local cellular companies such as BSNL, Vodafone, Reliance Infocomm, and Airtel. Vodafone is a Mobile network operator headquartered in Berkshire, England, UK. Reliance Communications (formerly Reliance Infocomm) along with Reliance Telecom and Flag Telecom, is part of Reliance Communications Ventures (RCoVL Bharti Airtel, formerly known as Bharti Tele-Ventures Limited (BTVL is India 's largest cellular service provider with more than 75 million subscribers as of August BSNL has state wide coverage, whereas Reliance Infocomm, Vodafone and Airtel have coverage only in urban areas. Vodafone is a Mobile network operator headquartered in Berkshire, England, UK. The national All India Radio is the only radio station in the state. All India Radio (abbreviated as AIR) officially known as Akashvani ( Devanagari: आकाशवाणी ākāshavānī ( Urdu: اکاشوانی This article is about radio broadcasting for other uses see Radio (disambiguation. ^[23]

Education

Literacy is 69. 68%, which breaks down into 76. 73% for males and 61. 46% for females. There are a total of 1545 government-run educational institutions and eighteen private schools mostly located in the towns. ^[11] There are about twelve colleges and other institutions in Sikkim that offer higher education. The largest institution is the Sikkim Manipal University of Technological Sciences which offers higher education in engineering, medicine and management. The Sikkim Manipal University of Health Medical and Technological Sciences established in 1995, is the first government-private initiative in the region It also runs a host of distance education in diverse fields. There are two state-run polytechnics, Advanced Technical Training Centre (ATTC) and Centre for Computers and Communication Technology (CCCT) in Sikkim which offer diploma courses in various branches of engineering. ATTC is situated at Bardang, Singtam and CCCT at Chisopani, Namchi. Sikkim University a central university is going to start functioning from 2008 at Yangang which is situated about 28 km from Singtam. Yangang is a small town in South Sikkim district of the Indian state of Sikkim. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Singtam is a town in East Sikkim district in the Indian state of Sikkim ^[24] Many students however, migrate to Siliguri and Calcutta for their higher education.

Notes

References

• Evans, W. H. (1932) The Identification of Indian Butterflies. (2nd Ed), Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, India.
• Haribal, Meena (1992) Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and their Natural History. Sikkim Nature Conservation Foundation.
• Hooker, Joseph Dalton "Himalayan Journals" Ward, Lock, Bowden & Co. Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, OM, GCSI, MD, FRS (30 June 1817 – 10 December 1911 was an English Botanist and Explorer Assistant-director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
• Holidaying in Sikkim and Bhutan – published by Nest and Wings – ISBN 81-87592-07-9
• Sikkim — Land of Mystic and Splendour – published by Sikkim Tourism.
• Manorama Yearbook 2003 – ISBN 81-900461-8-7

External links

• Native-NE: The Community Website of North East India
• Official website of the Government of Sikkim, Maintained by Department of Information Technology
• Details of the census. Archived from the original on 2006-06-19. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros.
• Ecosystem of Sikkim — Flora, Fauna, Mountain passes, climate mentioned here.
• History of Sikkim
• Sinlung News
• Sikkim state statistics Figures on Sikkim's population, per capita income, density etc.
• Buddhist Monasteries of Sikkim
• China backs India's bid for U.N. Council seat; Amit Baruah; The Hindu 2005-04-12. The Hindu is a single-edition English-language Indian newspaper Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
• Historic India-China link opens, BBC News.
• Sikkim at the Open Directory Project
• Sikkim travel guide from Wikitravel

The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.

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