Sikkim

Sikkim (/ˈsɪkɪm/ SIK-im; 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, Koshi Province of Nepal
in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siliguri Corridor, which borders
Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second-smallest among the Indian states. Situated in
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.[13] Sikkim's capital and largest city is Gangtok. Almost 35% of the state is covered by
Khangchendzonga National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[14]

The Kingdom of Sikkim was founded by the Namgyal dynasty in the 17th century. It was ruled by
Buddhist priest-kings known as the Chogyal. It became a princely state of the British Indian Empire
in 1890. Following Indian independence, Sikkim continued its protectorate status with the Union of
India after 1947 and the Republic of India after 1950. It enjoyed the highest literacy rate and per
capita income among Himalayan states. In 1973, anti-royalist riots took place in front of the
Chogyal's palace. In 1975, after the Indian Army took over the city of Gangtok, a referendum was
held that led to the dissolution of the monarchy and Sikkim's joining India as its 22nd state.[15]

Modern Sikkim is a multiethnic and multilingual Indian state. The official languages of the state are
English, Nepali, Bhutia, and Lepcha.[4] Additional official languages include Gurung, Limbu, Magar,
Mukhia, Newari, Rai, Sherpa and Tamang for the purpose of preservation of culture and tradition in
the state.[5] English is taught in schools and used in government documents. The predominant
religion is Hinduism, with a significant Vajrayana Buddhist minority. Sikkim's economy is largely
dependent on agriculture and tourism. As of 2019, the state had the fifth-smallest GDP among
Indian states,[16] although it is also among the fastest-growing.[17][18]

Toponymy

The name Sikkim is believed to be a combination of the Limbu words su "new" and khyim "palace" or
"house".[19] The Tibetan name for Sikkim is Drenjong (Wylie-transliteration: bras ljongs), which means
"valley of rice",[20] while the Bhutias call it Beyul Demazong, which means "the hidden valley of
rice".[21] According to folklore, after establishing Rabdentse as his new capital, Bhutia king Tensung
Namgyal built a palace and asked his Limbu Queen to name it. The Lepcha people, the original
inhabitants of Sikkim, called it Nye-mae-el, meaning "paradise".[21] In historical Indian literature,
Sikkim is known as Indrakil, the garden of the war god Indra.[22]
History Sikkim

State

State of Sikkim

Guru Rinpoche, patron saint of Sikkim

The Lepchas are considered to be the earliest

inhabitants of Sikkim.[23] However the Limbus and
the Magars also lived in the inaccessible parts of
West and South districts as early as the Lepchas
perhaps lived in the East and North districts.[24]
The Buddhist saint Padmasambhava, also known
(from top, left to right) Buddha Park of
as Guru Rinpoche, passed through the land in the Ravangla; Kangchenjunga; Gurudongmar Lake;
8th century.[25][26] The Guru is reported to have Monks in Kartok Monastery, Pakyong; Rumtek
Monastery; Temi Tea Garden
blessed the land, introduced Buddhism, and
foretold the era of monarchy that would arrive in
Sikkim centuries later.

Foundation of the monarchy

Emblem of Sikkim

Etymology: New Palace

Nickname: "Valley of Rice"

Motto: Kham sum wangdu (Conqueror of the

three worlds)

Flag of Sikkim during its independent

monarchy.

According to legend, Khye Bumsa, a 14th-century

prince from the Minyak House in Kham in eastern
Tibet, received a divine revelation instructing him
to travel south to seek his fortunes. A fifth-
generation descendant of Khye Bumsa, Phuntsog
Namgyal, became the founder of Sikkim's
monarchy in 1642, when he was consecrated as
the first Chogyal, or priest-king, of Sikkim by the
three venerated lamas at Yuksom.[27] Phuntsog
Namgyal was succeeded in 1670 by his son,
Tensung Namgyal, who moved the capital from
Yuksom to Rabdentse (near modern Pelling). 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 Bhutanese were
driven away by the Tibetan people, who restored
the throne to the Chogyal ten years later. Between Location of Sikkim in India
1717 and 1733, the kingdom faced many raids by Country India
the Nepalese in the west and Bhutanese in the
Region Northeast India
east, culminating with the destruction of the
capital Rabdentse by the Nepalese.[28] In 1791,
Previously was Kingdom of Sikkim
China sent troops to support Sikkim and defend
Admission to union 16 May 1975
Tibet against the Gorkha Kingdom. Following the
subsequent defeat of Gorkha, the Chinese Qing Capital Gangtok
and largest city
dynasty established control over Sikkim.[29]
Districts 6

Government

• Body Government of
Sikkim

• Governor Om Prakash Mathur

• Chief minister Prem Singh Tamang

(SKM)

State Legislature Unicameral

• Assembly Sikkim Legislative

Assembly (32 seats)

National Parliament Parliament of India

• Rajya Sabha 1 seat

• Lok Sabha 1 seat

 High Court Sikkim High Court
During the British Raj
Area

• Total 7,096 km2

(2,740 sq mi)

• Rank 27th

Dimensions

• Length 116 km (72 mi)

• Width 65 km (40 mi)

Elevation 1,650 m (5,410 ft)

Highest elevation 8,586 m (28,169 ft)

(Kangchenjunga[1])

An 1876 map of Sikkim, depicting Chomto Dong Lake Lowest elevation 280 m (920 ft)
in northern Sikkim.[30] However, the whole of Chumbi (border with West
and Darjeeling are not depicted as part of Sikkim in Bengal[2])
the map.
Population (2011)[3]
Following the beginning of British rule in
• Total 610,577
neighbouring India, Sikkim allied with Britain
• Rank 32nd
against their common adversary, Nepal. The
Nepalese attacked Sikkim, overrunning most of • Density 86/km2 (220/sq mi)

the region including the Terai. This prompted the • Urban 25.15%
British East India Company to attack Nepal, • Rural 74.85%
resulting in the Gurkha War of 1814.[31] Treaties
Language
signed between Sikkim and Nepal resulted in the
return of the territory annexed by the Nepalese in • Official Nepali · Sikkimese
Bhutia · Lepcha ·
1817. However, ties between Sikkim and the English
[4][5]
British weakened when the latter began taxation
of the Morang region. In 1849, two British • Additional official Gurung · Limbu ·
Magar · Mukhia ·
physicians, Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker and Newari · Rai · Sherpa
Archibald Campbell, the latter being the · Tamang

superintendent of Darjeeling, ventured into the GDP

mountains of Sikkim with the prior permission of
• Total (2025-26) {(US$6.7 billion)
King Tsugphu Namgyal.[32][33] The doctors were
• Rank 29th
detained by an influential Dewan,[32] leading to a
punitive British expedition against the kingdom, • Per capita

after which the Darjeeling district and Morang US$10,000

[6]
were annexed to British India in 1853. The (1st)
Chogyal of Sikkim became a titular ruler under the Time zone UTC+05:30 (IST)
directive of the British governor as a result of the ISO 3166 code IN-SK
[34]
invasion.
Vehicle registration SK

Sikkim became a British protectorate in the later HDI (2022) 0.712 high[7] (9th)
decades of the 19th century, formalised by a
Literacy (2024) 84.7%[8] (19th)
[35][36][37]
convention signed with China in 1890.
Sex ratio (2011) 890♀/1000 ♂ (10th)
Sikkim was gradually granted more sovereignty
over the next three decades,[38] and became a Website www.sikkim.gov.in (h
ttp://www.sikkim.gov.
member of the Chamber of Princes, the assembly in)
representing the rulers of the Indian princely
states, in 1922.[37] Symbols of Sikkim

Indian protectorate
Emblem of Sikkim
Prior to Indian independence, Jawaharlal Nehru,
as the Vice-President of the Executive Council, Foundation day Sikkim Day
pushed through a resolution in the Indian
Bird Blood pheasant[9]
Constituent Assembly to the effect that Sikkim
and Bhutan, as Himalayan states, were not 'Indian Fish Copper Mahseer[10]

states' and their future should be negotiated Flower Noble

dendrobium[11][12]
separately.[39] A standstill agreement was signed
in February 1948.[40] Mammal Red panda

Tree Rhododendron
Meanwhile, Indian independence and its move to
State highway mark
democracy spurred a fledgling political
movement in Sikkim, giving rise to the formation
of Sikkim State Congress (SSC), a pro-accession
political party. The party sent a plate of demands
to the palace, including a demand for accession
to India. The palace attempted to defuse the
movement by appointing three secretaries from State highway of Sikkim
the SSC to the government and sponsoring a SK SH1 – SK SH27

counter-movement in the name of Sikkim List of Indian state symbols

National Party, which opposed accession to
India.[41]
The demand for responsible government continued, and the SSC launched a civil disobedience
movement. The Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal asked India for help in quelling the movement,
which was offered in the form of a small military police force and an Indian Dewan. In 1950, a treaty
was agreed between India and Sikkim which gave Sikkim the status of an Indian protectorate.
Sikkim came under the suzerainty of India, which controlled its external affairs, defence, diplomacy
and communications.[42] In other respects, Sikkim retained administrative autonomy.

A state council was established in 1953 to allow for constitutional government under the Chogyal.
Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal was able to preserve autonomy and shape a "model Asian state"
where the literacy rate and per capita income were twice as high as neighbouring Nepal, Bhutan and
India.[43] Meanwhile, the Sikkim National Congress demanded fresh elections and greater
representation for Nepalis in Sikkim. People marched on the palace against the monarchy.[43] In
1973, anti-royalist agitations took place, which needed to be quelled using Indian security forces.[44]

Merger and statehood

In 1975, the Prime Minister of Sikkim Kazi Lhendup Dorjee, appealed to the Indian Prime Minister,
Indira Gandhi for Sikkim to become a state of India. In April of that year, the Indian Army took over
the city of Gangtok and disarmed the Chogyal's palace guards. Thereafter, a referendum was held in
which 97.5 per cent of voters supported abolishing the monarchy, effectively approving union with
India. India is said to have stationed 20,000–40,000 troops in a country of only 200,000 during the
referendum.[45] On 16 May 1975, Sikkim became the 22nd state of the Indian Union, and the
monarchy was abolished.[46] To enable the incorporation of the new state, the Indian Parliament
amended the Indian Constitution. First, the 35th Amendment laid down a set of conditions that
made Sikkim an "Associate State", a special designation not used by any other state. A month later,
the 36th Amendment repealed the 35th Amendment, and made Sikkim a full state, adding its name
to the First Schedule of the Constitution.[47]

Recent history

In 2000, the seventeenth Karmapa, Urgyen Trinley Dorje, who had been confirmed by the Dalai Lama
and accepted as a tulku by the Chinese government, escaped from Tibet, seeking to return to the
Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim. Chinese officials were in a dilemma on this issue, for any protests to
India would mean an explicit endorsement of India's governance of Sikkim, which China still
recognised as an independent state occupied by India. The Chinese government eventually
recognised Sikkim as an Indian state in 2003, in return for India declaring Tibet as a part of the
territory of China;[48][49] New Delhi had accepted Tibet as part of China in 1954, but China appears to
have believed that the agreement had lapsed.[50][51] The 2003 agreement led to a thaw in Sino-Indian
relations.[52] On 6 July 2006, the Sikkimese Himalayan pass of Nathu La was opened to cross-border
trade, becoming the first open border between India and China.[53] The pass, which was first opened
during the 1904 Younghusband Expedition to Tibet,[54] had remained closed since the 1962 Sino-
Indian War.[53]

On 18 September 2011, a magnitude 6.9Mw earthquake struck Sikkim, killing at least 116 people in
the state and in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Tibet.[55] More than 60 people died in Sikkim alone,
and the city of Gangtok suffered significant damage.[56]

Geography

Kangchenjunga

Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world,

near the Zemu Glacier.

Situated 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 the
border with West Bengal to 8,586 metres (28,169 ft) in the 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.[57] 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.

Sikkim is in lower center of image of the

Tibetan Plateau- (NASA Satellite photo).
Numerous snow-fed streams have carved out river valleys in the west and south of the state. These
streams combine into the major Teesta River and its tributary, the Rangeet, which flow through the
state from north to south.[58] About a third of the state is heavily forested. The Himalayan mountains
surround the northern, eastern and western borders of Sikkim. The Lower Himalayas, lying in the
southern reaches of the state, are the most densely populated.

Detailed 1:250k scale, 1955 US Army map

of Sikkim showing major river valleys,
glaciers, lakes, peaks (height in feet) and
Mines. One could see more concentration
of glaciers at the north-western part of
Sikkim around Kangchenjunga (28,168 feet
(8,586 m)).

The state has 28 mountain peaks, more than 80 glaciers,[59] 227 high-altitude lakes (including the
Tsongmo, Gurudongmar and Khecheopalri Lakes), five major hot springs, and more than 100 rivers
and streams. Eight mountain passes connect the state to Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal.[60]

Sikkim's hot springs are renowned for their medicinal and therapeutic value. Among the state's most
notable hot springs are those at Phurchachu, Yumthang, Borang, Ralang, Taram-chu and Yumey
Samdong. The springs, which have a high sulphur content, are located near river banks; some are
known to emit hydrogen.[61] The average temperature of the water in these hot springs is 50 °C
(122 °F).[62]
Geology

A waterfall in Sikkim

The hills of Sikkim mainly consist of gneiss and schist[63] which weather to produce generally poor
and shallow brown clay soils. The soil is coarse, with large concentrations of iron oxide; it ranges
from neutral to acidic and is lacking in organic and mineral nutrients. This type of soil tends to
support evergreen and deciduous forests.[64]

The rock consists of phyllites and schists, and is highly susceptible to weathering and erosion. This,
combined with the state's heavy rainfall, causes extensive soil erosion and the loss of soil nutrients
through leaching. As a result, landslides are frequent, often isolating rural towns and villages from
the major urban centres.[65]

Climate

The state has five seasons: winter, summer, spring, autumn, and monsoon season. Sikkim's climate
ranges from sub-tropical in the south to tundra in the north. Most of the inhabited regions of Sikkim
experience a temperate climate, with temperatures seldom exceeding 28 °C (82 °F) in summer. 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. The snow line ranges from 6,100
metres (20,000 ft) in the south of the state to 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) in the north.[66] The tundra-
type region in the north is snowbound for four months every year, and the temperature drops below
0 °C (32 °F) almost every night.[61] In north-western Sikkim, the peaks are frozen year-round;[67]
because of the high altitude, temperatures in the mountains can drop to as low as −40 °C (−40 °F) in
winter.

During the monsoon, heavy rains increase the risk of landslides. The record for the longest period of
continuous rain in Sikkim is 11 days. Fog affects many parts of the state during winter and the
monsoons, making transportation perilous.[68]
Flora and fauna

Noble orchid (top) is Sikkim's state

flower. Rhododendron is its state tree;
about 40 species of rhododendron
bloom late April – mid May across the
state.[69]

Sikkim is situated in an ecological hotspot of the lower Himalayas, one of only three among the
ecoregions of India.[70][71] The forested regions of the state exhibit a diverse range of fauna and
flora. Owing to its altitudinal gradation, the state has a wide variety of plants, from tropical species
to temperate, alpine and tundra ones, and is perhaps one of the few regions to exhibit such a
diversity within such a small area. Nearly 81 per cent of the area of Sikkim comes under the
administration of its forest department.[72]

Sikkim is home to around 5,000 species of 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 900 medicinal plants.[70][13] A relative of the Poinsettia, locally
known as "Christmas Flower", can be found in abundance in the mountainous state. The Noble
Dendrobium is the official flower of Sikkim, while the rhododendron is the state tree.[73]

Orchids, figs, laurel, bananas, sal trees and bamboo grow in the Himalayan subtropical broadleaf
forests of the lower altitudes of Sikkim. In the temperate elevations above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft)
there are Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests, where oaks, chestnuts, maples, birches, alders, and
magnolias grow in large numbers, as well as Himalayan subtropical pine forests, dominated by Chir
pine. Alpine-type vegetation is typically found between an altitude of 3,500 to 5,000 metres (11,500
to 16,400 ft). In lower elevations are found juniper, pine, firs, cypresses and rhododendrons from the
Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests. Higher up are Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and
meadows and high-altitude wetlands, which are home to a wide variety of rhododendrons and
wildflowers.[71][13]

The red panda is the state animal of

Sikkim.

The fauna of Sikkim include the snow leopard,[74] musk deer, Himalayan tahr, red panda, Himalayan
marmot, Himalayan serow, Himalayan goral, muntjac, common langur, Asian black bear, clouded
leopard,[75] marbled cat, leopard cat,[76] dhole, Tibetan wolf, hog badger, binturong, and Himalayan
jungle cat. 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 avifauna of Sikkim include the impeyan pheasant, crimson horned pheasant, snow partridge,
Tibetan snowcock, bearded vulture and griffon vulture, as well as golden eagles, quails, plovers,
woodcocks, sandpipers, pigeons, Old World flycatchers, babblers and robins. Sikkim has more than
550 species of birds, some of which have been declared endangered.[71]

Sikkim also has a rich diversity of arthropods, many of which remain unstudied.[71] Some of the
most understudied species are Sikkimese arthropods, specifically butterflies. Of the approximately
1,438 butterfly species found in the Indian subcontinent, 695 have been recorded in Sikkim.[77]
These include the endangered Kaiser-i-hind, the Yellow Gorgon and the Bhutan Glory.[78]

National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries

List of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Sikkim:[79]

Khangchendzonga National Park

Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary

Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary

Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary

Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary

 Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary

Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary

Kitam Bird Sanctuary

Sling Dong Faireanum Orchid Conservation Reserve

Government and politics

Sikkim Legislative Assembly

According to the Constitution of India, Sikkim has a parliamentary system of representative

democracy for its governance; universal suffrage is granted to state residents. The government
structure is organised into three branches:

Executive: As with all states of India, a governor stands at the head of the executive power of
state, just as the president is the head of the executive power in the Union, and is appointed by
the President of India. The governor's appointment is largely ceremonial, and his or her main role
is to oversee the swearing-in of the chief minister. 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 cabinet ministers on the advice of the chief minister.

Legislature: Sikkim has a unicameral legislature, the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, like most other
Indian states. Its state assembly has 32 seats, including one reserved for the Sangha. Sikkim is
allocated one seat in each of the two chambers of India's national bicameral legislature, the Lok
Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Judiciary: The judiciary consists of the Sikkim High Court and a system of lower courts. The High
Court, located at Gangtok, has a Chief Justice along with two permanent justices. The Sikkim
High Court is the smallest state high court in the country.[80]

In 1975, after the abrogation of Sikkim's monarchy, the Indian National Congress gained a majority
in the 1977 elections. 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. Bhandari held on to power in
the 1984 and 1989 elections. In the 1994 elections, Pawan Kumar Chamling of the Sikkim
Democratic Front became the Chief Minister of the state. Chamling and his party had since held on
to power by winning the 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 elections.[34][81][82] However, the 2019 legislative
assembly elections were won by the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha party and the chief minister since
then is Prem Singh Tamang.[83][84] The current Governor of Sikkim is Lakshman Acharya.[85]

Sikkim is among India's most environmentally conscious states, having banned plastic water bottles
"in all government functions and meetings" and polystyrene products (throughout the state).[86][87]

Subdivisions

Sikkim has six districts – Gangtok District, Mangan District, Namchi District, Pakyong District,
Geyzing District and Soreng District. The district capitals are Gangtok, Mangan, Namchi, Pakyong,
Gyalshing and Soreng respectively.[88] These six districts are further divided into 16 subdivisions;
Pakyong, Rongli, Rangpo and Gangtok are the subdivisions of the Gangtok and Pakyong Districts.
Soreng, Yuksom, Gyalshing and Dentam are the subdivisions of the Geyzing and Soreng district.
Chungthang, Dzongu, Kabi and Mangan are the subdivisions of the Mangan district. Ravongla,
Jorethang, Namchi and Yangyang are the subdivisions of the Namchi district.[89]

Each of Sikkim's districts is overseen by a state government appointee, the district collector, who is
in charge of the administration of the civilian areas of the district. The Indian Army has control over
a large part of the state, as Sikkim forms part of a sensitive border area with China. Many areas are
restricted to foreigners, and official permits are needed to visit them.[90]

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.[17] 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.[91][92] Sikkim
produces more cardamom than any other Indian state and is home to the largest cultivated area of
cardamom.[93] Sikkim achieved its ambition to convert its agriculture to fully organic between 2003
and 2016, and became the first state in India to achieve this distinction.[94][95][96][97]

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.[98] 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% in 2010 alone.[99] In 2003, Sikkim decided to fully convert to organic farming and achieved
this goal in 2015 becoming India's first "organic state".[95][96][97][94]

In recent years, the government of Sikkim has extensively promoted tourism. As a result, state
revenue has increased 14 times since the mid-1990s.[100] Sikkim has furthermore invested in a
fledgling gambling industry promoting both casinos and online gambling. The state's first casino,
the Casino Sikkim, opened in March 2009.[101] In the year 2010, the government subsequently
issued three gambling licences for casinos and online sports betting in general.[102] The Playwin
lottery has been a notable success in the state.[103][104]

The opening of the Nathu La pass on 6 July 2006, connecting Lhasa, Tibet, to India, was billed as a
boon for Sikkim's economy. Trade through the pass remains hampered by Sikkim's limited
infrastructure and government restrictions in both India and China, though the volume of traded
goods has been steadily increasing.[105][106]

Elaichi, or cardamom, is the chief cash Temi Tea Garden, Namchi, Tea garden at Temi, Sikkim.
crop of Sikkim. Sikkim

Terraced rice paddy fields of

Sikkim.
Transport

Air

Runway at Pakyong Airport, is the first

greenfield airport to be constructed in the
Northeast India.[107]

Teesta River is considered the state's key

waterway.

Sikkim did not have any operational airport for a long time because of its rough terrain. However, in
October 2018, Pakyong Airport, the state's first airport, located in Pakyong Town at a distance of
30 km (19 mi) from Gangtok, became operational after a four-year delay.[108][109] It has been
constructed by the Airports Authority of India on 200 acres of land. At an altitude of 4,700 feet
(1,400 m) above sea level, it is one of the five highest airports in India.[110][111] The airport is capable
of operating ATR aircraft.[112]

Before October 2018, the closest operational airport to Sikkim was Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri in
northern West Bengal. The airport is located about 124 km (77 mi) from Gangtok, and frequent
buses connect the two.[113] A daily 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 four
people.[81] The Gangtok helipad is the only civilian helipad in the state.
Roads

Gangtok to Siliguri Bus

National Highway 10 (NH 10; formerly NH 31A) links Siliguri to Gangtok. Sikkim Nationalised
Transport runs bus and truck services. Privately run bus, tourist taxi, and jeep services operate
throughout Sikkim and also connect it to Siliguri. A branch of the highway from Melli connects
western Sikkim. Towns in eastern, southern and western Sikkim are connected to the hill stations of
Kalimpong and Darjeeling in northern West Bengal.[114] The state is furthermore connected to Tibet
by the mountain pass of Nathu La.

List of national highways of Sikkim:

Length Length Southern or Northern or

Number Formed Removed Notes
[115]
(km) (mi) western terminus eastern terminus

Gangtok – Singtam – Rangpo – West Bengal

NH 10 52 32 — —
Border.

NH 310 87 54 Ranipool (NH-31A) – Burtuk – Menla – Nathula — —

NH
55 34 Tashi view point – Phodong – Mangan — —
310A

NH 510 70 43 Singtam – Damthang- Legship – Gyalshing — —

NH 710 45 28 Melli- Manpur- Namchi- Damthang- Tarku — —

West Bengal Border-Reshi- Rhenock, Rorathang

NH
112 70 Pakyong a-junction with new NH No. 10 at — —
717A
Ranipool near Gangtok

Junction with NH No. 717A at Rhenock –

NH
42 26 Rongli, Rolep -junction with NH No. 310 near — —
717B
Menla at Serethang
Rail

Sikkim lacks significant railway infrastructure. The closest major railway stations are Siliguri
Junction and New Jalpaiguri in neighbouring West Bengal.[116] However, the New Sikkim Railway
Project has been launched to connect the town of Rangpo in Sikkim with Sevoke on the West Bengal
border. This line is Sevoke-Rangpo Railway Line from Sivok railway station to Rangpo railway
station.[117] The five-station line is intended to support both economic development and Indian Army
operations and was initially planned to be completed by 2015,[118][119] though as of 2023 its
construction has met with delays.[120] In 2019, the railway line up to Rangpo was expected to be
completed in 2021.[121] In the second phase the line will be extended up to Gangtok.[122] In addition,
the Ministry of Railways proposed plans in 2010 for railway lines linking Mirik in West Bengal to
Namchi, Daramdin, Ranipool, and Gangtok.[123]

Infrastructure

Nathu La Pass – Indo-China Border

Sikkim's roads are maintained by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), an offshoot of the Indian
Army. The roads in southern Sikkim are in relatively good condition, landslides being less frequent in
this region. The state government maintains 1,857 kilometres (1,154 mi) of roadways that do not fall
under the BRO's jurisdiction.[124]

Sikkim receives most of its electricity from 19 hydroelectric power stations.[100] Power is also
obtained from the National Thermal Power Corporation and Power Grid Corporation of India.[125] By
2006, the state had achieved 100 per cent rural electrification.[126] However, the voltage remains
unstable and voltage stabilisers are needed. Per capita consumption of electricity in Sikkim was
approximately 182 kWh in 2006. The state government has promoted biogas and solar power for
cooking, but these have received a poor response and are used mostly for lighting purposes.[127] In
2005, 73.2 per cent of Sikkim's households were reported to have access to safe drinking water,[124]
and the state's large number of mountain streams assures a sufficient water supply.
On 8 December 2008, it was announced that Sikkim had become the first state in India to achieve
100 per cent sanitation coverage, becoming completely free of public defecation, thus attaining the
status of "Nirmal State".[128][129]

Demographics

A little girl from Kaluk Bazaar

Sikkim is India's least populous state, with 610,577 inhabitants

Historical population
according to the 2011 census.[3] Sikkim is also one of the least
densely populated Indian states, with only 86 persons per square Year Pop. ±% p.a.

kilometre. However, it has a high population growth rate, 1901 59,014 —

averaging 12.36% per cent between 2001 and 2011. The sex 1911 87,920 +4.07%
ratio is 889 females per 1,000 males, with a total of 321,661 1921 81,721 −0.73%
males and 286,027 females recorded in 2011. With around 1931 109,808 +3.00%
98,000 inhabitants as of 2011, the capital Gangtok is the most 1941 121,520 +1.02%
significant urban area in the mostly rural state; in 2005, the urban
1951 137,725 +1.26%
population in Sikkim constituted around 11.06 per cent of the
1961 162,189 +1.65%
total.[124] In 2011, the average per capita income in Sikkim stood
1971 209,843 +2.61%
at ₹ 81,159 (US$1,305).[131]
1981 316,385 +4.19%
1991 406,457 +2.54%
2001 540,851 +2.90%
2011 610,577 +1.22%
source:[130]
Languages

Languages of Sikkim (2011 census)[132]

Nepali (62.6%)
Sikkimese (6.86%)
Limbu (6.34%)
Lepcha (6.27%)
Hindi (5.58%)
Sherpa (2.24%)
Tamang (1.92%)
Bhojpuri (1.63%)
Rai (1.22%)
Bengali (1.14%)
Other (4.2%)

The official languages of the state are Nepali, Sikkimese, Lepcha and English. Additional official
languages include Gurung, Limbu, Magar, Mukhia, Newar, Rai, Sherpa and Tamang for the purpose
of preservation of culture and tradition in the state.

Nepali is the lingua franca of Sikkim, while Sikkimese (Bhutia) and Lepcha are spoken in certain
areas.[133] English is also spoken and understood in most of Sikkim. Other languages include
Dzongkha, Groma, Hindi, Majhi, Majhwar, Thulung, Tibetan, and Yakha.[134]

Ethnicity

The majority of Sikkim's residents are Nepali Indians.[135] The native Sikkimese include the Bhutias,
who migrated from the Kham district of Tibet in the 14th century, and the Lepchas, who are believed
to pre-date the Bhutias and are the oldest known inhabitants. Tibetans reside mostly in the northern
and eastern reaches of the state. Migrant resident communities known as Plainsmen Sikkimese
include Bengalis, Biharis and Marwaris, who are prominent in commerce in South Sikkim and
Gangtok, only those who are the native residents since 1946.[136]

Religion

Buddha in Sikkim Culture

 Religion in Sikkim (2011)[137]

Hinduism (57.76%)
Buddhism (27.39%)
Christianity (9.91%)
Islam (1.62%)
Sikhism (0.31%)
Jainism (0.05%)
Other faith like Kirat Mundhum, Bon, Mun (2.67%)
No religion (0.3%)

Religious Population Population Population

group % 1991[138] % 2001[139] % 2011[137]

Hinduism 68.36% 60.93% 57.76%

Buddhism 27.15% 28.11% 27.39%

Christianity 3.29% 6.67% 9.91%

Islam 0.94% 1.42% 1.62%

Sikhism 0.09% 0.21% 0.31%

Jainism 0.001% 0.03% 0.05%

Other religions 0.04% 2.38% 2.67%

No religion – – 0.3%

According to the 2011 census, 57.8% follow Hinduism, making it the state's majority religion.
Buddhism is followed by 27.4% of the population, while Christianity is followed by 9.9%.[140]
Between 2001 and 2011, Christianity was the fastest growing religion in the state, going from 6.67%
to 9.91% of the population.[140] It was thus the fourth state with the highest Christian growth in the
period, behind only Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya.[139][141] As of 2014, the Evangelical
Presbyterian Church of Sikkim is the largest Christian denomination in Sikkim.[142] Hinduism, on the
other hand, declined from 60.93% to 57.76% of the population in the same period.[139][140] Sikkim
was the fourth state with the biggest decline in the percentage of Hindus, behind only Arunachal
Pradesh, Manipur and Assam.[141] Vajrayana Buddhism, which accounts for 27.3% of the population,
is Sikkim's second-largest, yet most prominent religion. Prior to Sikkim's becoming a part of the
Indian Union, Vajrayana Buddhism was the state religion under the Chogyal. Sikkim has 75 Buddhist
monasteries, the oldest dating back to the 1700s.[143] The public and visual aesthetics of Sikkim are
executed in shades of Vajrayana Buddhism and Buddhism plays a significant role in public life, even
among Sikkim's majority Nepali Hindu population. Other religious minorities include Muslims of
Tibet,[144][145] Bihari ethnicity and Jains, who each account for roughly 1% of the population.[146] The
traditional religions of the native Sikkimese account for much of the remainder of the population.

Although tensions between the Lepchas and the Nepalese escalated during the merger of Sikkim
with India in the 1970s, there has never been any major degree of communal religious violence,
unlike in other Indian states.[147][148] The traditional religion of the Lepcha people is Mun, an animist
practice which coexists with Buddhism and Christianity.[149]

Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple Rumtek Monastery Enchey Monastery

in Legship is dedicated to the
Hindu god Shiva.

Vishwa Vinayak Temple at

Rhenock

Districts

There are 6 districts in Sikkim, 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 Indian Army
has control of a large territory, as the state is a sensitive border area. Many areas are restricted and
permits are needed to visit them. The six districts are:
 [150]
Code District Headquarters Population (2011) Area (km²) Density (per km²)

GD Gangtok district Gangtok 281,293 954 257

MD Mangan district Mangan 43,354 4,226 10

ND Namchi district Namchi 146,742 750 175

GD Gyalshing district Geyzing 136,299 1,166 106

PD Pakyong District Pakyong 74,583 404 180

SD Soreng District Soreng n/a n/a n/a

Culture

Festivals and holidays

The traditional Gumpa dance being

performed in Lachung during the Buddhist
festival of Losar

Sikkim's Gorkhali majority celebrate all major Hindu festivals, including Tihar (Diwali) and Dashain
(Dashera). Traditional local festivals, such as Maghe Sankranti, Ramnavmi, Janmastami, Holi,
Shivaratri, Navratri, Sakela, Chasok Tangnam and Bhimsen Puja, are popular.[151] Losar, Saga Dawa,
Lhabab Duechen, Drupka Teshi and Bhumchu are among the Buddhist festivals celebrated in
Sikkim. During the Losar (Tibetan New Year), most offices and educational institutions are closed
for a week.[152]

Sikkimese Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Fitr and Muharram.[153] Christmas has been promoted in
Gangtok to attract tourists during the off-season.[154]

Western rock music and Indian pop have gained a wide following in Sikkim. Nepali rock and Lepcha
music are also popular.[155] Sikkim's most popular sports are football and cricket, although hang
gliding and river rafting have grown popular as part of the tourism industry.[156]