Sikkim (Devanagari: the "Goodly Region", or "one of the fortified place" ) is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains. The state borders Nepal to the west, China's Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and east, and Bhutan to the southeast, while the state of West Bengal lies to the south. Sikkim is the least populous state in India and the second-smallest state after Goa in total area.
The climate ranges from subtropical to high alpine. Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak, is located on Sikkim's border with Nepal. Sikkim is a popular tourist destination, owing to its culture, scenery and biodiversity. It also has the only open border between India and China. Sikkim's capital and largest city is Gangtok.
Sikkim is the only state in India with an ethnic Nepalese majority. Sikkim has 11 official languages:Nepali (which is its lingua franca), Bhutia, Lepcha, Limbu, Newari, Rai,Gurung, Mangar, Tamang and Sunwar. English is taught in schools and used in government documents. The predominant religions are Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism.
Sikkim's economy is largely dependent on agriculture and tourism.
The name is believed to be a reference to the palace built by the state's first ruler, Phuntsog Namgyal. The Tibetan name for Sikkim is Denjong, which means "valley of rice". The Lepcha people, the original inhabitants of Sikkim, called it Nye-mae-el, meaning "paradise", while the Bhutias call it Beyul Demazong, which means the hidden valley of rice. In Hindu religious texts, Sikkim is known as Indrakil, the garden of the war god Indra.
Nestling as it does in the Himalayan mountains, the state of Sikkim is characterized by mountainous terrain. Almost the entire state is hilly. Kangchenjunga, is the highest peak in India and the third-highest on Earth. Sikkim's hot springs are renowned for their medicinal and therapeutic values. 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.
Sikkim is one of the few states in India to receive regular snowfall. The state has five seasons: winter, summer, spring, autumn, and a monsoon season between June and September.
The orchid Dendrobium nobile is the official flower of Sikkim, while the rhododendron is the state tree. 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. Sikkim has the highest production of cardamom in India, as well as the largest cultivated area of cardamom.
Hinduism has been the state's major religion since the arrival of theNepalis. Sikkim's second-largest religion is Buddhism. Sikkim has 75 monasteries, the oldest dating back to the 1700s.
The climate ranges from subtropical to high alpine. Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak, is located on Sikkim's border with Nepal. Sikkim is a popular tourist destination, owing to its culture, scenery and biodiversity. It also has the only open border between India and China. Sikkim's capital and largest city is Gangtok.
Sikkim is the only state in India with an ethnic Nepalese majority. Sikkim has 11 official languages:Nepali (which is its lingua franca), Bhutia, Lepcha, Limbu, Newari, Rai,Gurung, Mangar, Tamang and Sunwar. English is taught in schools and used in government documents. The predominant religions are Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism.
Sikkim's economy is largely dependent on agriculture and tourism.
The name is believed to be a reference to the palace built by the state's first ruler, Phuntsog Namgyal. The Tibetan name for Sikkim is Denjong, which means "valley of rice". The Lepcha people, the original inhabitants of Sikkim, called it Nye-mae-el, meaning "paradise", while the Bhutias call it Beyul Demazong, which means the hidden valley of rice. In Hindu religious texts, Sikkim is known as Indrakil, the garden of the war god Indra.
Nestling as it does in the Himalayan mountains, the state of Sikkim is characterized by mountainous terrain. Almost the entire state is hilly. Kangchenjunga, is the highest peak in India and the third-highest on Earth. Sikkim's hot springs are renowned for their medicinal and therapeutic values. 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.
Sikkim is one of the few states in India to receive regular snowfall. The state has five seasons: winter, summer, spring, autumn, and a monsoon season between June and September.
The orchid Dendrobium nobile is the official flower of Sikkim, while the rhododendron is the state tree. 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. Sikkim has the highest production of cardamom in India, as well as the largest cultivated area of cardamom.
Hinduism has been the state's major religion since the arrival of theNepalis. Sikkim's second-largest religion is Buddhism. Sikkim has 75 monasteries, the oldest dating back to the 1700s.