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| Geography of Sikkim |
| Altitude |
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280 m (920 feet) to 8,585 m (28,000 feet). |
| Area |
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7,096 sq. kms. |
| Location |
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Approx 27 deg. North 88 deg. East |
| Population |
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540,493 (As
per 2001 Census) |
| Capital |
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Gangtok |
| Languages spoken |
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Nepali,
Bhutia, Lepcha, Limboo, Magar, Rai, Gurung, Sherpa, Tamang,
Newari, Sunuwar (Mukhia). |
| Climate |
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Tropical,
Temperate and Alpine (In Summer Max. 28° C & in winter min 0° C) |
| Rainfall |
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Average 325 cm. RF / Year |
| Clothing |
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Light woollen for summer and heavy woollens for
winter. |
| Best season to visit |
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March to June and September to December |
The thumb-shaped state of Sikkim is characterised by wholly mountainous
terrain. Almost the entire state is hilly. The summit of the
Kangchenzonga is the highest point. For the most part, the land is unfit
for agriculture because of the precipitous and rocky slopes. However,
certain hill slopes have been converted into farm lands using terrace
farming techniques and is used for cultivation. 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 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 Himalayan mountain range in North Sikkim.The lofty Himalayan ranges
surround the northern, eastern and western borders of Sikkim in a
crescent. 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. Eight mountain passes connect the state to Tibet,
Bhutan and Nepal.
Railway
Nearest railway station is at New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, 148 km and
Siliguri which are connected sikkim to other major Indian cities.
Air
Nearest Indian Airport is at a distance of 124 kms from Gangtok at
Bagdogra in Siliguri in West Bengal, where scheduled flights operates
from Kolkata(Calcutta), Delhi and Guwahati and connecting flights
onwards. Travel time from the airport to
Gangtok is 4 hours.
From Kathmandu you can fly to Bhadrapur in the east Nepal(1 hour), then
drive to Kakarbhitta (Nepal-India border, 35 kms), to Siliguri(37 kms)
and to Gangtok (110 kms, 4 hrs). Or fly to Biratnagar also in the east.
Helicopter Service
The Bagdogra airport is connected to Gangtok by a helicopter service
which takes approx. 30 minutes to reach Gangtok. Sikkim Tourism
Development Corporation(+91-3592-222634) operates this service daily at
11:00 AM from Gangtok to Bagdogra and at 2:00 PM from Bagdogra to
Gangtok. It is a five seater chopper and mountain flights and other such
tours to North Sikkim are conducted.
Road
Gangtok is well connected by road to Siliguri via 31A NH, 114 kms. 4
hours, which functions as the major transit point for the North and
North Eastern sections of the Indian Sub-continent. Gangtok is further
well connected by road with Darjeeling(4 Hrs), Kalimpong and with
Bhutan, Phuntsholing (6 Hrs).
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