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Area of Sikkim : 7,096 sq. kms.
Altitude (Gangtok) : 1.547m
Population of Sikkim : 500.000
Commonly spoken languages :
Sikkimese, Nepali, Hindi and
English
Sikkim an erstwhile Himalayan
Kingdom, has been a state of
India since it's merger in 1975.
It is wedged in between the
Kingdoms of Nepal in the west
and Bhutan in the east. With an
area of 7,096 sq kms, it has a
rectangular shape measuring
about 114 km. from the north to
South and 64 km. from east to
west.
The topography and location of
Sikkim manifests in a diverse
range of flora, which is
tropical in the low-lying areas
and alpine in the high reaches
of the mountains. The human
population throughout history
has been very low, which has
helped this place to maintain a
high percentage of forest cover,
evident even now. `A journey to
Sikkim necessarily involves
awakening the senses and
discovering the pristine and
mystic beauty of the land.
Sikkim is a dreamland that one
can realize and enjoy, now that
the area is open to all.
The state offers a wide range of
adventure sports opportunities
as well including mountaineering
in the Himalayas. For trekking,
one can follow any of the four
trek routes: the Monastic Trek,
Rhododendron Trek, Kanchenjunga
Trek and Coronation Trek. River
rafting is possible in the rough
waters of the Teesta and the
Rangit. Kayaking is arranged on
the Teesta only for special
groups. Yak safari is arranged
from Dzongri onwards. In north
and west Sikkim, mountain biking
is very popular these days.
Jorethang, in west Sikkim, and
certain parts of north Sikkim
are popular locales for gliding.
As per regulations foreigners
should be in a group of 4
persons or more for trekking in
Sikkim.
Sikkim is bounded by Tibet
(China) in the north, West
Bengal in the south, Tibet and
Bhutan in the east and Nepal in
the west. The state is spread
below Mount Kanchenjunga (8,534
m), the third highest peak in
the world. The locals worship
the mountain as a protective
deity. The elevation of the
state ranges from 300m to over
8,540m above sea level. The
nearest airport is Bagdora (120
km. far away from Gangtok, the
capital). There are regular
flights connected to Calcutta,
Delhi and Guwahati. There are
also regular train services to
other parts of county |
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