Sikkim, << SIHK ihm >> (pop. 610,577), is an Indian state tucked away in the towering mountains of south-central Asia. It lies in northern India, in the heart of the high Himalaya. Mount Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, lies on Sikkim’s western border with Nepal. China lies to the north of Sikkim. An arc of mountain peaks in the east separates Sikkim from China and Bhutan.
Sikkim covers 2,740 square miles (7,096 square kilometers). Its geography ranges from snow-covered mountains more than 28,000 feet (8,530 meters) high to a thick, tropical rain forest that lies at sea level.
Formerly a monarchy and a protectorate of India, Sikkim became an Indian state in 1975. Gangtok is the capital and only city. As in other Indian states, a governor serves as head of Sikkim’s government. The president of India appoints the governor. Sikkim also has a 32-member legislature elected by the people. The head of the majority party in the state legislature serves as the chief minister of Sikkim. Sikkim has one elected member in the Lok Sabha (lower house) and one nominated representative in the Rajya Sabah (upper house) of the Indian national Parliament.
People.
Nepalese, Lepchas, and Bhutias make up most of Sikkim’s population. Many Nepalese moved to Sikkim after 1890. Today, they make up over half of the population. Most of them live on small farms in the middle altitudes in the southern part of the state. The farmers work with simple hand tools.
The Lepchas, first settlers in Sikkim, were pushed aside by later settlers. Today, they live in distant valleys. Many hunt and fish for food, and others farm or raise livestock. In some areas, Nepalese farmers have cleared many forests to plant crops. This has destroyed the hunting grounds of the Lepchas and has caused trouble between the two groups.
The Bhutias came to Sikkim from Bhutan and Tibet in the 1600’s. Today, they herd cattle and yaks (Asian oxen). In the summer, they live in tents and graze their herds in high mountain meadows. In the winter, they live in wooden houses in the highlands.
Lepchas and Bhutias practice Tibetan Buddhism. Over half of the people, including most of the Nepalese, are Hindus. But their Hinduism has been influenced by Buddhism. Most of the Nepalese in Sikkim speak Gurkhali. The majority of Lepchas and Bhutias speak Sikkimese. English is also used. About 8 out of 10 people in Sikkim can read and write.
Land.
People cannot live in many parts of Sikkim, because the mountain land is too rocky and barren. Over thousands of years, the streams flowing down the mountains into the Tista River have cut into the mountainsides and formed a basin in south-central Sikkim. This basin is 40 miles (64 kilometers) wide.
The highest mountain peaks are covered with snow all year. The lower slopes have cool, grassy meadows. Still farther down are warm forests and hot, rainy areas. Tropical rain forests grow in the southern river valley bottoms, where heavy rains fall. Rainfall in Sikkim varies from 200 inches (500 centimeters) to less than 40 inches (100 centimeters) a year.
Economy.
Sikkim’s economy is based on agriculture, and most of the people are farmers. Some farmers raise rice, corn, and other cereal crops to feed the people. Others raise apples, cardamom (a spice), citrus fruits, pineapples, and potatoes. Handicrafts provide the chief industry. Craftworkers weave cloth, blankets, and rugs, and make copperware and woodcarvings.
Many of Sikkimâs roads are poor. Hundreds of miles of roads link Sikkim with other parts of India. Sikkim has no railroads. The town of Paykong has an airport.
Forests cover almost a third of Sikkim. The state has some copper, lead, and zinc deposits.
History.
Sikkim became an independent monarchy about 1640, when Penchu Namgyal was crowned chogyal (king). Sikkim then controlled lands that are now part of Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal. In 1780, warriors from Nepal and Bhutan invaded Sikkim and seized much of the land. The United Kingdom defeated the Nepalese in 1814 and restored some land to Sikkim.
In 1861, the United Kingdom made Sikkim a protectorate, and a British official later took over much of the chogyal’s power. By 1918, the chogyal had regained control of internal matters.
The United Kingdom gave India control over Sikkim in 1947. In 1950, Sikkim agreed to Indian control of its defense, foreign relations, and vital communications. In 1963, Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal married Hope Cooke, an American. She left Sikkim in 1973 and went to New York to live. That year, antigovernment demonstrations led the chogyal to accept some political reforms that reduced his power.
India gradually gained more and more control over Sikkim’s affairs. In April 1975, Sikkim’s legislature voted to become a state of India, in spite of opposition from the chogyal. A special referendum was then held, and Sikkimese voters approved the proposed statehood by a large margin. Sikkim ended more than 300 years as a monarchy in May 1975, when it officially became a state of India.
