Sikkim is a former Kingdom of India and a fascinating Himalayan Jewel. Sikkim is situated in Eastern Himalayas spreading below Mount Kanchenjunga (8,534m), which is the third highest mountain in the world. Lying between 27 to 28 degree North latitude and 88 to 89 degree East longitude, it is barely 7,096 sq. km in size yet has an elevation ranging from 224 m to 8,540 m above sea level in a distance of 110 km from North to South and 64 km from East to West. The state’s about 64 km width is squeezed between the mountainous kingdoms of Bhutan and Nepal to the east and west respectively. The high plateau of Tibet lies 40 km to the north India’s and state of Bengal to its south.
The various ethnic group has their own nomenclature for this enchanting land – the Nepalese call it Sukhim or new home, while Tibetans refer to it as Denzong or the valley of rice and to the Lepchas, the original inhabitants of Sikkim, it is Nye-al-Ale or heaven.
Shrouded in heavy mist, the guardian deity Kanchenjunga protects the inhabitants of
Sikkim is conveniently divided into four regions in India– east, west, north and south. The most populated area is the eastern part is a town of gangtok which is the capital town of Sikkim, followed by southern and western districts and finally the sparsely populated northern area with its inhospitable climate.