PHYSICAL SETTING

Sikkim,which is situated in the estern Himalayas, from longitude 88 degree 03'40" to 88 degree 57'19" East and from latitude 27 degree 03'47" to 28 degree 07'34" North, became the twenty second state of India on April 26,1975. It has a total area of 7,096 sq.km., 114 km from north to south and 64 km from east to west. The entire state is mountaneous, with altitudes ranginging from 300 to 8,586 masl. There are 440 villages, eight towns and four districts in Sikkim. The state has four major ethnic groups, namely Lepchas ,Bhutias and Nepalis The climate of the state varies from cold temperate and alpine in norteast to subtropical in the south. Agroclimatically, the state is divided into four zones, viz., the subtropical zone (below 1,000 meters); the humid zone (1,000-1,600 meters); the mid-hill dry zone (again in altitudes ranging from 1,000-1,600 meters); and high hill temperate zone (with an altitude of above 1,600 meters). The genetic diversity, of both forest vegetation and agricultural crops, is enormous. The state has about 600 plant species and more than 4,000 species of flowering plants.

Demographic Features

NUMBER OF DISTRICTS	4
AREA	7,096 sq.Km.
POPULATION
Persons	540,493
Males	288,217
Females	252,276
DENSITY OF POPULATION	76 per sq.Km.4
SEX RATIO	875 Females per 1000 Males
POPULATION IN AGE-GROUPS 0-6	Absolute	Percentage to total Population
Persons	77.170	14.28
Males	38,856	13.48
Females	38,314	15.19
LITERACY	Absolute	Rate
Persons	322,828	69.68
Males	191,326	76.73
Females	131,502	61.46

Macro-ecological Features

Parameters Features

Rivers Two major river systems originating from glacers, Rangit (West Sikkim), and Tista (North Sikkim)

Ecological Zones Alpine (>4,000 m), sub-alpine(3,000-4,000 m), cool temperate (2,200-3,000 m), warm temperate (1,400-2,200 m), and subtropical (300-1,400 m).
Terain Mostly sloping land only with scarce flat lands in valley. These are marginal lands
Forest Lush green board-leaved mixed forests in subtropical and temperate zones . Silver fir and rhododendron forests in the sub-alpine zone.
Plants of Special interest Rhododendrons, orchid, medicinal plants, and a large variety of wild edible olants apart from plants of academic interest.
Issue of concern
Specific habitat degradation and loss have caused a threat to:
Wildlife such as Red Panda,Thar(s), and Musk Deer, etc.
Plant diversity such as medicinal plants (Aconitum sp, Nardostachys jatamansi, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Swertia chirata, Podophyllum hexandrum),wild edibles (Machilus edulis, Bassia buteracea, Elaeocarpus sikkimensis, Elaegnus latifolia, etc.), wild orchids, and some species of rhododendron.

Policy initiatives Creation of natural coservation areas such as the Kanchanjunga National Park, Sigba Rhododendron Sanctuary, Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary

Parameters	Features
Rivers	Two major river systems originating from glacers, Rangit (West Sikkim), and Tista (North Sikkim)
Ecological Zones	Alpine (>4,000 m), sub-alpine(3,000-4,000 m), cool temperate (2,200-3,000 m), warm temperate (1,400-2,200 m), and subtropical (300-1,400 m).
Terain	Mostly sloping land only with scarce flat lands in valley. These are marginal lands
Forest	Lush green board-leaved mixed forests in subtropical and temperate zones . Silver fir and rhododendron forests in the sub-alpine zone.
Plants of Special interest	Rhododendrons, orchid, medicinal plants, and a large variety of wild edible olants apart from plants of academic interest.
Issue of concern	Specific habitat degradation and loss have caused a threat to: Wildlife such as Red Panda,Thar(s), and Musk Deer, etc. Plant diversity such as medicinal plants (Aconitum sp, Nardostachys jatamansi, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Swertia chirata, Podophyllum hexandrum),wild edibles (Machilus edulis, Bassia buteracea, Elaeocarpus sikkimensis, Elaegnus latifolia, etc.), wild orchids, and some species of rhododendron.
Policy initiatives	Creation of natural coservation areas such as the Kanchanjunga National Park, Sigba Rhododendron Sanctuary, Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary

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