South Sikkim district


South Sikkim is a district of the Indian state of Sikkim. Its capital is Namchi.

Geography

South Sikkim lies at an altitude of 400 to 2000 metres and has a temperate climate for most of the year. Major urban centres include Namchi, Ravangla, Jorethang and Melli.

Assembly Constituencies

The district was previously divided into eight assembly constituencies.
South Sikkim is the most industrialised district in the state, owing to the availability of flat land. Since the geology is stable the roads are in good condition as compared to other parts of the state which suffer from landslides. The district is also known for Sikkim tea, which is grown near Namchi.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census South Sikkim district has a population of 146,850, roughly equal to the nation of Saint Lucia. This gives it a ranking of 600th in India. The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 11.57%. South Sikkim has a sex ratio of 914 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 82.06%.
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 72.66% of the population in the district spoke Nepali, 5.09% Hindi, 3.88% Sikkimese, 3.61% Lepcha, 3.57% Limbu, 3.19% Sherpa, 2.46% Tamang, 1.65% Rai, 0.88% Tibetan and 0.83% Bengali as their first language.
South Sikkim is one of the least populated regions of the state. The people are mainly of Nepali descent. Other ethnic groups include the Lepcha and Bhutia communities. Nepali is the most widely spoken language in the district. The district was under the occupation of the Nepalese for 30 years in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Flora and fauna

The Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1987. It has an area of.

Divisions

Administrative divisions

South Sikkim is divided into two sub-divisions:
NameHeadquartersNumber of villagesLocation
NamchiNamchi
RavongRavong