Sikkim

Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas. Sikkim was an independent state ruled by the Namgyal monarchy until 1975, when a referendum was held and the population voted to join India as its twenty-second state.The thumb-shaped state borders Nepal in the west, Tibet (the People's Republic of China) to the north and east, and Bhutan in the south-east. The Indian state of West Bengal borders Sikkim to its south.The official languages are English, Bhutia, Nepali, Lepcha, Limbu, and Hindi. Gangtok is the capital and largest town.Despite its tiny size, Sikkim is geographically diverse, owing to its location on the Himalaya. The climate ranges from subtropical to high alpine. Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak can be seen from Sikkim, which is located in the north eastern part of Nepal. Sikkim has become one of India's most visited states, owing to its reputation of cleanliness, scenic beauty and political stability.Sikkim's economy is largely agrarian, based on traditional farming methods, on terraced slopes. The rural populace grows crops such as cardamom, ginger, oranges, apples, tea and orchids. Rice is grown on terraced hillsides in the southern reaches. Sikkim has the highest production and largest cultivated area of cardamom in India.