Total Geographical Area : 7096km2
Status : 22nd state of Indian Union.
Geographical location : 270 N to 280 N & 870 E to 880 E.
Population : 540,493
Decimal population growth:
Absolute : 134,036 i.e. 32.98%
Density : 76/Sqkm
Sex ratio : 857F/1000M

 Persons in 0-6 age group: 

        Absolute                                % to total population

     Total -77,170                                      14.285

     Male- 38,865                                      13.48

     Female-38,314                                   15.19

 

Literacy:

 

        Absolute                                % to total population

     Person-322,828                                   69.68

     Male -191,326                                     76.73

     Female-38,314                                    131,502

Source: Provisional Census Book, Directorate of Census operation, Sikkim-2001

 Administratively the state, Sikkim divides itself into four districts viz. North, East, South, and West. Sikkim a biological hot spot is well known for its biodiversity. Due to its varied climatic conditions the state harbors a wide variety of flora and fauna. This rich flora of the state is not only a boon to the local people but it has been attracting plant hunters, tourists and nature admirers for the last three centuries. The vegetation of the region is well characterized predominantly by tropical deciduous, subtropical, wet temperate, sub alpine, moist alpine and dry alpine forests.

Type of forest and Altitude:
Tropical Moist Deciduous - 300-900m
Subtropical - 900 - 1800m
Wet temperate - 1800-2400m
Sub alpine (Rhododendron forest) - 2700-3700m
Moist alpine - 3700m
Dry alpine/alpine meadows - 4400m -above and moorland

The types of vegetation in Sikkim have been divided as:

1. East Himalayan wet temperate Forest
2. Broad leaved hill
3 Sub alpine Rhododendron
4. Gregarious Sal
5. Scrub/Alpine Scrub
6 Moist Alpine- Alpine Meadow
7. Non forest Area
 

Sikkim being a hot spot has a huge repository of biological resources .Documentation of these biological resources is of out most importance for Research and development works, Conservation protection and to avoid activities like bio-piracy. Sikkim Bioinformatics Centre has created these data of biodiversity using primary resources like Books, Published researched paper and net and secondary data like field visit and questionnaires.

About 36 endemic Spp. have been found in Sikkim; some of them are as follows:

 

Aconitum forex Ophiorrhiza truetleri, Chirita oblongifolia, Actinodaphne Sikkimensis,
Elaeocarpus sikkimensis, Rhododendron sikkimensis,Mahonia sikkimensis.