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Sikkim Physical Feature

A Brief Note on Physical Features of Sikkim:

Sikkim is a small hilly State in the Eastern Himalayas with a formidable Physical Features. It is bounded by vast stretches to Tibetan Plateaus in the North, the Chumbi Valley of Tibet and and Kingdom of Bhutan in the East, the Kingdom of Nepal in the West and Darjeeling District of West Bengal in the South. The State of Sikkim has a total area of only 7096 sq. km. and stretched over 112 kms from North to South and 64 kms from East to West. It lines in the North -Eastern Himalayas between 27o00'46" to 28o07'48" North Latitude and 88o00'58" to 88o55'25" East Longitude.

The State receives an Annual Rainfall of 2000mm to 4000mm. Teesta & Rangit, which originates respectively, from Cholamu Lake and Rathong Glacier, are the two major rivers of the State.

 

Sikkim: Profile of Land Elevation:
Type of Land:Level of Elevation
Lower Hills:Altitude ranging from 270 to 1500 meters
Mid Hills:Altitude ranging from 1500 meters. to 2000 meters
Higher Hills:Altitude ranging from 2000 meters. to 3000 meters
Alpine Zone:Altitude above 3900 meters. with vegetation
Snow bound Land:Very High Mountains without vegetation and with perpetual Snow cover up to 8580 meters
 
Sikkim: Brief Characteristics of Soil:
Texture:Loamy sand silty clay loam
Depth:From few inches and in some places practically nil several feet deep depending upon the weathering processes it underwent
Soil Reaction:All acidic, having PH ranging from 4.3 to 6.4 with mean value 5.37
Organic Matter Content:High, between 0.36% to 5.61% with mean value 2.74%
Available Nitrogen:10-280 p.p.m with mean value 99.21 p.p.m.
Available Phosphorous:4.0-175 p.p.m. with mean value 46.87 p.p.m.
Available Potash:45 to 490 p.p.m. with mean value 184.71 p.p.m.
Lime RequirementMost between 2.0 tonnes per acre but various from 0 to 16 tonnes per acre

 

Zonation of Sikkim:
Sikkim can be divided into Five Ranges Climatically:

Sl. No.

Range

Altitude

1.TropicalBelow 610 mtrs.
2.Sub Tropical610 to 1524 mtrs.
3.Temperate1524 to 2743 mtrs
4.Sub-Alpine2743 to 3962 mtrs.
5.Alpine3962 to 5182 mtrs.
 
Sikkim can be divided into Three Zones in describing the aspects of Vegetation:

Sl. No.

Range

Altitude

1.TropicalFrom sea level to 1700 mtrs.
2.TemperateFrom 1700 mtrs. 4300 mtrs.
3.AlpineAbove 4300 mtrs. to 5000 mtrs.
 
Important Mountains of Sikkim:

Sl. No.

Name of Mountain

District

Height

1.Mt. KangchenjungaWest28156 Ft.
2.Mt. KabruWest24215 Ft
3.Mt. TalungNorth24200 Ft
4.Mt. SiniolchuWest22600 Ft
5.Mt. SimvoWest22476 Ft
6.Mt. PandimWest22100 Ft
7.Mt. RathongWest22100 Ft
8.Mt. PaunhriEast22000 Ft
9.Mt. KokthangWest20162 Ft
10.Mt. LamaongdenEast19366 Ft
11.Mt. MasunyangeEast19300 Ft
 
Peaks and Passes of Sikkim:

Height in Ft.

Commencing from South to East

Running from Kanchenjunga Separating Ranjit from Talungchu

From Talungchu Separating Zemu

Separating Lachen Lachung

Other

Total

9000-1200011--1-12
12001-1500011111216
15001-18000211-15
18001-21000411-17
21001-240001----1
24001-270001----1
27001 & Above State33334447

 

Important Passes with their Altitude:

Sl. No.

Passes

Altitude (in Ft.)

1.Nathu-La14400
2.Jelep-La14500
3.Batang-La13000
4.Cho-La-
5.Chiwabhanjang10300
6.Chorten Nyima-La19000
7.Kongra-La-
8.Lungma-La-
9.Donkia-La18400
 
Important Ranges:
1.Singalila Range:Separates Sikkim from Nepal in the West
2.Chola Range:Separates Sikkim from Tibet Bhutan in the East
3.Pangolia Range:Separates Sikkim from Bhutan
 
Name of Important Glaciers:

Sl. No.

Name of Glaciers

District

1.Zemu GlacierNorth
2.Rathong GlacierWest
3.Lonak GlacierNorth
4.Hidden GlacierNorth
5.Talung GlacierNorth
6.North Lonak GlacierNorth
7.South Lonak GlacierNorth
8.Teesta Khangse GlacierNorth
 
Important Rives of Sikkim & Their Tributaries:

Sl. No.

Rivers

Tributary

1.RangitRangbhang, Relli, Rathong & Kalej
2.TeestaDikchu, Rangyong, Bakchachu, Rongpochu, Zemu Chu, Lachung Chu.

Other smaller tributaries of the Teesta River are Zemuchu, Lenakchu, Lachungchu, Talungchu.

 

Name of Important Lakes in Sikkim:

Sl. No.

Name of Lakes

District

1.Khe-cheod-Palri (Khecheroperi)West
2.GurudungmarNorth
3.Lam PokhariWest
4.Chungu (Tsomgo)East
5.Laxmi PokhariWest
6.CholamuNorth
7.Bidang ChoEast
8.MenmechoEast
9.Majur PokhariWest
10.Sima ChokaNorth
11.Dud PokhariWest
12.Samiti LakeWest
13.Ram-Laxman (Twin Lake)West
 
Important Hot Spring:

Sl. No.

Name of Hot Spring

District

1.Phurchachu (Reshi)West
2.YumthangNorth
3.BorongSouth
4.RalongSouth
5.Yumey SamdongEast

 

Source: Sikkim, A Statistical Profile 2006-07