One of the highest regions in India, Sikkim is traversed by the main range of the Himalayas and by several spur ranges. It is entirely mountainous, with one - third of the land covered with dense forests of sal, sambal and bamboo, which are mostly inaccessible and unexploited. It is watered by the perennial river Tista, and its tributaries, which are fed by both snow and rain. The climate ranges from tropical to alpine. Generally the lowlands are hot and humid, the hills are temperate, and the mountains are permanently covered with snow.
Local government is based on four administrative districts.
Gangtok is the Capital of this hilly state. History Sikkim is, today, a state of the Indian Union, due to a combination of politically significant events. Ruled by the Gyalpo rulers as a political entity till the 18th century, Sikkim appealed to the British for help to overthrow the emigrant Bhutanese and Nepali Gorkhas, who threatened to outnumber the natives. A series of events led to the state becoming a protectorate of the British. In 1950, three years after India attained independence from Britain, a treaty was signed between Sikkim and India that made Sikkim an Indian protectorate.