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List of districts of Sikkim

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(Redirected from Divisions of Sikkim)

Districts of Sikkim
Districts of Sikkim
CategoryDistricts
LocationSikkim
Number6 districts
PopulationsHighest: Gangtok (281,293),
Lowest: Mangan (43,354).
AreasLargest: Mangan - 4,226 km2 (1,632 sq mi),
Smallest: Soreng - 293 km2 (113 sq mi).
Government

There are 6 districts in Sikkim, an Indian state, each overseen by a Central Government appointee, the district collector, who is in charge of the administration of the civilian areas of the districts. The Indian army has control of a large territory, as the state is a sensitive border area. Many areas are restricted and permits are needed to visit them. There are a total of eight towns and nine subdivisions in Sikkim.

History

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Following the merger of Kingdom of Sikkim with India in 1975 when Sikkim became 22nd state of India, original four districts were formally established in at same time. On 21 December 2021, the Government of Sikkim announced the formation of 2 new districts as well as the renaming of the existing 4 districts - North Sikkim district to Mangan; West Sikkim district to Gyalshing, East Sikkim district to Gangtok district, and South Sikkim to Namchi district.[1] The Pakyong subdivision of East Sikkim district was carved out to form Pakyong district and the Soreng subdivision was carved out from West Sikkim district to form Soreng district.[2]

Khangchendzonga National Park is located in Mangan district.

List of districts

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Sl no. Code[3] District[4] Headquarters Established Area Population (2011) Population density Official website Map
1 ES Gangtok Gangtok 1975 954 km² 281,293 295/km² gangtokdistrict.nic.in
2 WS Gyalshing Gyalshing 1975 1,166 km² 136,299 117/km² gyalshing.nic.in
3 NS Mangan Mangan 1975 4,226 km² 43,354 10/km² mangan.nic.in
4 SS Namchi Namchi 1975 750 km² 146,742 196/km² namchi.nic.in
5 PS Pakyong Pakyong 2021 404 km² 74,583 180/km² pakyongdistrict.nic.in
6 SGS Soreng Soreng 2021 293 km² 64,760 221/km² soreng.nic.in
— Total 6 Gangtok 1975 7,096 km² 610,577 86/km² sikkim.nic.in

Demands for new districts

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Proposals for administrative reorganization in Sikkim are primarily based on factors such as geostrategic border management (including proximity to the Siliguri Corridor), disaster management requirements (such as following the 2023 Sikkim flash floods), and the need for decentralized administration in remote areas to improve public service delivery.

List of Proposed Districts in Sikkim Grouped by Current District
Proposed District Expected Area of Jurisdiction Rationale for Creation
Proposed from Gyalshing
Dentam Western part of Gyalshing district, bordering Nepal. Expected to include the Dentam sub-division, the Maneybong-Dentam constituency, 3 revenue circles (Uttarey, Dentam, and Hee-Gaon), and approximately 15 to 18 revenue blocks. Proposed by local representatives to reduce travel time to the Gyalshing headquarters and improve administrative capacity in the western border region.[5]
Proposed from Mangan
Chungthang Northern alpine region of Mangan district, bordering Tibet. Expected to include the Chungthang sub-division, the northern portion of the Lachen-Mangan constituency, 3 revenue circles (Chungthang, Lachen, and Lachung), and 12 to 14 revenue blocks. Driven by the region's high-risk profile for natural disasters, such as the 2023 glacial floods. Proponents argue that district-level administration is necessary for rapid emergency response and border management.[6][7]
Proposed from Pakyong
Rongli-Rhenock East-southeast and southwest parts of Pakyong district, near the India-Tibet-Bhutan tri-junction. Expected to include the Rongli sub-division, Rhenock and Chujachen constituencies, 3 revenue circles (Rongli, Subaneydara, and Rhenock), and over 20 revenue blocks. Demanded to provide focused economic and administrative governance for the eastern industrial belt.[8]
Proposed from Gangtok
Sang-Rabdang Western part of Gangtok district. Expected to include the Sang-Rabdang sub-division, serving the Singtam-Khamdong and Martam-Rumtek constituencies, encompassing 3 revenue circles (Rabdang, Khamdong, and Tumin) and 22 revenue blocks. Elevated to sub-divisional status in 2024, further demands seek full district status to decentralize administration from the state capital region.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Sikkim gets two new districts, rejigs others". Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  2. ↑ "Sikkim to carve out Pakyong, Soreng districts". The Statesman. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  3. ↑ "NIC Policy on format of e-mail Address: Appendix (2): Districts Abbreviations as per ISO 3166–2" (PDF). Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India. 12 February 2018. pp. 5–10. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  4. ↑ "Indian Districts by Population, Growth Rate, Sex Ratio 2011 Census". 2011 census of India. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "Gyalshing district convenes review meeting for inauguration of New SDM Office at Dentam". Government of Sikkim. 24 February 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "About Mangan District". District Administration Mangan. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "Chief Minister Highlights Sikkim's Challenges at 12th NESAC Meeting". Government of Sikkim. 12 March 2026. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "About District: Pakyong". District Administration Pakyong. 12 November 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "Press Release from the Office of the Press Secretary to Hon'ble Chief Minister of Sikkim". Government of Sikkim. 28 April 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
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