Prince Man at 13:27, 24 September 2025

2025-09-24T13:27:50Z

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{{Use Indian English|date=August 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Gyalshing district
| native_name_lang =
| settlement_type = District
| image_skyline = Rabdentse Palace, Sikkim, India.jpg
| image_alt = Ruins
| image_caption = Rabdentse Palace in [[Rabdentse]] in Gyalshing district, Sikkim
| image_flag =
| flag_alt =
| image_seal =
| seal_alt =
| image_shield =
| shield_alt =
| nickname =
| motto =
| mottoeng =
| image_map = Gyalshing in Sikkim (India).svg
| image_map1 =
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location in Sikkim
| coordinates = {{coord|27|17|N|88|15|E|type:adm2nd_region:IN-SK|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Government of Sikkim.svg}} [[Sikkim]]
| subdivision_type2 =
| subdivision_name2 =
| subdivision_type3 =
| subdivision_name3 =
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
| seat_type = [[Headquarters]]
| seat = [[Gyalshing]] or [[Geyzing]]
| government_footnotes =
| leader_party =
| leader_title = District Collector (DC)
| leader_name = Smt Yishey D. Yongda <ref>{{Cite web|title=District Collectors|url=https://sikkim.gov.in/mygovernment/whos-who/district-collectors|website=sikkim.gov.in|access-date=4 September 2022|archive-date=3 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903220049/https://sikkim.gov.in/mygovernment/whos-who/district-collectors|url-status=live}}</ref>
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 =
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_footnotes = <ref name="districtcensus"/>
| population_total = 71675
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_note =
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +05:30
| timezone1_DST =
| utc_offset1_DST =
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| registration_plate = SK-02, SK-06
| area_code_type =
| area_code =
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-SK]]
| website = {{URL|https://gyalshing.nic.in}}
| footnotes =
| official_name = Geyzing district
}}

'''Gyalshing district''' or '''Geyzing district'''<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/two-new-districts-to-be-created-in-sikkim/cid/1842637| title = thetelegraph.com| access-date = 19 December 2021| archive-date = 30 October 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221030172255/https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/two-new-districts-to-be-created-in-sikkim/cid/1842637| url-status = live}}</ref> is a [[list of Indian districts|district]] of the [[India]]n state of [[Sikkim]]. Its headquarter is [[Geyzing]], also known as [[Gyalshing]]. The district is a favourite among trekkers due to the high elevations. Other important towns include [[Pelling]] and [[Yuksom]]. Local people also call it as ''Pallo-Sikkim'' and ''Sano-Sikkim'' commonly.

==History==
Gyalshing district is the site of the ancient state capital [[Yuksom]]. It served as Sikkim's capital beginning in 1642 for almost 50 years until it was shifted to [[Rabdentse]]. The district was under the occupation of the [[Nepal]]ese for 30 years in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. After [[Anglo-Nepalese War]] (1814–16), the district was returned to Sikkim.

==Geography==
Gyalshing district covers an area of {{convert|1166|km2}}. Attractions include the [[Khecheopalri Lake]], where, according to legend, not a leaf is allowed to fall on the surface of the lake and the [[Dubdi Monastery]], the first monastery of the state.

==Assembly constituencies==
The district was previously divided into 5 [[assembly constituency|assembly constituencies]].
*[[Yoksam–Tashiding (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Yoksam-Tashiding]] (BL)
*[[Yangthang (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Yangthang]]
*[[Maneybong Dentam (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Maneybung-Dentam]]
*[[Gyalshing-Barnyak (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Gyalshing-Barnyak]]
*[[Rinchenpong (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Rinchenpong]] (BL)

===National protected area===
*[[Khangchendzonga National Park]] (Part)

==Economy==
The economy is mainly agrarian, despite most of the land being unfit for cultivation owing to the precipitous and rocky slopes.

==Transport==
Roads are in poor condition owing to the frequent landslides.

==Demographics==
According to the [[2011 census of India|2011 census]] Gyalshing district has a [[Demographics of India|population]] of 136,435,<ref name="districtcensus">{{cite web |title=District Census Hand Book – Sikkim |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/13990/download/17113/DH_2011_1100_PART_A_DCHB_SIKKIM.PDF |website=[[Census of India]] |publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref> roughly equal to the nation of [[Grenada]].<ref name="cia">{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison:Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004507/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 13 June 2007 | access-date = 1 October 2011 | quote = Grenada 108,419 July 2011 est.
}}</ref> This gives it a ranking of 608th in India (out of a total of [[Districts of India|640]]).<ref name=districtcensus/> The district has a population density of {{convert| 117 |PD/sqkm|PD/sqmi}} .<ref name=districtcensus/> Its [[Family planning in India|population growth rate]] over the decade 2001-2011 was 10.58%.<ref name=districtcensus/> It has a [[sex ratio]] of 941 [[Women in India|females]] for every 1000 males,<ref name=districtcensus/> and a [[Literacy in India|literacy rate]] of 78.69%.<ref name=districtcensus/>

After bifurcation the district had a population of 71,675. 5.60% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 3,391 (4.73%) and 31,847 (44.43%) of the population respectively.<ref name="districtcensus">{{cite web |title=District Census Hand Book – Sikkim |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/13990/download/17113/DH_2011_1100_PART_A_DCHB_SIKKIM.PDF |website=[[Census of India]] |publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>{{rp|59}}

The people are mainly of [[Limbu people|Limbu]] descent. Other ethnic groups include the [[Lepcha people|Lepcha]] and [[Bhutia]] communities. [[Nepali language|Nepali]] is the most widely spoken language in the district.

===Religion===
{{bar box
|title = Religion in Gyalshing district (2011)<ref name="Census">{{Cite web|url=https://www.census2011.com/census/district/462-west-sikkim.html|title=East Sikkim District Religion Census 2011|access-date=24 April 2021|archive-date=14 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514153424/https://www.census2011.com/census/district/462-west-sikkim.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|float=left
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism]]|darkorange|60.07}}
{{bar percent|[[Buddhism]]|yellow|25.99}}
{{bar percent|Other (<small>mainly [[Kirat Mundhum]]</small>)|red|6.73}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity]]|dodgerblue|6.06}}
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|green|0.94}}
{{bar percent|Other or not stated|black|0.21}}
}}

[[File:Legship_shiva_temple.jpg|thumb|[[Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple]]|left]]

[[Hinduism]] is followed by majority of the people in the district. [[Buddhism]] followed by a considerable population. <ref name="Religion">{{Cite web|date=2011|title=Table C-01 Population by Religion: Sikkim |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11391/download/14504/DDW11C-01%20MDDS.XLS |website=censusindia.gov.in|publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>

The [[Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple]], a major Hindu pilgrimage centre in Sikkim, is situated in [[Legship]] in the district. <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.sikkim-culture.gov.in/Cultural%20Festivals/Religious%20Places.aspx | title = Some of the Religious Places of Sikkim | access-date = 2021-04-24 | work = Cultural Affairs & Heritage Department | publisher = Government of Sikkim | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120426051856/http://www.sikkim-culture.gov.in/Cultural%20Festivals/Religious%20Places.aspx | archive-date = 2012-04-26 }}</ref>

===Languages===
{{Pie chart
|caption = Languages of Gyalshing district (2011)
|label1 = [[Nepali language|Nepali]] |value1 = 51.85 |color1 = lightcoral
|label2 = [[Limbu language|Limbu]] |value2 = 22.61 |color2 = lavender
|label3 = [[Lepcha language|Lepcha]] |value3 = 8.68 |color3 = darkblue
|label4 = [[Sikkimese language|Bhotia]] |value4 = 7.05 |color4 = deepskyblue
|label5 = [[Sherpa language|Sherpa]] |value5 = 2.69 |color5 = purple
|label6 = [[Kiranti languages|Rai]] |value6 = 1.55 |color6 = limegreen
|label7 = [[Hindi]] |value7 = 1.48 |color7 = orange
|label8 = Others |value8 = 4.09 |color8 = grey
}}
At the time of the [[2011 Census of India]], 51.85% of the population in the district spoke [[Nepali language|Nepali]], 22.61% [[Limbu language|Limbu]], 8.68% [[Lepcha language|Lepcha]], 7.05% [[Sikkimese language|Bhotia]], 2.69% [[Sherpa language|Sherpa]], 1.55% [[Rai languages|Rai]] and 1.48% [[Hindi]] as their first language.<ref>{{cite web |title=Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Sikkim |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10221/download/13333/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-1100.XLSX |website=censusindia.gov.in|publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>

==Flora and fauna==
[[File:A natural view of West Sikkim, photo taken from hilltop.jpg|thumb|Natural view of mountain ranges in Gyalshing district]]
Gyalshing district houses a great diversity of flora and fauna, many of which are used by Indigenous and local communities.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=O'Neill |first1=Alexander |display-authors=etal |date=2017-03-29 |title=Integrating ethnobiological knowledge into biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas |journal=Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |volume=13 |issue=21 |page=21 |doi=10.1186/s13002-017-0148-9 |pmc=5372287 |pmid=28356115 |url= |doi-access=free }}</ref> Since most of the district is hilly it enjoys a [[temperate]] climate. Above 3,800 m (12,000 ft) the slopes are full of [[rhododendron]] forests.

In 1977, the district became home to [[Khangchendzonga National Park]], which has an area of {{convert|1784|km2|mi2|abbr=on|1}}.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=O'Neill |first1=Alexander |date=2017-03-29 |title=Sikkim claims India's first mixed-criteria UNESCO World Heritage Site |url=http://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/112/05/0893.pdf |journal=Current Science |volume=112 |issue=5 |pages=893–994 |access-date=2017-05-11 |archive-date=29 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329020240/http://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/112/05/0893.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> It shares the park with [[North Sikkim district]].<ref name=parks>{{cite web|author=Indian Ministry of Forests and Environment|title=Protected areas: Sikkim|url=http://oldwww.wii.gov.in/envis/envis_pa_network/index.htm|access-date=25 September 2011|archive-date=23 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823163836/http://oldwww.wii.gov.in/envis/envis_pa_network/index.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Divisions==

===Administrative divisions===
{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| caption_align = center
| footer_align = center
| width = 300
| footer = <br>'''Scenes from the district'''
| image1 = Three chortens - rabdentse.jpg
| alt1 = Chortens
| caption1 = Three chortens in Rabendtse
| image2 = Glacier valley, near Thangshing.JPG
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Glacier valley near Thangshing
| image3 = Tingchen Khang and cloud.jpg
| alt3 =
| caption3 = Mount Tingchen Khang
}}

Gyalshing district is divided into two sub-divisions:<ref>{{cite map |publisher=The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India, New Delhi, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |title=Sikkim Administrative Divisions |url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/maps/administrative_maps/SIKIM.pdf |language=en |format=PDF |year=2011 |access-date=29 September 2011 |archive-date=26 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026055459/http://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/maps/administrative_maps/SIKIM.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{West Sikkim image map}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" width=65% style="border:1px solid black"
|- bgcolor=#EDAFFF
| width="10%" | '''Name'''
| width="20%" | '''Headquarters'''
| width="20%" | '''Number of villages'''<ref name="MDDS">{{cite web | url = http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/MDDS/mdds_dir_Rural_11.pdf | title = MDDS e-Governance Code (Sikkim Rural) | access-date = 15 October 2011 | year = 2011 | publisher = Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India | archive-date = 1 February 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140201215643/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/MDDS/mdds_dir_Rural_11.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref>
| width="10%" | '''Location'''
|- bgcolor=#EFE4B0
| Gyalshing|| [[Gyalshing]]|| || [[File:West Sikkim Subdivisions Gyalshing.png|80px|center]]
|- bgcolor=#EFE4B0
| Soreng|| [[Soreng]]|| || [[File:West Sikkim Subdivisions Sorreng.png|80px|center]]
|}
{{clear}}
==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikivoyage|West Sikkim}}
*[https://westsikkim.nic.in/ Official district website]

{{commons category|Gyalshing district}}
{{Geographic location
|Centre = Gyalshing
|North = [[Mangan, India|Mangan]]
|Northeast =
|East = [[Namchi]]
|Southeast =
|South = [[Darjeeling district]], [[West Bengal]]
|Southwest =
|West = {{NEP|Nepal}}
|Northwest =
}}

{{Sikkim}}

[[Category:Gyalshing district| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Sikkim]]

Gyalshing district - Revision history

Prince Man at 13:27, 24 September 2025