Namchi district lies at an altitude of 400 to 2000 metres and has a temperate climate for most of the year. Major urban centres include Namchi, Ravangla, Jorethang and Melli.
South Sikkim is the most industrialised district in the state, owing to the availability of flat land. Since the geology is stable the roads are in good condition as compared to other parts of the state which suffer from landslides. The district is also known for Sikkim tea, which is grown near Namchi.
Demographics
According to the 2011 census, Namchi district has a population of 146,850,[3] roughly equal to the nation of Saint Lucia.[4] This gives it a ranking of 600th in India (out of a total of 640).[3] The district has a population density of 196 inhabitants per square kilometre (510/sq mi).[3] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 11.57%.[3] and has a sex ratio of 914 females for every 1000 males,[3] and a literacy rate of 82.06%. 14.44% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 4.12% and 28.19% of the population respectively.[3]
Namchi is one of the least populated regions of the state. The people are mainly of Nepali descent. Other ethnic groups include the Lepcha and Bhutia communities. Nepali is the most widely spoken language in the district. The district was under the occupation of the Nepalese for 30 years in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
^Sikkim Administrative Divisions(PDF) (Map). The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India, New Delhi, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
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