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“Sikkim with highest forest cover of 47% in the country is most favourite tourist destination in entire north eastern region and its tourist arrival has doubled in last ten years,” said, Pawan Kumar Chamling, Chief Minister, Sikkim.
Sikkim registered 3,47,650 domestic tourist arrival in the year 2005 which increased to 7,05,023 in the year 2015 while 16,518 foreign tourist arrivals were registered in the year 2005 which increased to 38,479 in the year 2015.
Moreover, Sikkim’s Kanchenjunga National Park (KNP) has now been inscribed as India’s first ‘Mixed World Heritage Site’ by UNESCO. KNP located in eastern Himalayan region was set up in 850 sq km area in August, 1977, and was subsequently extended to 1784 sq km in May, 1997, by including surrounding areas for the purpose of protecting and developing wildlife. It had been on the tentative list of World Heritage Sites since 2006.
KNP has the widest altitudinal range of all the protected areas of the world. This park has an enviable altitudinal variation varying from 1220 m to 8586 m within an aerial distance of just 42 kilometres with permanently snowcapped mountains, glaciers, high altitude lakes, grasslands, cold deserts and varied forest types and consequent floral and faunal diversity to delight the visitors. With an altitudinal range of 7,366 metres within an area of only 1784 sq km, KNP is endowed with one of the highest ecosystems in the world.
Source: travelnewsdigest.in