Editing Sikkim (section)

== Economy ==
{{Main|Economy of Sikkim}}
Sikkim's nominal state [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) was estimated at US$4.6&nbsp;billion in 2019, with GDP per capita being $7,530 (₹ 5,50,000) thus constituting the [[List of Indian states by GDP|third-smallest GDP among India's 28 states]].<ref name="Unidow" /> The state's economy is largely [[agriculture|agrarian]] based on the terraced farming of [[rice]] and the cultivation of crops such as [[maize]], [[millet]], [[wheat]], [[barley]], [[orange (fruit)|oranges]], [[tea]], and [[cardamom]].<ref>{{Cite book | title = City, Society and Planning: Society | last = Dutt | first = Ashok K. |author2=Baleshwar Thakur | year = 2007 | publisher = Concept Publishing | isbn = 978-81-8069-460-8 | page = 501 }}</ref>{{sfn|Bareh|2001|pp=20–21}} Sikkim produces more cardamom than any other Indian state and is home to the largest cultivated area of cardamom.<ref>{{Cite book | title = India: A Reference Annual | publisher = Research and Reference Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting | year = 2002 | location = New Delhi | page = 747 }}</ref> Sikkim achieved its ambition to convert its [[Organic agriculture|agriculture to fully organic]] between 2003 and 2016, and became the first state in India to achieve this distinction.<ref name=Strategies>Paull, John (2017) [https://www.academia.edu/35179966 "Four New Strategies to Grow the Organic Agriculture Sector"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304181540/http://www.academia.edu/35179966/Four_New_Strategies_to_Grow_the_Organic_Agriculture_Sector |date=4 March 2018 }}, Agrofor International Journal, 2(3):61–70.</ref><ref name=dna-org/><ref name=hindu-org/><ref name=tele-org/>

Because of its hilly terrain and poor transport infrastructure, Sikkim lacks a large-scale industrial base. [[Brewery|Brewing]], distilling, [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]] and [[Watchmaker|watchmaking]] are the main industries and are mainly located in the southern regions of the state, primarily in the towns of [[Melli]] and [[Jorethang]]. In addition, a small mining industry exists in Sikkim extracting minerals such as [[copper]], [[Dolomite (mineral)|dolomite]], [[talc]], [[graphite]], [[quartzite]], [[coal]], [[zinc]], and [[lead]].<ref>{{Cite book | title = State level public enterprises in Sikkim: policy and planning | last = Mishra | first = R. K. | year = 2005 | publisher = Concept Publishing | isbn = 978-81-8069-396-0 | page = 3 }}</ref> Despite the state's minimal industrial infrastructure, Sikkim's economy has been among the fastest-growing in India since 2000; the state's GDP expanded by 89.93% in 2010 alone.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://planningcommission.nic.in/data/datatable/0306/table%20168.pdf|title = Indian states GDP database|access-date = 24 December 2014|publisher = NIC.in|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140715140421/http://planningcommission.nic.in/data/datatable/0306/table%20168.pdf|archive-date = 15 July 2014|url-status = dead|df = dmy-all}}</ref> In 2003, Sikkim decided to fully convert to [[organic farming]] and achieved this goal in 2015 becoming India's first "organic state".<ref name=dna-org>{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-sikkim-becomes-india-s-first-organic-state-2166492|title=Sikkim becomes India's first organic state|newspaper=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|date=16 January 2016|access-date=18 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118110114/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-sikkim-becomes-india-s-first-organic-state-2166492|archive-date=18 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=hindu-org>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sikkim-becomes-indias-first-organic-state/article8107170.ece|title=Sikkim becomes India's first organic state|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=14 January 2016|access-date=18 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114115833/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sikkim-becomes-indias-first-organic-state/article8107170.ece|archive-date=14 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=tele-org>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160118/jsp/siliguri/story_64430.jsp#.VpytZpp97IU|title=Organic show awaits Modi in Sikkim|newspaper=[[Telegraph India]]|date=17 January 2016|access-date=18 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123022113/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160118/jsp/siliguri/story_64430.jsp#.VpytZpp97IU|archive-date=23 January 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Strategies"/>

In recent years, the government of Sikkim has extensively promoted [[tourism]]. As a result, state revenue has increased 14 times since the mid-1990s.<ref name="Dasgupta">{{Cite journal | last = Dasgupta | first = Abhijit |date=May 2009 | title = Forever and ever and ever | journal = [[India Today]] | volume = 34 |issue=22 | page = 35 | id = RNI:28587/75 }}</ref> Sikkim has furthermore invested in a fledgling [[gambling]] industry promoting both [[casino]]s and [[online gambling]]. The state's first casino, the Casino Sikkim, opened in March 2009.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Patil|first=Ajit|date=28 May 2009|title=Casinos in India|work=India Bet|url=http://www.indiabet.com/indian-betting/434405/casinos-in-india|url-status=dead|access-date=28 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110409200150/http://www.indiabet.com/indian-betting/434405/casinos-in-india|archive-date=9 April 2011}}</ref> In the year 2010 the government subsequently issued three gambling licences for casinos and online sports betting in general.<ref>{{Cite news | url = http://www.indiabet.com/indian-betting/434413/indian-online-gambling-market-set-to-open-up | first = Roy | last = Sanjay | date = 27 October 2009 | access-date = 27 October 2009 | title = Indian online gambling market set to open up | work = India Bet | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110310075428/http://www.indiabet.com/indian-betting/434413/indian-online-gambling-market-set-to-open-up | archive-date = 10 March 2011 | url-status = live | df = dmy-all }}</ref> The Playwin lottery has been a notable success in the state.<ref>{{Cite news | url = http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/20688/ | first = Arundhati | last = Bakshi-Dighe | date = 23 March 2003 | access-date =2 June 2009 | title = Online lottery: A jackpot for all | work = Indian Express }}</ref><ref name="Playwin">{{Cite web | url = http://www.lotteryinsider.com/lottery/playwin.htm | title = Playwin lottery | access-date = 12 October 2006 | date = 20 August 2006 | publisher = Interplay Multimedia Pty. Ltd. | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110827033220/http://www.lotteryinsider.com/lottery/playwin.htm | archive-date = 27 August 2011 | url-status = live | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

The opening of the [[Nathu La]] pass on 6 July 2006, connecting [[Lhasa]], [[Tibet]], to India, was billed as a boon for Sikkim's economy. Trade through the pass remains hampered by Sikkim's limited infrastructure and government restrictions in both India and China, though the volume of traded goods has been steadily increasing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120509/jsp/siliguri/story_15467618.jsp#.UdgnGMu9KSM|title=Nathu-la trade gets wider|work=Telegraph India|date=9 May 2012|access-date=6 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109042058/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120509/jsp/siliguri/story_15467618.jsp#.UdgnGMu9KSM|archive-date=9 November 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.indiatvnews.com/news/india/india-china-border-trade-at-nathu-la-closed-for-this-year-31092.html|title=India China border trade at Nathu La closed for this year|publisher=India TV News|date=3 December 2013|access-date=16 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629203959/http://m.indiatvnews.com/news/india/india-china-border-trade-at-nathu-la-closed-for-this-year-31092.html|archive-date=29 June 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%;" heights="120">
Elaichi.jpg|''Elaichi'', or [[cardamom]], is the chief [[cash crop]] of Sikkim.
Cherry Resort inside Temi Tea Garden, Namchi, Sikkim.jpg|Temi Tea Garden, [[Namchi]], Sikkim
Temi Tea Garden Panoramic View.jpg|Tea garden at Temi, Sikkim.
Terraced rice fields of Sikkim India.jpg|Terraced rice paddy fields of Sikkim.
</gallery>