Namchi, meaning Sky High, is the headquarter of Sikkim's Namchi district, formerly the South District

Background

The district in the south of Sikkim lies at an altitude of 400 mtr to 2000 mtr and encompasses a total area of around 75000 hectares. Namchi or Namtse, meaning Sky High, is the headquarter of South Sikkim, nestled among the hills having elevation of 5500 fts. Its total population is 1,46,850 as per the 2011 census. Of that population 76,670 are male and 70,180 female. The district administration describes the landscape as terraced slopes intercepted by spring patched forest. The district was long known as the South District and has been named Namchi district since December 2021, when Sikkim's four older districts were renamed and two new ones were created; the State's six districts are Gangtok, Gyalshing, Mangan, Namchi, Pakyong and Soreng.