Sikkim is a northeastern state of India, wedged between China to the north and east, Bhutan to the east, and Nepal to the west; its capital is Gangtok. Sikkim is located among the Himalayas, and it is home to Kanchenjunga, the highest peak in India and the third highest on Earth. From 1642 to 1975, a Kingdom of Sikkim was in existence, ruled by a Buddhist priest-king, the Chogyal. The kingdom became a princely state of British India in 1890, and it became a protectorate of India in 1947. In 1975, the Indian Army deposed the Sikkimese monarchy after it was accused of discriminating against Hindu Nepalis, and Sikkim joined India as its 22nd state. Hinduism and Vajrayana Buddhism are the two main religions of Sikkim. It is the world's second largest producer of the cardamom spice after Guatemala, and its economy was based on both agriculture and tourism. In 2011, Sikkim had a population of 610,577 people.
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