Overview
Darjeeling district is an administrative district in the northern part of the Indian state of West Bengal. Headquartered at the hill town of Darjeeling, it lies in the eastern Himalayan foothills and is known for its tea industry, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, and its ethnically diverse population. The district forms part of the administrative region commonly referred to as North Bengal.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | West Bengal |
| Region | North Bengal |
| Headquarters | Darjeeling |
| Division | Jalpaiguri division |
| Major towns | Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik, Siliguri |
| Autonomous body | Gorkhaland Territorial Administration |
Geography
The district occupies a varied terrain that descends from the high Himalayan ranges in the north to the Terai plains in the south. It is bounded by Sikkim to the north, the country of Bhutan to the east, Bangladesh to the south, and Nepal to the west, with Jalpaiguri and other neighbouring districts adjoining it. The Teesta and Mahananda are among the principal rivers. Sandakphu, on the Singalila ridge, is the highest point in West Bengal and lies within the district.
Climate and ecology
The hill subdivisions experience a temperate climate with cool summers and cold winters, while the foothill and plains areas are subtropical. Forests in the district include parts of the Singalila National Park and the Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary, which support species such as the red panda, Himalayan black bear, and a range of pheasants and orchids.
Administration
Following the carving out of Kalimpong as a separate district in 2017, Darjeeling district consists of the subdivisions of Darjeeling Sadar, Kurseong, Mirik, and Siliguri. The hill areas of the district are administered through the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), an autonomous body created in 2012 to succeed the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. The district is administered by a District Magistrate and Collector under the Government of West Bengal.
History
The territory that became Darjeeling district was historically part of the kingdom of Sikkim and, at various periods, came under the influence of Nepal and Bhutan. After the Anglo-Nepalese War, the Treaty of Sugauli (1816) returned territory to Sikkim. In 1835, the hill tract around Darjeeling was leased by Sikkim to the British East India Company, primarily for use as a sanatorium. Further accretions followed, including territory acquired after the Anglo-Bhutanese War of 1864–65.
Under colonial administration, Darjeeling developed as a hill station and as the centre of a major tea-growing region from the mid-19th century, when commercial tea cultivation was introduced. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, opened in stages from 1879 to 1881, connected the hills with the plains at Siliguri and is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Post-independence developments
After the independence of India in 1947, Darjeeling became part of West Bengal. From the 1980s, demands for a separate state of Gorkhaland for the Nepali-speaking community of the hills led to sustained political agitation. The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council was set up in 1988 following an agreement between the Gorkha National Liberation Front, the state government, and the central government. In 2012, this body was replaced by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. In 2017, the Kalimpong subdivision was separated to form a new district.
Economy
The district's economy combines tea cultivation, tourism, horticulture, and trade. Darjeeling tea, grown on plantations across the hill subdivisions, holds a Geographical Indication tag and is exported globally. Tourism centres on the hill stations of Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Mirik, with attractions including Tiger Hill, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological