Darjeeling is a town and a municipality in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is in the Lesser Himalayas at an elevation of 6,700 ft (2,042.2 m). It is famous for its tea industry. It is also known for its views of the Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain, and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Darjeeling is the headquarters of the Darjeeling District in West Bengal. It is a popular tourist destination in India.
Darjeeling
Climate and environmental situation
During the British colonial rule, Darjeeling served as a "Hill Station" (resort) for British colonial officials and officers because of its mild climate. They used to move to Darjeeling from Calcutta every year during the hot spell. During the monsoon, Darjeeling receives considerable amounts of rain.
Today, Darjeeling is characterized by high levels of air pollution due to a dramatic increase in motorization.
| Darjeeling, West Bengal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Climate diagram | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Monthly average temperatures and precipitation for Darjeeling, West Bengal
Source: wetter.com; wetterkontor.de | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History
The region of Darjeeling was politically part of the then Chogyal Kingdom of Sikkim in the 19th century and was dominated by the Lepcha and Bhutia populations. In 1835, the British East India Company leased the place from the Chogyal, formally in return for support in the conflict with territorially expanding Nepal. Subsequently, Darjeeling was developed as an aerial health resort for British colonial officials and officers. Even today, the townscape of Darjeeling is dominated by 19th century colonial architecture (mansions, churches, hotels).