Magar and
Maithili to be additional official languages, for specific regions and purposes in the province.
Administrative subdivisions
There is a total of 109 local administrative units in the province which include four sub-metropolitan cities, 32 urban municipalities, and 73 rural municipalities.
Districts
Districts in Nepal are the second level of administrative divisions after
provinces
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
. Lumbini Province is divided into 12 districts, which are listed below. A district is administrated by the head of the
District Coordination Committee District administration makes up the third level of government division in Nepal. The provision for a District Assembly, which acts as the legislature at the district-level, is mentioned in Part 17 of the Constitution of Nepal. The 77 districts of ...
and the District Administration Officer. The districts are further divided into municipalities or rural municipalities.
After the state's reconstruction of administrative divisions,
Nawalparasi District
Nawalparasi District ( ne, नवलपरासी जिल्ला, ), part of which belongs to Gandaki Province and part to Lumbini Province, was one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal before being divided into Nawalparasi (West of Ba ...
and
Rukum District
Rukum District ( ne, रुकुम जिल्ला) was a "hill" and "mountain" district some west of Kathmandu partially belonging to Lumbini Province and partially to Karnali Province before split into two districts Western Rukum and E ...
were divided into
Parasi District
Nawalparasi (West of Bardaghat Susta) district or Nawalparasi West, as known commonly ( ne, नवलपरासी (बर्दघाट सुस्ता पश्चिम) वा नवलपरासी पश्चिम ), also frequent ...
and
Nawalpur District
Nawalpur (, ne, नवलपुर, ) or (Nawalparasi east of Bardaghat Susta) is a district located in Gandaki Province of Nepal. It is 1 out of 11 districts of Gandaki Province. The headquarter of the district is Kawasoti.
Formally Nawalpur ...
, and
Eastern Rukum District and
Western Rukum District
Western Rukum ( ne, पश्चिमी रुकुम ) a part of Karnali Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. Musikot is the headquarter of the district.
Formally Western Rukum District was part of Rukum District, whi ...
respectively.
Municipality
Cities and villages are governed by municipalities in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...
. A district may have one or more municipalities. Lumbini has two types of municipalities.
# Urban Municipality '
## Metropolitan city (''Mahanagarpalika'')
## Sub-metropolitan city (''Upa-mahanagarpalika'') and
## Municipality (''Nagarpalika'')
# Rural Municipality (
Gaunpalika
A gaunpalika ( ne, गाउँपालिका, lit=rural municipality, translit=Gāum̐pālikā ) is an administrative division in Nepal. The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (Nepal), Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Devel ...
)
The government of Nepal has set out a minimum criteria to meet city and towns. These criteria include a certain population, infrastructure and revenues.
Government
The Governor acts as the head of the province, while the Chief Minister is the head of the provincial government. The Chief Judge of the Tulsipur High Court is the head of the judiciary. The Speaker of the Assembly is Purna Bahadur Gharti. Umakanta Jha is the first Governor of Lumbini Province. Current Governor Dharma Nath Yadav was appointed on 4 November 2019 by the
President of Nepal
The president of Nepal ( ne, नेपालको राष्ट्रपति, translit=Nēpālakō Rāṣṭrapati) is the head of state of Nepal and the commander-in-chief of the Nepalese Armed Forces.
The president is indirectly elected ...
.
Provincial Assembly
Lumbini provincial assembly is the
unicameral
Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one.
Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multic ...
legislative assembly consisting of 87 members. Candidates for each
constituency
An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger State (polity), state (a country, administrative region, ...
are chosen by the
political parties
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or pol ...
or stand as independents. Each constituency elects one member under the
first past the post
In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast thei ...
(FPTP) system of election. The current constitution specifies that sixty percent of the members should be elected from the
first past the post
In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast thei ...
system and forty percent through the
party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation (list-PR) is a subset of proportional representation electoral systems in which multiple candidates are elected (e.g., elections to parliament) through their position on an electoral list. They can also be us ...
(PR) system. Women should account for one-third of total members elected from each party. If one-third percentage are not elected, the party that fails to ensure so shall have to elect one-third of the total number as women through the
party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation (list-PR) is a subset of proportional representation electoral systems in which multiple candidates are elected (e.g., elections to parliament) through their position on an electoral list. They can also be us ...
.
Economy
As of 2021, Lumbini Province is the 2nd fastest growing province in Nepal after
Bagmati Province
Bagmati Province ( ne, बाग्मती प्रदेश, ''Bagmati Pradesh'') is one of the seven provinces of Nepal established by the constitution of Nepal. The province is Nepal's second-most populous province and fifth largest provinc ...
and is third out of the
seven provinces in terms of its contribution to the
GDP
Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjective nature this measure is ofte ...
(14% as of 2021).
The two major custom points of Nepal,
Nepalganj
Nepalgunj (), also spelled Nepalganj, is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke District, Nepal. It lies on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Nepalgunj is 153 kilometers south-west of Ghorahi ...
and
Siddharthanagar (Bhairahawa) are situated in the south of the province, and are major transit zones of trade and transport through India. The rapidly expanding cities in Lumbini province,
Butwal and
Siddharthanagar in
Rupandehi District,
Ghorahi
''Ghorahi'' (Nepali: घोराही उपमहानगरपालिका) is the seventh largest city and largest sub-metropolitan city of Nepal. The city (formerly ''Tribhuvannagar'') lies in Lumbini Province in the Mid-Western part ...
and
Tulsipur
Tulsipur is a town and tehsil in the Balrampur district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Geography
Tulsipur is located near the India-Nepal border on the banks of the River Nakti (also known as River Siria) and is 23 km from Koilabas an ...
in
Dang District, and
Nepalgunj and
Kohalpur
Kohalpur ( ne, कोहलपुर) is a municipality in Banke District of Lumbini province of Nepal. The municipality was established on 18 May 2014 merging the existing two Village Development Committees i.e. Rajhena and Kohalpur. The town ...
in
Banke District
Banke District ( ne, बाँके जिल्ला , a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. The district, located in midwestern Nepal with Nepalganj as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a popula ...
are major industrial centers.
Ranking 2nd in the number of banks and financial institutions in Nepal after
Bagmati Province
Bagmati Province ( ne, बाग्मती प्रदेश, ''Bagmati Pradesh'') is one of the seven provinces of Nepal established by the constitution of Nepal. The province is Nepal's second-most populous province and fifth largest provinc ...
;
several projects have been launched in the province to boost economic growth. Construction of the
Gautam Buddha International Airport
Gautam Buddha International Airport , also known as Bhairahawa Airport, is an international airport located in Siddharthanagar (formerly and colloquially still called Bhairahawa) serving Lumbini in Lumbini Province, as well as the Butwal﹣Siddh ...
, upgrade of the
Nepalgunj Airport
Nepalgunj Airport is a domestic airport serving Nepalgunj in Nepal. There are plans by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to promote the airport to an international airport and establishing immigration, customs and quarantine facilities.
Hi ...
into an international airport as per the 20-years master plan, establishment of industrial units in
Special economic zone
A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZs are located within a country's national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance, employment, increas ...
, and the opening of new hotels are expected to spur further economic growth in the province.
The national pride projects which have been initiated in the province include:
Agriculture
The province has both
temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...
and
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
climates and is diverse in terms of agriculture crop production potentialities. The province is best suited for agriculture production with five core terai districts, one inner terai, and 6 other hill districts. The land is very fertile and a good source of irrigation prevails.
Sikta Irrigation Project Sikta Irrigation Project is one of the National Pride Projects of Nepal. The intake is in the Rapti river in western Nepal. There are two canals with the capacity of 50 m3/s each. The length of canal is 45.25 kilometres in the western section and 5 ...
and
Babai Diversion and Irrigation project have benefited the agricultural production. The major crops are paddy, mustard, wheat, maize, sugarcane, vegetables, potato, lentils and cotton. Lumbini is self-sufficient in milk, cereal crops and pulses.
Industry
By 2021, there were 16,549 registered companies in the province. Lumbini province ranks 2nd in the country after
Bagmati Province
Bagmati Province ( ne, बाग्मती प्रदेश, ''Bagmati Pradesh'') is one of the seven provinces of Nepal established by the constitution of Nepal. The province is Nepal's second-most populous province and fifth largest provinc ...
in the share of small, cottage and micro-level industries numbering 81,164 that create an estimated 493,686 employment.
In addition, tourism industry is a massively growing industry in Lumbini province, welcoming the largest numbers of tourists in Nepal from about 113 countries worldwide.
Two of the prime industrial estates of Nepal in Lumbini Province - Nepalgunj industrial estate (district), the oldest industrial estate of the province, was established in 1973 AD and Butwal industrial estate was established in 1975 AD. Combined, the two industrial estates have about a hundred industries in the zone and are a significant source of revenue of the country. Post-promulgation of the
Constitution of Nepal
Constitution of Nepal 2015 ( ne, नेपालको संविधान २०७२) is the present governing Constitution of Nepal.
Nepal is governed according to the Constitution which came into effect on 20 September 2015, replacing the ...
in 2015, further industrial estates were declared in the province by the Council of Ministers of the Government of Nepal: Motipur industrial estate in
Rupandehi
Rupandehi District ( ne, रुपन्देही जिल्ला; ), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and covers an area of . The district headquarter is Bhairahawa. As per the national census 2011 ...
and Naubasta industrial estate in
Banke districts. Similarly, Dang industrial estate has been declared in
Dang district.
Tourism
Lumbini
Lumbini, considered one of the holiest place in
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
associated with the
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
's birth, is a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
and the most visited place in Nepal with 1.5 million tourist arriving annually.
Lumbini has a number of older temples, including the
Mayadevi Temple, and various new temples, funded by Buddhist organizations from various countries, have been completed or are still under construction. The ancient ruins of complex structures have been conserved in the area including the Shakya tank – the remains within the Mayadevi Temple with brick structures and cross-wall system that have been dated from 3rd century BC,
Ashoka pillar
The pillars of Ashoka are a series of monolithic columns dispersed throughout the Indian subcontinent, erected or at least inscribed with edicts by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka during his reign from c. 268 to 232 BCE. Ashoka used the express ...
, excavated remains of Buddhist monasteries of 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD and the remains of Buddhist stupas (memorial shrines) dated between 3rd century BC to the 15th century AD. In addition to the ruins of ancient monasteries, there is a sacred
Bodhi tree, an ancient bathing pond, the
Ashokan pillar
The pillars of Ashoka are a series of monolithic columns dispersed throughout the Indian subcontinent, erected or at least inscribed with edicts by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka during his reign from c. 268 to 232 BCE. Ashoka used the expressi ...
and the Mayadevi Temple, a site traditionally considered to be the birthplace of the Buddha.
File:Royal Thai Monastery, Lumbini.jpg, Royal Thai monastery
File:Stupa in Lumbini.jpg, South Korean Stupa
File:2015-03-16 Lumbini(Sri Lanka temple)ルンビニ・スリランカ寺 DSCF1296.jpg, Sri Lankan Temple
File:Garden of Field of Stupas (German Monastery) - Lumbini Development Zone - Lumbini - Nepal (13848651175).jpg, German monastery
File:Austrian monastery 2.jpg, Austrian monastery
File:Zhong Hua Chinese Buddhist Monastery, Lumbini, Nepal.jpg, Chinese Monastery
Lumbini complex is divided into three areas: Sacred garden, Monastic zone, Cultural center and new Lumbini village. The sacred garden is the epicenter of the complex which is centered around the birthplace of
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
and consists of the Mayadevi Temple, the Asoka Pillar, the Marker Stone, the Nativity Sculpture, Sacred Pond (Puskarini), and many structural ruins including Buddhist Viharas & Stupas. The monastic zone is divided into east and west each reflecting two different schools of Buddhism. As a centre of pilgrimage, many countries have established their monasteries in the complex reflecting their own cultural design and spirituality. In the large monastic zone only monasteries can be built; no shops, hotels or restaurants are allowed. The zone is divided into an eastern and western monastic zone, the eastern having the
Theravadin
''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...
monasteries, the western having the
Mahayana
''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing bra ...
and
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...
monasteries. The Cultural Center consists of museums, Lumbini International Research Institute (LIRI), administration complex etc. and the New Lumbini Village has the World Peace Pagoda and the Lumbini Crane Sanctuary. World Peace Pagoda lies at the northern end of the Lumbini complex and was designed by Japanese buddhists to represent universal peace.
File:Ruins within Maya Devi Temple Complex.jpg, Ruins within Maya Devi Temple complex
File:Lumbini,The Birth Place Of Gautam Buddha.jpg, Sacred Pond adjacent to Temple
File:The little Buddha statue at Maya Devi Temple, Lumbini,.jpg, Little Buddha Statue
File:Shanti stupa, World Peace Pagoda, Lumbini.jpg, World Peace Stupa gate
Kapilvastu
Widely attributed as the hometown of
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
, the
Kapilvastu District
Kapilvastu district ( ne, कपिलवस्तु जिल्ला ), often Kapilbastu, is one of the districts of Lumbini Province, Nepal. The district, with Kapilbastu municipality as its district headquarters, covers an area of and in ...
of present-day Nepal has more than 130 archaeological sites, primarily concentrated in Tilaurakot, Kudan, Gotihawa, Niglihawa, Araurakot, Sagarhawa and Sisaniya. The region is also considered the hometown of two previous
Buddhas before Gautama:
Kakusandha Buddha
Kakusandha (Pāli), or Krakucchaṃda in Sanskrit, is one of the ancient Buddhas whose biography is chronicled in chapter 22 of the '' Buddhavaṃsa'', one of the books of the Pali Canon.
According to Theravāda Buddhist tradition, Kakusandha is t ...
who was born in Gotihawa and
Koṇāgamana Buddha
Koṇāgamana (Pāli), also known as Kanakamuni in Sanskrit or alternatively Koṇāgon or Kanakagamana, is one of the ancient Buddhas whose biography is chronicled in chapter 23 of the '' Buddhavaṃsa'', one of the books of the Pali Canon.
...
who was born in Niglihawa. Among three Ashoka pillars in Nepal, two are situated in Gotihawa and Niglihawa erected during King Ashoka's visit to ancient Kapilvastu.
Tilaurakot
Tilaurakot is a neighborhood in Kapilvastu Municipality in Kapilvastu District, in the Lumbini Province of southern Nepal. Previously it was a Village development committee. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 5684 people ...
, considered the cardinal point of the ancient Shakyan city of Kapilavastu where Gautama Buddha spent 29 years of his lifetime, was added to the
World Heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
Tentative List by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
on 1996.
File:Tilaurakot, Taulihawa Kapilbastu Lumbini Zone Western Nepal 2, Rajesh Dhungana.jpg, Ruins of ancient Kapilavastu at Tilaurakot
File:Gotihawa Ashok Pillar Buddha Kapilvastu Lumbini Zone Nepal Rajesh Dhungana (5).jpg, Kakusandha Buddha
Kakusandha (Pāli), or Krakucchaṃda in Sanskrit, is one of the ancient Buddhas whose biography is chronicled in chapter 22 of the '' Buddhavaṃsa'', one of the books of the Pali Canon.
According to Theravāda Buddhist tradition, Kakusandha is t ...
Ashoka Pillar
File:Koṇāgamana Buddha Ashoka (1).JPG, Koṇāgamana Buddha
Koṇāgamana (Pāli), also known as Kanakamuni in Sanskrit or alternatively Koṇāgon or Kanakagamana, is one of the ancient Buddhas whose biography is chronicled in chapter 23 of the '' Buddhavaṃsa'', one of the books of the Pali Canon.
...
Ashoka Pillar
Ramagrama
After the death of
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
, the relics of Buddha was divided among eight princes out of sixteen
mahājanapadās. One among them, a
Koliyan king of
Rāmagrāma (present
Parasi district) also received the relic who built a stupa enshrining it.
Known as the only undisturbed original relic of Buddha in the world
the site of stupa was added to the
World Heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
Tentative List by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
on 23 May 1996.
Dhaulagiri circuit
The Dhaulagiri circuit in Eastern Rukum encompasses the
Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri is the seventh highest mountain in the world at above sea level, and the highest mountain within the borders of a single country (Nepal). It was first climbed on 13 May 1960 by a Swiss-Austrian-Nepali expedition.
Annapurna I () is ...
mountain range of the northern Lumbini Province. The Dhaulagiri mountain range extends from the northwest to the northeast of Eastern Rukum district and then continues eastward to its tallest peak at Dhaulagiri I.
Putha Hiunchuli
Putha Hiunchuli (Dhaulagiri VII) is a mountain in Nepal and part of the Dhaulagiri (mountain range), Dhaulagiri Range. It lies at the west end of the Dhaulagiri II chain and is 7246 meters high, making it the 95th highest mountain in the world. It ...
(Dhaulagiri VII), one of the most popular 7,000-metre mountains, was first climbed by British explorer
J. O. M. Roberts and
Sherpa Sherpa may refer to:
Ethnography
* Sherpa people, an ethnic group in north eastern Nepal
* Sherpa language
Organizations and companies
* Sherpa (association), a French network of jurists dedicated to promoting corporate social responsibility
* ...
Ang Nyima in 1954.
The West Dhaulagiri circuit is a tourist trekking circuit close to the Dhaulagiri mountain range and Magar-majority villages, with a distinct preserved Kham
Magar culture of the northern Lumbini province.
File:Rukmini taal.jpg, Kamal Taal (Lotus Lake)
File:Mount Putha Rukum east.png, Dhaulagiri VII at night
File:Dhorpatan1.jpg, Dhorpatan
File:Alonzo-lyons-rukum-district-guerrilla-trek-terraced-paddies-nepal-IMG 4612.jpg, Terraced paddies
The circuit's eastern portion is situated along the Dhorpatan reserve of Eastern Rukum, which was designated to preserve high-altitude ecosystems in western Nepal in 1983. The reserve harbours alpine, sub-alpine and high temperate vegetation and 137 species of birds. Endangered animals in the reserve include the
musk deer,
wolf
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...
,
red panda
The red panda (''Ailurus fulgens''), also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzzle ...
,
cheer pheasant
The cheer pheasant (''Catreus wallichii''), also known as Wallich's pheasant or chir pheasant, is a vulnerable species of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is the only member in the genus ''Catreus''. The scientific name commemorates Danish ...
and
danphe.
National Parks
Bardiya National Park is the largest national park in the lowland Terai which was established in 1976 spread over 968 square kilometres to protect the representative ecosystem, habitats of
tigers
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on un ...
and their prey species. As a popular tourist destination, the national park is a beautiful, unspoiled wilderness of
sal forest, grassland, and alluvial washes cut by the many fingers of the
Karnali River Karnali may refer to:
Places in Nepal
* Karnali Bridge, a bridge over the Karnali River in Nepal
* Karnali Highway, a vital transport link in Nepal
* Karnali Province, a federal province in Nepal
* Karnali River, a river in Nepal and India origin ...
. In 1997, a buffer zone of 327 square kilometres surrounding the park was declared, consisting of forests and private lands. The buffer zone is jointly managed by the local communities and the park and community development and resource management is carried out jointly.
Elephant ride and wilderness site-seeing of Gangetic dolphins, tigers, rhinos and elephants are popular touristic activities in the park. The Babai valley which is rich in biodiversity was added to the park in 1984. The zone has wooded grassland and riverine forest and its water is home to Gharial crocodile. More than 30 different mammals, 513 species of birds and several species of snakes, lizard and fishes have been recorded in the park area.
File:Bardia forest.jpg, Forest trees of Bardiya National Park
File:Banke National Park.jpg, Banke National Park
File:Deers at Bardiya National Park.jpg, Deer at Bardiya National Park
File:Bardiya National park's rivar.JPG, Water body at Bardiya National Park
Banke National Park
Banke National Park is located in the Lumbini Province and was established in 2010 as Nepal’s tenth national park after its recognition as a "Gift to the Earth".DNPWC (2010)''Banke National Park'' Government of Nepal, Ministry of Forests and S ...
, adjacent to the Bardiya National Park with the coherent protected area of 1,518 km
2 (586 sq mi) represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU). The national park was established in 2010 and is a protected area of
tiger
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...
and
four-horned antelope
The four-horned antelope (''Tetracerus quadricornis''), or ''chousingha'', is a small antelope found in India and Nepal. Its four horns distinguish it from most other bovids, which have two horns (with a few exceptions, such as the Jacob sheep) ...
s. The park extends over an area of 550 square kilometers in Banke district of the province. Banke National Park is connected with Bardiya National Park in the west and wildlife sanctuary and forests of India in the south. The protected zone is an important component of Terai Arc Landscape(TAL) that provides habitat for tigers. The park has eight ecosystem types such as Sal forest, deciduous Riverine forest, savannahs and grasslands, mixed hardwood forest, flood plain community, Bhabar and foothills of Chure range and is home to 124 plants, 34 mammals, more than 300 birds, 24 reptiles, 7 amphibians and 58 fish species. As per the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973, 3 species of mammals (tiger, striped hyaena, four-horned antelope), 4 species of birds (giant hornbill, black stork, Bengal florican, and lesser florican) and 2 species of reptiles (gharial crocodile and python) are protected in the park.
Rani Mahal
Rani Mahal
The Rani Mahal (meaning "Queen's palace") is a royal palace in the city of Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The palace was built by Raghu Nath-II of the Newalkar family (1769-96), subedar of Jhansi. This palace later formed one of the residences ...
which was constructed in 1893 by
General Khadga Shumsher to commemorate his late wife Tej Kumari Devi. He gave it the name Rani Mahal, which fittingly translates to 'Queen's Palace'. The palace is at the banks of the
Kali Gandaki River
The Gandaki River, also known as the Narayani and the Gandak, is one of the major rivers in Nepal and a left bank tributary of the Ganges in India. Its total catchment area amounts to , most of it in Nepal. In the Nepal Himalayas, it is not ...
, between
Syangja
Syangja District ( ne, स्याङ्जा जिल्ला; ), a part of Gandaki Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Syangja bazaar (a small town) as its district headquarters, covers an area o ...
and
Palpa, eighteen kilometres from
Tansen
Tansen ( – 26 April 1589), also referred to and commonly known as Sangeet Samrat () , was a Hindustani classical musician. Born in a Hindu Gaur Brahmin family, he learnt and perfected his art in the northwest region of modern Madhya Pr ...
.
Pandaveshwor Temple
A temple dedicated to
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
is situated at the base of chure range, south of Babai river about 9 kilometers from the center of
Ghorahi
''Ghorahi'' (Nepali: घोराही उपमहानगरपालिका) is the seventh largest city and largest sub-metropolitan city of Nepal. The city (formerly ''Tribhuvannagar'') lies in Lumbini Province in the Mid-Western part ...
in Dang district. As per the belief, the temple marks the ancient site of
Mahābhārata where the five
Pandava
The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledge ...
s brother prayed to
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
during their journey to the Himalayas. The temple complex consists of the world's largest
Trishula
The ''trishula'' () is a trident, a divine symbol, commonly used as one of the principal symbols in Hinduism.
In Nepal and Thailand, the term also often refers to a short-handled weapon which may be mounted on a ''daṇḍa'' " staff". Unli ...
. The temple has become an important site for Hindu devotees as well as for prominent personalities such as the President of Nepal, police chiefs, chief justices and ministers.
Some popular religious and tourist centres are:
*
Swargadwari
*
Jitgadi Fort
The Jit Gadhi (; historically known as Butwal Gadhi) is a fort in Butwal, Lumbini Province, Nepal.
The Jit Gadhi was built by the Sen dynasty.
This fort was used during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816) where Colonel Ujir Singh Thapa led N ...
*
Bageshwori Temple
Bageshwori Temple ( ne, बागेश्वरी मन्दिर) is one of the most important Hindu temples in Nepal. It is at the center of Nepalgunj, the biggest city in Mid-Western Region, Nepal, mid-western development region. It is d ...
*
Bhairabsthan
*
Resunga
*
Ridi
Ruru Kshetra ( ne, रूरू क्षेत्र), also known as Ridi (रिडी), is a religious and cultural place situated on the confluence of ''Ridi Khola'' and Kaligandaki river in Nepal. It is also tri-junction of Gulmi, Palpa an ...
*
Ambikeshwori
* Supa Deurali
Popular lakes
*
Satyawati
Satyawati is a village development committee in Palpa District in the Lumbini Zone of southern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statist ...
*
Bahrakune
*
Jagadishpur
Jagadishpur is a census town in Bally Jagachha CD Block of Howrah Sadar subdivision in Howrah district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. It is a part of List of cities in West Bengal by population#Urban agglome ...
* Rukmini
*
Jakhera
Infrastructure
Education
By 2014,
Palpa District
Palpa District ( ne, पाल्पा जिल्ला, a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district, with Tansen as its headquarters, covers an area of and has ...
was one of the first 4 "fully literate" districts of Nepal, achieving a literacy rate of over 95%. By 2018, further districts of Lumbini province namely,
Arghakhanchi
Arghakhanchi ( ne, अर्घाखाँची जिल्ला ) is one of the districts of Lumbini Province in Nepal. The district headquarter is Sandhikharka. The district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 197,632. Its ne ...
,
Gulmi
Gulmi District ( ne, गुल्मी जिल्ला), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Tamghas as its headquarters, covers an area of , had a population of 296,654 in 2001, 28 ...
,
Pyuthan,
Dang,
Parasi,
Rupandehi
Rupandehi District ( ne, रुपन्देही जिल्ला; ), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and covers an area of . The district headquarter is Bhairahawa. As per the national census 2011 ...
,
Rolpa,
Bardiya and
Eastern Rukum District
Eastern Rukum ( ne, पूर्वी रुकुम) is a mountain district of Lumbini Province of Nepal situated along the Dhaulagiri mountain range. It is also the only mountain district of the province with its tallest mountain Putha Hiu ...
were classified as fully literate districts of Nepal.
According to the 2011 census, the literacy rate in Lumbini Province is 66%. Different levels of education(acquired by population) can be classified as:
* Primary Level (43%),
* Lower Secondary Level (21%),
* Secondary Level (11%),
* SLC (8%),
* Intermediate Level (5%),
* Beginner (5%),
* Non-formal (4%),
* Post Graduate and Above (1%).
Universities
*
Nepal Sanskrit University
Nepal Sanskrit University (formerly Mahendra Sanskrit University) was established in December 1986 and has its central office at Beljhundi in Dang district of Lumbini Province, Nepal. It is 13 km away from the city of Ghorahi.
Academics
The u ...
* Rapti Academy of Health Sciences
*
Lumbini Bauddha University
Lumbini Buddhist University is a tertiary educational institution in Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha. The idea for the university was conceived at the First World Buddhist Summit held in Lumbini in 1998, and it was officially formed ...
Health
According to the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) 2016, the Province's
Neonatal Mortality
Perinatal mortality (PNM) refers to the death of a fetus or neonate and is the basis to calculate the perinatal mortality rate. Variations in the precise definition of the perinatal mortality exist, specifically concerning the issue of inclusion o ...
(per 1000 live births) stands at 30 and
Infant mortality rate
Infant mortality is the death of young children under the age of 1. This death toll is measured by the infant mortality rate (IMR), which is the probability of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 live births. The under-five morta ...
(per 1000 live births) stands at 42, both of which are higher than the national average of 21 and 32 respectively.
The province has 670 public health facilities, including four hub hospitals, 18 hospitals, two regional medical stores, 31 primary health care centers, 570 health posts, 27 urban health centers, 15 community health units and 9 other health facilities.
Communication
In Lumbini province, 49.2% of the population have radio access and followed by 30.4% have access to TV, and only 1.3% have access to the internet. Similarly, 4.4% of the population have access to landline telephone, while 65.8% have access to mobile phone. There are three major cell phone providers in Lumbini Province. They are
Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited (NTC),
Ncell Axiata Limited (NCELL) and
Smart Cell. The coverage of Smart Cell providers is only in 5 districts.
There are 66 newspaper channels in Lumbini Province with national, provincial, and local outreach. As per the classification, some of the top-ranking newspapers are Gorachya Dainik, Dainik Nepalgunj, and Mechikali Sandesh Dainik. There are a total of 63 radio stations in the province, such as
Radio Lumbini, Radio Tulsipur, Bheri F.M., etc.
Energy
91% of the population has access to electricity in the province. Of the 12 districts in Lumbini Province,
Parasi,
Kapilvastu and
Bardiya have been electrified by more than 99 percent.
Gulmi
Gulmi District ( ne, गुल्मी जिल्ला), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Tamghas as its headquarters, covers an area of , had a population of 296,654 in 2001, 28 ...
,
Arghakhanchi
Arghakhanchi ( ne, अर्घाखाँची जिल्ला ) is one of the districts of Lumbini Province in Nepal. The district headquarter is Sandhikharka. The district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 197,632. Its ne ...
and
Rupandehi
Rupandehi District ( ne, रुपन्देही जिल्ला; ), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and covers an area of . The district headquarter is Bhairahawa. As per the national census 2011 ...
have more than 95 percent electrification and
Rukum East has the lowest electrification of 11.25 percent. Lumbini generates 21.2
MW of electricity from
hydropower
Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to Electricity generation, produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by energy transformation, converting the Pot ...
. Total number of electricity consumers in the province is 457992, consuming 370.8 Million MWh of energy annually. According to
NEA, Distribution and Consumer Service Directorate 93% of consumers are domestic users; loss of electricity in the province is 12.17% for the year 2076/77 (2020 AD). Out of the total loss in distribution provincial office,
Gularia contributes the highest loss percentage of 25.02%.
Butwal Solar PV Project, Nepal's first private grid-connected solar power plant, was connected to national transmission line in October 2020. Ridi Hydropower Company has constructed the power plant in
Tilottama
Tilottama ( sa, तिलोत्तमा, Tilottamā), is an apsara (celestial singer) described in Hindu mythology.
"Tilasma" is the Sanskrit word for a small particle and "uttama" means the ultimate. Tilottama, therefore, means the being ...
of
Rupendehi District. With over 32,000 solar panels of 330 watts each, the plant can generate 8.5
MW of electricity.
Transportation
Roadways
Transportation routes in Lumbini evolved since
H01. Lumbini has two major routes,
H01 and
H10 both intersecting in
Butwal. 8,931 km of road is constructed in the Province. Out of which 5,293 km is blacktopped.
All 12 districts of the province are connected via blacktopped roads. Major highways of the province are as follows:
# Mahendra Highway:
Mahendra Highway
Mahendra Highway (), also called East-West Highway () runs across the Terai geographical region of Nepal, from Mechinagar in the east to Bhim Datta in the west, cutting across the entire width of the country. It is the longest highway in Nepal ...
(
H01) traverses districts of Bardiya, Banke, Dang, Kapilvastu, Rupandehi, Parasi latitudinally. It connects to
Bagmati
, "Tiger Gate")
, source1_location = Shivapuri, Sundarijal, Kathmandu, Nepal
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, mouth = Confluence with Kamala River
, mouth_location = Jagmohra, Bihar, India
, mouth_coo ...
to east and
Sudurpaschim to the west.
# Ratna Highway:
Ratna Highway
Ratna Highway ( ne, रत्न राजमार्ग , also referred to as H12) is a highway in western Nepal that crosses the districts of Banke and Surkhet in a south to north direction.
The 113.08 km highway starts at Nepalgunj, wh ...
(
H12) to Karnali Province. It starts at Nepal- India border in
Nepalgunj and terminates at Birendranagar, Surkhet. The highway transition into the Karnali Highway system from the point it terminates.
# Rapti Highway:
Rapti Highway (
H11) starts from Ameliya,
Dang and terminates at
Musikot West Rukum. This highway makes hilly regions of Rolpa, Salyan West Rukum and east Rukum accessible.
# Siddhartha Highway:
Siddhartha Highway
Siddhartha Highway ( ne, सिद्धार्थ राजमार्ग, also referred to as H10, now renamed NH 047) is a major highway in Nepal that connects the Terai region in southern Nepal with the mountain region in northern Nepal. T ...
(
H10) highway starts at Nepal-India Border in Siddharthanagar and terminates at Prithivi chowk, Pokhara. The major settlements on the highway are Siddharthanagar, Butwal, Tansen, Waling, Putalibazar, Syangja and Pokhara.
Bhairahawa
Siddharthanagar ( ne, सिद्धार्थनगर), formerly and colloquially still called Bhairahawa ( ne, भैरहवा), is a municipality and the administrative headquarter of Rupandehi District in Lumbini Province of Nepal, ...
and
Nepalgunj have always been major trade routes with
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. Lumbini has no railways but
East West railway,
Kathmandu-Lumbini railway and several other routes connecting Indian cities are planned.
Air Travel
Gautam Buddha International Airport
Gautam Buddha International Airport , also known as Bhairahawa Airport, is an international airport located in Siddharthanagar (formerly and colloquially still called Bhairahawa) serving Lumbini in Lumbini Province, as well as the Butwal﹣Siddh ...
,
Nepalgunj Airport
Nepalgunj Airport is a domestic airport serving Nepalgunj in Nepal. There are plans by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to promote the airport to an international airport and establishing immigration, customs and quarantine facilities.
Hi ...
and
Dang Airport are major airstrips in the province.
Nepalgunj Airport
Nepalgunj Airport is a domestic airport serving Nepalgunj in Nepal. There are plans by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to promote the airport to an international airport and establishing immigration, customs and quarantine facilities.
Hi ...
, Nepal's second most busiest airport after Tribhuwan International Airport, is being upgraded to an international airport as per the 20 year master plan.
Being mostly flat land air travel isn't preferable but
Nepalgunj Airport
Nepalgunj Airport is a domestic airport serving Nepalgunj in Nepal. There are plans by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to promote the airport to an international airport and establishing immigration, customs and quarantine facilities.
Hi ...
serves as hub for most of the airports in
Karnali Province and
Sudurpaschim Province and is a transit point for tourists heading to
Lake Manasarovar
Lake Manasarovar (Sanskrit: मानसरोवर), also called Mapam Yutso (;) locally, is a high altitude freshwater lake fed by the Kailash Glaciers near Mount Kailash in Burang County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The ...
and
Mount Kailash
Mount Kailash (also Kailasa; ''Kangrinboqê'' or ''Gang Rinpoche''; Standard Tibetan, Tibetan: གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ; ; sa, कैलास, ), is a mountain in the Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It h ...
in
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
. New airports are under construction in
Resunga (
Gulmi District
Gulmi District ( ne, गुल्मी जिल्ला), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Tamghas as its headquarters, covers an area of , had a population of 296,654 in 2001, 28 ...
) and
Sandhikharka
Sandhikharka Municipality ( ne, सन्धिखर्क नगरपालिका) is the headquarter of Arghakhanchi District which lies in Lumbini Province of Nepal. The former village development committee (VDC) was converted into a munic ...
(
Arghakhanchi District
Arghakhanchi ( ne, अर्घाखाँची जिल्ला ) is one of the districts of Lumbini Province in Nepal. The district headquarter is Sandhikharka. The district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 197,632. Its ne ...
).
File:Nepalgunj AIrport .jpg, Nepalgunj Airport
Nepalgunj Airport is a domestic airport serving Nepalgunj in Nepal. There are plans by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to promote the airport to an international airport and establishing immigration, customs and quarantine facilities.
Hi ...
is Nepal's second-most busiest airport after TIA
See also
*
List of Provinces of Nepal
The provinces of Nepal ( ne, नेपालका प्रदेशहरू, translit=Nepālkā Pradeśharū) were formed on 20 September 2015 in accordance with Schedule 4 of the Constitution of Nepal. The seven provinces were formed by gr ...
*
List of districts of Nepal
Districts in Nepal are second level of administrative divisions after provinces. Districts are subdivided in municipalities and rural municipalities. There are seven provinces and 77 districts in Nepal.
After the state's reconstruction of admin ...
*
List of mayors of municipalities in Nepal
The Mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government in Nepal. There are in total 293 mayors in Nepal (6 metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, and 276 municipalities). Mayors are very powerful in the municipal governme ...
*
List of districts of Lumbini Province
References
{{Authority control
Lumbini Pradesh
2015 establishments in Nepal
Provinces of Nepal
States and territories established in 2015