Province No. 1
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Province No. 1 (proposed names:
Kirat The Kirati people, also spelled as Kirant or Kiranti, are a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group. They are peoples of the Himalayas, mostly the Eastern Himalaya extending eastward from Nepal to North East India (predominantly in the Indian state of Sikkim ...
,
Limbuwan Limbuwan is an area of the Himalayan region historically made up of 10 Limbu people, Limbu kingdoms, now part of eastern Nepal. Limbuwan means "abode of the Limbus" or "Land of the Limbus". In modern times, a political movement in Nepal has deve ...
, Khambuwan, Sagarmatha, Birat and
Koshi Koshi or Kōshi may refer to: Places *Koshi River, a river in Nepal *Koshi District, Niigata, a former district in Niigata Prefecture, Japan *Koshi Province, a historic province of Japan *Kōshi, Kumamoto, a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan *Kos ...
) is the easternmost of the seven
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 outsi ...
established by the new constitution of
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 mai ...
which was adopted on 20 September 2015. The province covers an area of 25,905 km2, about 17.5% of the country's total area. With the industrial city of
Biratnagar Biratnagar () is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also the headquarters of Morang district. As per the p ...
as its headquarters, the province covers other major eastern towns including
Birtamod Birtamod (Nepali: बिर्तामोड नगरपालिका) is a municipality in Jhapa District of Nepal. It is the commercial, educational and transport hub of Jhapa District. Sarnamati Bazar, Dhulabari Bazar, Dhaijan Bazar, Char ...
, Birat Chowk,
Damak Damak ( Nepali: दमक), a city in eastern Nepal is one of the oldest municipalities in Jhapa District in Province No. 1 of Nepal. It is situated between the Ratuwa River in the east and the Maawa River in the west. It has Sivalik Hills in i ...
,
Dharan Dharan ( ne, धरान) a sub-metropolitan city in Sunsari District of Province No. 1, Nepal, which was established as a fourth municipality in the Kingdom in 1958. It is the third most populous city in Eastern Nepal after Biratnagar and It ...
,
Itahari Itahari ( ne, ईटहरी) is a Municipalities in Province No. 1, sub-metropolitan city in the Sunsari District of Province No. 1 of Nepal. Itahari city is business hub of eastern Nepal. It is the List of cities of Nepal, second most populous ...
,
Triyuga Triyuga ( ne, त्रियुगा) is one of eight municipalities of Udayapur district of the Province No. 1 of Nepal. Gaighat is the headquarter of the municipality. According to the 1991 Nepal census, it had a population of 55,291. Accor ...
and
Mechinagar Mechinagar ( ne, मेचीनगर) is a municipality in Jhapa District, Province No. 1, Nepal and is the main entry point from India on Nepal's eastern border. Nepal's custom office is in Kakarvitta ( ne, काँकडभिट्टा), ...
and includes several mountains including the
Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heigh ...
,
Kanchenjunga Kangchenjunga, also spelled Kanchenjunga, Kanchanjanghā (), and Khangchendzonga, is the third List of highest mountains on Earth, highest mountain in the world. Its summit lies at in a section of the Himalayas, the ''Kangchenjunga Himal'', wh ...
, and
Ama Dablam Ama Dablam is a mountain in the eastern Himalayan range of Province No. 1, Nepal. The main peak is , the lower western peak is . Ama Dablam means "Mother's necklace"; the long ridges on each side like the arms of a mother (''ama'') protecting he ...
.
Koshi Koshi or Kōshi may refer to: Places *Koshi River, a river in Nepal *Koshi District, Niigata, a former district in Niigata Prefecture, Japan *Koshi Province, a historic province of Japan *Kōshi, Kumamoto, a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan *Kos ...
– the largest river of the nation, circumvents the province's western boundary. Adhering to 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 their ...
voting system issued by the Constituency Delimitation Commission, the province hosts 28 parliamentary seats and 56 provincial seats. The province is bordered by the
Tibet Autonomous Region The Tibet Autonomous Region or Xizang Autonomous Region, often shortened to Tibet or Xizang, is a Provinces of China, province-level Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People's Republic of China in Southwest China. I ...
of
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
to the north, the
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n states of
Sikkim Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siligur ...
and
West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
to the east, and
Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
to the south, and
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
Madhesh Province Madhesh Province ( Nepali/ mai, मधेश प्रदेश) is a province of Nepal that was formed after the adoption of the Constitution of Nepal. It is Nepal's most populous province, and smallest province by area. It borders Province N ...
to the west. According to the
2021 Nepal census The 2021 Nepal Census was the twelfth nationwide census of Nepal conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics. The census was originally scheduled from 8 June to 22 June 2021, but was postponed to November 2021 due to surge in COVID-19 cases. ...
, there are around 5 million people in the province, with a population density of 190 per square kilometre. As per the
2011 Nepal census Nepal conducted a widespread national census in 2011 by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics. Working with the 58 municipalities and the 3915 Village Development Committees at a district level, they recorded data from all the municipalities an ...
the province had around 4.5 million people.


History

The term ''district'' has been used in various ways throughout the modern history of Nepal. At the end of the
Rana regime Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...
, Nepal was divided into 32 districts. Eastern Nepal (what is now Province No. 1) was composed of the following districts: *
Morang District Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and Suns ...
: including Jhapa, Sunsari, and Morang *
Udayapur District Udayapur District ( ne, उदयपुर जिल्ला, is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district, with Triyuga as its district headquarters, covers an area of and in 2001 had a population of 287,689, in 2 ...
*
Ilam District Ilam district ( ne, इलाम जिल्ला) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. It is a Hill district and covers . The 2011 census counted 290,254 population. The municipality of Ilam is the district headquar ...
*
Dhankuta District Dhankuta District ( ne, धनकुटा जिल्ला) () is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 163,412. Dhankuta is the district headquarters of Dhan ...
: including Taplejung, Panchthar, Terhathum, Sankhuwasabha, and Dhankuta * Bhojpur District or “East No. 4”: including Bhojpur and Khotang *
Okhaldhunga District Okhaldhunga District ( ne, ओखलढुङ्गा जिल्ला) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. The district, with Okhaldhunga as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 156,702 ...
or “East No. 3”: including Okhaldhunga and Solukhumbu In 1956, the Eastern districts of Nepal were grouped together into a region or ''kshetra'' called the ''Aruṇ Kshetra'' or Arun Region, after the
Arun River The River Arun () is a river in the English county of West Sussex. At long, it is the longest river entirely in Sussex and one of the longest starting in Sussex after the River Medway, River Wey and River Mole. From the series of small stream ...
which flows through it. The Arun Kshetra was made by combining the then five districts. The Arun Kshetra had total area of and total population was 11
lakh A lakh (; abbreviated L; sometimes written lac) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 105). In the Indian 2,2,3 convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000. For ex ...
, or 1.1 million. The five districts were: # Biratnagar District: including
Sunsari , nickname = , native_name_lang = , image_skyline = , image_size = , image_alt = , image_caption = Night view of Dharan, Itahari & Tarahara :: Barahakshetra Temple: BPKIHS, Dharan : Dharan Clock Tower , image_map = Sunsari district lo ...
and
Morang Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and Sunsar ...
# Dhankuta District: including
Dhankuta Dhankuta ( ne, धनकुटा ) is a hill town and the headquarter of Koshi Zone located in Dhankuta District of Eastern Nepal. According to 2011 Nepal census, it has population of 26,440 inhabitants. History Until about 1963 Dhankuta Ba ...
and
Sankhuwasabha Sankhuwasabha District ( ne, सङ्खुवासभा जिल्ला ) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district's area is 3,480 km2 with a population of 159,203 in 2001 and 158,742 in 2011. ...
# Taplejung District: including
Taplejung Taplejung District ( ne, ताप्लेजुङ जिल्ला ) is one of 77 districts of Nepal and one of the 14 districts of Province No. 1. It is remotely located in the Himalayas in Eastern Nepal with Tibet to the north across the ...
and Panchtharl # Mechi District: including Ilam and
Jhapa Jhapa ( ne, झापा जिल्ला; ) is a district of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi word "Jhapa" meaning "to cover" (verb). The latest official data, the 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the d ...
# Bhojpur District: including Bhojpur and Khotang) In 1962, the administrative system once again was changed, abolishing the ''kshetra'' system. The country was now restructured into 75 development districts or ''jillā'' and those districts were grouped together into zones or ''añchal''. In 1972, what is now called Province No. 1 was called the Eastern Development Region. It was composed of 16 districts, which were grouped into three zones. At the cabinet meeting held on 17 January 2018, the city of
Biratnagar Biratnagar () is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also the headquarters of Morang district. As per the p ...
was declared the interim capital of Province No. 1. On 6 May 2019 it was declared the permanent capital by a vote of two-thirds of the provincial assembly's
MLAs The Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) was a proposed alternative to the Maxime Faget-invented "tractor" launch escape system (LES) that was planned for use by NASA for its Orion (spacecraft), Orion spacecraft in the event an Ares I malfunction du ...
.


Geography

Province No. 1 covers an area of 25,905 km2. The province has three-fold geographical division: Himalayan in the north, Hilly in the middle and
Terai The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in northern India and southern Nepal that lies south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This lowland belt is characterised by tall grasslands, scr ...
in the southern part of Nepal, varying between an altitude of 70 m and 8,848 m. Terai, extended from east to west, is made up of
alluvial soil Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluv ...
. To the west of
Koshi River The Kosi or Koshi ( ne, कोशी, , hi, कोसी, ) is a transboundary river which flows through China, Nepal and India. It drains the northern slopes of the Himalayas in Tibet and the southern slopes in Nepal. From a major confluence ...
, in between
Mahabharat Range The Lower Himalayan Range ( ne, पर्वत शृङ्खला parbat shrinkhalā) – also called the Middle Himalayas or Lesser Himalayas or Himachal – is a major east–west mountain range with elevations 3,700 to 4,500 m (12,000 to ...
and
Churia Range The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indian ...
, there elongates a valley called
Inner Terai Interior may refer to: Arts and media * ''Interior'' (Degas) (also known as ''The Rape''), painting by Edgar Degas * ''Interior'' (play), 1895 play by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck * ''The Interior'' (novel), by Lisa See * Interior de ...
. Churai Range,
Mahabharat Range The Lower Himalayan Range ( ne, पर्वत शृङ्खला parbat shrinkhalā) – also called the Middle Himalayas or Lesser Himalayas or Himachal – is a major east–west mountain range with elevations 3,700 to 4,500 m (12,000 to ...
and other hills of various heights, basins, tars, and valleys form the hilly region. Some parts of this region are favorable for agriculture but some other parts are not. The Himalayan region, in the north, consists of many mountains ranges. Mahalangur,
Kumbhakarna Kumbhakarna (Sanskrit: कुम्भकर्ण, lit. ''pot-eared'') is a powerful rakshasa and younger brother of Ravana from the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Despite his gigantic size and appetite, he is described as a virtuous character an ...
, Umvek, Lumba Sumba and
Janak Janaka is a character who appears in the Hindu epic Ramayana. He is an ancient Hindu king of Videha, which was located in the Mithila region. His name at birth was Sīradhvaja, and he had a brother named Kushadhvaja. His father's name was Hrasv ...
being some of them. The highest mountain in the world,
Mount Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heig ...
(8848.86 m); and the third highest mountain,
Kangchenjunga Kangchenjunga, also spelled Kanchenjunga, Kanchanjanghā (), and Khangchendzonga, is the third highest mountain in the world. Its summit lies at in a section of the Himalayas, the ''Kangchenjunga Himal'', which is bounded in the west by the T ...
(8598 m) also lie in this province. Nepal's lowest point, Kechana Kawal at 70 m, is located in
Jhapa district Jhapa ( ne, झापा जिल्ला; ) is a district of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi word "Jhapa" meaning "to cover" (verb). The latest official data, the 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the d ...
of this province. There are many river basins and gentle slopes as well.
Chure Chure Rural Municipality ( ne, चुरे गाउँपालिका) is a Gaunpalika in Kailali District in Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal. On 12 March 2017, the government of Nepal implemented a new local administrative structure in which ...
,
Mahabharat The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
, many basins, tars, and valleys form the Terai region. Between the Churia and Mahabharat, a low land of inner Terai exists. The
Koshi river The Kosi or Koshi ( ne, कोशी, , hi, कोसी, ) is a transboundary river which flows through China, Nepal and India. It drains the northern slopes of the Himalayas in Tibet and the southern slopes in Nepal. From a major confluence ...
flows through the region with its seven tributaries; Indrawati, Likhu, Tamur,
Dudh Kosi Dudh Koshi (दुधकोशी नदी, ''Milk-Koshi River'') is a river in eastern Nepal. It is the highest river in terms of elevation. Koshi river system The Kosi River, or Sapt Koshi, drains eastern up. It is known as Sapta Koshi because ...
, Arun, Tamakoshi and Bhote Koshi (Sunkoshi). Tundra vegetables, coniferous forests, deciduous monsoon forests, and sub-tropical evergreen woods are vegetations found here. Sub-tropical, temperate, sub-temperate, and alpine and tundra types of climates are found here. Province No. 1 also includes the snow fall capped peaks including
Mount Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heig ...
,
Kangchenjunga Kangchenjunga, also spelled Kanchenjunga, Kanchanjanghā (), and Khangchendzonga, is the third highest mountain in the world. Its summit lies at in a section of the Himalayas, the ''Kangchenjunga Himal'', which is bounded in the west by the T ...
,
Makalu Makalu ( ne, मकालु हिमाल, Makālu himāl; zh, t=馬卡魯峰, p=Mǎkǎlǔ fēng) is the fifth highest mountain in the world at . It is located in the Mahalangur Himalayas southeast of Mount Everest, in Nepal. One of th ...
with
Solukhumbu Solukhumbu District ( ne, सोलुखुम्बु जिल्ला , Sherpa: , Wylie: shar khum bu dzong) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. As the name suggests, it consists of the subregions Solu and Khumbu. ...
,
Sankhuwasabha Sankhuwasabha District ( ne, सङ्खुवासभा जिल्ला ) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district's area is 3,480 km2 with a population of 159,203 in 2001 and 158,742 in 2011. ...
, and
Taplejung Taplejung District ( ne, ताप्लेजुङ जिल्ला ) is one of 77 districts of Nepal and one of the 14 districts of Province No. 1. It is remotely located in the Himalayas in Eastern Nepal with Tibet to the north across the ...
districts towards the north, the jungle clad hill tracts of
Okhaldhunga Okhaldhunga is the headquarters of the Okhaldhunga District in the Sagarmatha Zone of Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3761 living in 790 individual households. Background The name Okhaldhunga originates from " ...
, Khotang, Bhojpur, Tehrathum, Ilam and
Panchthar Panchthar district ( ne, पाँचथर जिल्ला) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern hilly region of Nepal. It is a Hill district of eastern Nepal. The district covers of area. The 2011 census counted 191,817 popu ...
in the middle and the
alluvial Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluv ...
fertile plains of Udayapur,
Sunsari , nickname = , native_name_lang = , image_skyline = , image_size = , image_alt = , image_caption = Night view of Dharan, Itahari & Tarahara :: Barahakshetra Temple: BPKIHS, Dharan : Dharan Clock Tower , image_map = Sunsari district lo ...
,
Morang Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and Sunsar ...
and
Jhapa Jhapa ( ne, झापा जिल्ला; ) is a district of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi word "Jhapa" meaning "to cover" (verb). The latest official data, the 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the d ...
. Province No. 1 includes places like Haleshi Mahadev Temple, Pathivara Temple and
Barahachhetra Barahachhetra (also Barahakshetra or Varahakshrata; ne, वराहक्षेत्र) is a Hindu and Kirat piligram site which remains between the confluence of Koka and Koshi rivers in Barahakshetra, Sunsari of Province No. 1, Nepal. Thi ...
, which are the famous religious shrines for Hindus.


Climate

Climatic conditions of
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 mai ...
vary from one place to another in accordance with their geographical features. Province No. 1 has three geographical folds: the lowland of Terai, the hilly region, and the Himalayas' highlands. The low land altitude is 59 m, whereas the highest point is 8848 m. In the north, summers are cool and winters severe, while in the south, summers are tropical and winters are mild. Climatically, the southern belt of the province, the Terai, experiences a warm and humid climate. Eastern Nepal receives approximately 2,500 millimeters of rain annually. Province No. 1 has five seasons:
spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...
,
summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...
,
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
,
autumn Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September ( Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Sou ...
and
winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures ...
.


Mountains

The northern part of Province No. 1 has the highest mountain in the world. Here is a list of mountains in Province No. 1.


Rivers

There are many rivers in the region that flow south from the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
which are tributaries of other large rivers that join
Ganga River The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
(in India).
Sapta Koshi The Kosi or Koshi ( ne, कोशी, , hi, कोसी, ) is a transboundary river which flows through China, Nepal and India. It drains the northern slopes of the Himalayas in Tibet and the southern slopes in Nepal. From a major confluence o ...
or the
Koshi Koshi or Kōshi may refer to: Places *Koshi River, a river in Nepal *Koshi District, Niigata, a former district in Niigata Prefecture, Japan *Koshi Province, a historic province of Japan *Kōshi, Kumamoto, a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan *Kos ...
is the main river of the region. Seven tributaries join the
Koshi Koshi or Kōshi may refer to: Places *Koshi River, a river in Nepal *Koshi District, Niigata, a former district in Niigata Prefecture, Japan *Koshi Province, a historic province of Japan *Kōshi, Kumamoto, a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan *Kos ...
so it is called Saptkoshi. The major rivers in the province are: *
Mechi River The Mechi River is a trans-boundary river flowing through Nepal and India. It is a tributary of the Mahananda River. Course The Mechi originates in the Mahabharat Range in Nepal. It flows through Nepal, forms the boundary between India and Nepal ...
*
Kankai River The Kankai River ( ne, कन्काई नदी, also referred to as Kankai Mai or Mai Khola) is a trans-boundary river flowing through the hills of Ilam and the plains of the Jhapa District in Nepal. A holy river for many Hindus living ...
*
Koshi River The Kosi or Koshi ( ne, कोशी, , hi, कोसी, ) is a transboundary river which flows through China, Nepal and India. It drains the northern slopes of the Himalayas in Tibet and the southern slopes in Nepal. From a major confluence ...
(SaptaKoshi) : ** Tamor **
Arun River The River Arun () is a river in the English county of West Sussex. At long, it is the longest river entirely in Sussex and one of the longest starting in Sussex after the River Medway, River Wey and River Mole. From the series of small stream ...
**
Sun Koshi The Sunkoshi, also spelt Sunkosi, is a river of Nepal that is part of the Koshi or Saptkoshi River system in Nepal. Sunkoshi has two source streams, one that arises within Nepal in Choukati, and the other more significant stream that flows in fr ...
**
Dudh Koshi Dudh Koshi (दुधकोशी नदी, ''Milk-Koshi River'') is a river in eastern Nepal. It is the highest river in terms of elevation. Koshi river system The Kosi River, or Sapt Koshi, drains eastern up. It is known as Sapta Koshi because ...
**
Likhu Khola The Likhu Khola is a left tributary of the Sun Koshi in the Himalayas in eastern Nepal. Given named by Kirat kingdom ''Likhu'' or ''Liku'' in the Sunuwar language (Li- top, Hill, Ku-water) means Top (Hill) Water. The river is the glacier Zurmoc ...
** Tama Koshi **
Indrawati River The Indravati River ( ne, इन्द्रावती नदी) in Nepal is a tributary of the Sun Koshi River.Sharma, U. P. (1996). ''Ecology of the Koshi river in Nepal-India (north Bihar): a typical river ecosystem''. In: Jha, P. K., Ghim ...


Protected Areas

*
Sagarmatha National Park Sagarmāthā National Park is a national park in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal that is dominated by Mount Everest. It encompasses an area of in the Solukhumbu District and ranges in elevation from at the summit of Mount Everest. In the north, i ...
– (National Park) *
Makalu Barun National Park Makalu Barun National Park is a national park in the Himalayas of Nepal that was established in 1992 as eastern extension of Sagarmatha National Park. It is the world's only protected area with an elevation gain of more than enclosing tropical fo ...
– (National Park) *
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a protected area in the Terai of eastern Nepal covering of wetlands in the Sunsari, Saptari and Udayapur Districts. It comprises extensive reed beds and freshwater marshes in the floodplain of the Kosi River, ...
– (Wildlife reserves) *
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is a protected area in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal that was established in 1997. It covers in the Taplejung District and comprises two peaks of Kanchenjunga. In the north it adjoins the Qomolangma National Natur ...
– (Conservation areas) * Gokyo Lake Complex – (Ramsar Sites) *
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a protected area in the Terai of eastern Nepal covering of wetlands in the Sunsari, Saptari and Udayapur Districts. It comprises extensive reed beds and freshwater marshes in the floodplain of the Kosi River, ...
– (Ramsar Sites) * Mai Pokhari – (Ramsar Sites)


Subdivisions

There are total of 137 local administrative units in this province, in which there is 1 metropolitan city, 2 sub-metropolitan cities, 46 municipalities and 88 rural municipalities.


Districts

The province is made up of the 14 following districts:


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 mai ...
. A district may have one or more municipalities. Province No. 1 has two types of municipalities. # Urban Municipality ' ## Metropolitan city ## Sub-metropolitan city and ## Municipality # 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 dissolved the existing village development committ ...
) The government of Nepal has set out minimum criteria to meet city and towns. These criteria include a certain population, infrastructure, and revenues.


Administration

The first provincial assembly elections in Nepal were held on 26 November and 7 December 2017. After the results of the recent election in Province No. 1 the biggest party is
CPN (UML) CPN may refer to: * Calpine Corporation, New York Stock Exchange symbol CPN * Canadian Perinatal Network * ''Carnivorous Plant Newsletter'' * Carpinteria (Amtrak station), California, Amtrak station code CPN * Caspian Airlines (Iran), ICAO airline ...
which won 51 of 93 seats; the second biggest party is
Nepali Congress The Nepali Congress ( ne, नेपाली कांग्रेस ; abbr. NC) is the largest social democratic political party in Nepal. As per the results of recent local election, ''Nepali Congress'' stands as the single largest party o ...
which won 21 seats; the third biggest party is CPN (Maoist Center) which won 15 seats in first Provincial Assembly election. There are 56
FPTP 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 their ...
and 37 PR seats in the province. In a meeting on 17 January 2018 the Government of Nepal finalized the temporary capital of Province No. 1, and appointed
Govinda Subba Govinda Subba Limbu ( ne, गोविन्द सुब्बा) is the first Governor of Province No. 1 of Nepal. In a meeting on 17 January 2018, the government of Nepal appointed him as the Chief of State of Province No. 1. He is a professor ...
as the
governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
.
Sher Dhan Rai Sher Dhan Rai ( ne, शेरधन राई; born 23 February 1971) is a Nepalese politician and Former Chief Minister of Province No. 1, a province in eastern Nepal. He was elected parliamentary party leader of CPN (UML), the largest party i ...
was elected as
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
of Province No. 1 on February 14, 2018. He was a former Minister for Information and Communications. He was appointed as the chief minister, according to Article 168 (1) 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 ...
.


Provincial Assembly

The first meeting of the provincial assembly was held on 5 February 2018 in
Biratnagar Biratnagar () is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also the headquarters of Morang district. As per the p ...
and was chaired by Om Prakash Sarbagi. Pradeep Kumar Bhandari was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly on 11 February 2018. Saraswoti Pokharel was also elected unopposed to the post of Deputy Speaker on 15 February 2018.


Transportation

All provinces of Nepal except
Madhesh Province Madhesh Province ( Nepali/ mai, मधेश प्रदेश) is a province of Nepal that was formed after the adoption of the Constitution of Nepal. It is Nepal's most populous province, and smallest province by area. It borders Province N ...
have difficult geographic features. Only three districts out of fourteen of Province No. 1 falls in Terai and one district falls in inner Terai. Elevation from the lowest point of Nepal,
Kechana Kechana is a Village development committee (Nepal), village development committee in Jhapa District in the Province No. 1 of south-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 4420 people living in 948 individual hou ...
(70 m above sea level) to the highest point of world,
Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heigh ...
(8848 m above sea level) lies in this province, so maintaining consistent road network is one of the most challenging. Despite of those challenges, all districts are connected via road networks. Air services are available. Rail services are under construction.


Roadways

Almost all districts are connected by roads in Province No. 1, although some roads at high altitudes are not paved and conditions of those roads worsen during the rainy season. In the hills and mountain regions, the traffic is much lighter compared to Terai regions like
Jhapa Jhapa ( ne, झापा जिल्ला; ) is a district of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi word "Jhapa" meaning "to cover" (verb). The latest official data, the 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the d ...
and
Morang Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and Sunsar ...
due to difficult terrain. The main highways of Province No. 1 connect Terai to the high altitude regions. There are feeder roads too for inter-district and in-district travel. *
Mechi Highway Mechi Highway ( Nepali: मेची राजमार्ग) is a two-lane freeway in Eastern Nepal, spanning about 268 kilometers in length. The highway connects all the districts of Mechi zone, hence the name ''Mechi''. It runs from the VDC of ...
: 268 km long two-lane freeway which connects
Jhapa Jhapa ( ne, झापा जिल्ला; ) is a district of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi word "Jhapa" meaning "to cover" (verb). The latest official data, the 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the d ...
to
Taplejung Taplejung District ( ne, ताप्लेजुङ जिल्ला ) is one of 77 districts of Nepal and one of the 14 districts of Province No. 1. It is remotely located in the Himalayas in Eastern Nepal with Tibet to the north across the ...
. The main destinations along the highway include
Prithivinagar Prithvinagar or Prithvinagar is a village development committee in Jhapa District in the Province No. 1 of south-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 15,612 people living in 2799 individual households. Hist ...
, Bhadrapur,
Duhagadhi Duhagadhi is a village development committee in Jhapa District in the Province No. 1 of south-eastern 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 S ...
, Budhabare,
Kanyam Kanyam कन्याम is a town and a tourist destination in Ilam District of Nepal. This comes under Suryodaya Municipality in Ilam District in the Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federa ...
, and Phikkal. *
Koshi Highway Koshi Highway ( ne, कोशी राजमार्ग) or H08 is a 390 km long planned highway located in Province No. 1 of Nepal. It is north-south highway which is understood to be shortest highway which connects India to China across ...
: 159 km long two-lane road which starts in
Biratnagar Biratnagar () is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also the headquarters of Morang district. As per the p ...
and connects to
Myanglung Myanglung ( ne, म्याङलुङ) is a municipality and the district headquarters of Terhathum District of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. The municipality is situated at an elevation of about 1500 metres above sea level. Myanglung was ...
.
Itahari Itahari ( ne, ईटहरी) is a Municipalities in Province No. 1, sub-metropolitan city in the Sunsari District of Province No. 1 of Nepal. Itahari city is business hub of eastern Nepal. It is the List of cities of Nepal, second most populous ...
,
Dharan Dharan ( ne, धरान) a sub-metropolitan city in Sunsari District of Province No. 1, Nepal, which was established as a fourth municipality in the Kingdom in 1958. It is the third most populous city in Eastern Nepal after Biratnagar and It ...
,
Dhankuta Dhankuta ( ne, धनकुटा ) is a hill town and the headquarter of Koshi Zone located in Dhankuta District of Eastern Nepal. According to 2011 Nepal census, it has population of 26,440 inhabitants. History Until about 1963 Dhankuta Ba ...
,
Bhedetar Bhedetar (translation: Sheep's Butte) is a village development committee in Dhankuta District in the Koshi Zone of eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2643 people living in 513 individual households. It is ...
,
Hile Hile ( ne, हिले) is a hill town located in the Eastern Part of Nepal, 13 km north of the regional center of Dhankuta Bazar. At an elevation of 1948 meters, it is the main route to other hilly districts like Bhojpur and Sankhuwasabh ...
etc. are the destinations along the highway. *
Sagarmatha Highway Sagarmatha Highway is a National Highway of Nepal that connects Khotang District to Saptari District via Udayapur District. At Kadmaha the Sagarmatha Highway joins Mahendra Highway which also called East–West National Highway which runs across ...
: 265 km long two-lane highway which starts from Kadmaha of
Madhesh Province Madhesh Province ( Nepali/ mai, मधेश प्रदेश) is a province of Nepal that was formed after the adoption of the Constitution of Nepal. It is Nepal's most populous province, and smallest province by area. It borders Province N ...
and connects with
Solukhumbu Solukhumbu District ( ne, सोलुखुम्बु जिल्ला , Sherpa: , Wylie: shar khum bu dzong) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. As the name suggests, it consists of the subregions Solu and Khumbu. ...
. Gaighat, Saune, etc. are the destinations along with the 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 a ...
is the major east–west highway of Nepal. It starts in
Kakarbhitta Kakarbhitta (often written and pronounced Kakadbhitta or Kakarvitta) is a neighbourhood in Mechinagar Municipality in Jhapa District of Province No. 1, southeastern Nepal. Demographics At the time of the 1991 Nepal census, Mechinagar had a popul ...
in Province No. 1.


Airways

Many domestic airports and air services are available in the region including one of the most geographically challenging airports,
Lukla Airport Tenzing-Hillary Airport , also known as Lukla Airport, is a domestic airport and altiport in the town of Lukla, in Khumbu Pasanglhamu, Solukhumbu District, Province No. 1 of Nepal. It gained worldwide fame as it was rated the most dangerou ...
. Airports in Province No. 1: *
Bhojpur Airport Bhojpur Airport is an airport serving Bhojpur, a town in the Bhojpur District in Province No. 1 in Nepal. Facilities The airport resides at an elevation of above sea level. It has single runway which is in length. This airport has helped t ...
( Bhojpur) *
Biratnagar Airport Biratnagar Airport is a domestic airport located in Biratnagar serving Morang District, Province No. 1, Nepal. Biratnagar Airport is the third busiest airport in Nepal after Kathmandu and Pokhara. There are plans to upgrade the airport to se ...
(
Biratnagar Biratnagar () is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also the headquarters of Morang district. As per the p ...
) * Kangel Danda Airport (Kangel,
Solukhumbu Solukhumbu District ( ne, सोलुखुम्बु जिल्ला , Sherpa: , Wylie: shar khum bu dzong) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. As the name suggests, it consists of the subregions Solu and Khumbu. ...
) *
Man Maya Airport Man Maya Airport , also known as Khanidanda Airport, is a domestic airport located in Rupakot Majhuwagadhi serving Khotang District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly th ...
( Khanidanda, Khotang) * Thamkharka Airport ( Khotang Bazar) *
Lamidanda Airport Lamidanda Airport is a domestic airport located in Lamidanda, Rawabesi, serving Khotang District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, it is the gateway to the Halesi-Maratika Caves. Stat ...
( Lamidanda, Khotang) *
Tenzing-Hillary Airport Tenzing-Hillary Airport , also known as Lukla Airport, is a domestic airport and altiport in the town of Lukla, in Khumbu Pasanglhamu, Solukhumbu District, Province No. 1 of Nepal. It gained worldwide fame as it was rated the most dangerou ...
(
Lukla Lukla ( ne, लुक्ला ) is a small town in the Khumbu Pasanglhamu rural municipality of the Solukhumbu District in the Province No. 1 of north-eastern Nepal. Situated at , it is a popular place for visitors to the Himalayas near Mount Eve ...
, Solukhumbu) *
Phaplu Airport Phaplu Airport is a domestic airport located in Phaplu, Solududhkunda serving Solukhumbu District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal. History The airport was opened in October 1976 and later broadened by Sir Edmund Hillary to accommoda ...
(
Phaplu Phaphlu is a mountainous town in north-east Nepal, approximately 270 kilometres east of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu. See also * Phaplu Airport Phaplu Airport is a domestic airport located in Phaplu, Solududhkunda serving Solukhumbu Dis ...
, Solukhumbu) *
Rumjatar Airport Rumjatar Airport is a domestic airport located in Rumjatar serving Okhaldhunga District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal. Facilities The airport is at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway According to the ...
(
Rumjatar Rumjatar is a market in Siddhicharan Municipality in the Okhaldhunga District in the Sagarmatha Zone of mid-eastern Nepal. It neighbours the airport beside the Solukhumbu District. This village center was merged into the municipality in May 2014. At ...
, Okhladhunga) *
Syangboche Airport Syangboche Airport is a domestic airport located in Namche Bazaar serving Solukhumbu District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal. The airstrip is the closest airstrip to Mount Everest and Everest Base Camp. However, it is not often used ...
(Syangboche,
Solukhumbu Solukhumbu District ( ne, सोलुखुम्बु जिल्ला , Sherpa: , Wylie: shar khum bu dzong) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. As the name suggests, it consists of the subregions Solu and Khumbu. ...
) *
Taplejung Airport Taplejung Airport , also known as Suketar Airport, is a domestic airport located in Phungling serving Taplejung District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal. It is the main tourist gateway on the Kangchenjunga mountainous area and Pathibha ...
(
Taplejung Taplejung District ( ne, ताप्लेजुङ जिल्ला ) is one of 77 districts of Nepal and one of the 14 districts of Province No. 1. It is remotely located in the Himalayas in Eastern Nepal with Tibet to the north across the ...
) *
Tumlingtar Airport Tumlingtar Airport is a domestic airport located in Tumlingtar serving Sankhuwasabha District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal. It is the main tourist gateway to Makalu Barun National Park. History The airport started operations on 01 ...
(
Tumlingtar Tumlingtar () is a region and a town, in Sankhuwasabha district of Province No. 1 of Eastern Nepal, between the Arun and Sabha rivers. It is located in Sankhuwasabha District. It is also the deepest valley of the world and largest ''ṭār'' (bu ...
, Sankhuwasabha) *
Bhadrapur Airport Bhadrapur Airport , also known as Chandragadhi Airport, is a domestic airport located in Bhadrapur, primarily serving Jhapa and Ilam districts in Province No. 1, Nepal. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal considers it an important hub for p ...
( Bhadrapur, Jhapa) * Dharan Airport (
Dharan Dharan ( ne, धरान) a sub-metropolitan city in Sunsari District of Province No. 1, Nepal, which was established as a fourth municipality in the Kingdom in 1958. It is the third most populous city in Eastern Nepal after Biratnagar and It ...
,
Sunsari , nickname = , native_name_lang = , image_skyline = , image_size = , image_alt = , image_caption = Night view of Dharan, Itahari & Tarahara :: Barahakshetra Temple: BPKIHS, Dharan : Dharan Clock Tower , image_map = Sunsari district lo ...
) (proposed)


Railways

There is a 13 km railway track which has been laid in Nepal by
Indian Railways Indian Railways (IR) is a statutory body under the ownership of Ministry of Railways, Government of India that operates India's national railway system. It manages the fourth largest national railway system in the world by size, with a tot ...
is connected to Bathnaha railway station. Bathnaha is a village situated at
Araria district Araria district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar States and territories of India, state, India. Araria district is a part of Purnia division. The district occupies an area of . Araria town is the administrative headquarters of this d ...
of
Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...
state of
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. A custom yard station has been built both side of the border on Bathnaha–Katahari railway section. Katahari is at distance of 18 km from Bathnaha Railway Station. Itahari will be further connected with Katahari which is 20km at distance from Biratnagar (Katahari).


Economic activities

Tourism, natural resources, industries, agriculture, and foreign employment are the major sources of income for the people of Province No. 1. Similarly, there are many tourist sites:
Sagarmatha National Park Sagarmāthā National Park is a national park in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal that is dominated by Mount Everest. It encompasses an area of in the Solukhumbu District and ranges in elevation from at the summit of Mount Everest. In the north, i ...
,
Makalu Barun National Park Makalu Barun National Park is a national park in the Himalayas of Nepal that was established in 1992 as eastern extension of Sagarmatha National Park. It is the world's only protected area with an elevation gain of more than enclosing tropical fo ...
, Pathivara,
Ramdhuni Ramdhuni is a municipality located in the Sunsari district, Koshi Zone of Eastern Nepal. It was established in 2014. Ramdhuni previously known as Jhumka Bazar. It is approximately 356km far from Kathmandu. This town lies in the middle of two f ...
,
Barahachhetra Barahachhetra (also Barahakshetra or Varahakshrata; ne, वराहक्षेत्र) is a Hindu and Kirat piligram site which remains between the confluence of Koka and Koshi rivers in Barahakshetra, Sunsari of Province No. 1, Nepal. Thi ...
,
Damak Damak ( Nepali: दमक), a city in eastern Nepal is one of the oldest municipalities in Jhapa District in Province No. 1 of Nepal. It is situated between the Ratuwa River in the east and the Maawa River in the west. It has Sivalik Hills in i ...
,
Itahari Itahari ( ne, ईटहरी) is a Municipalities in Province No. 1, sub-metropolitan city in the Sunsari District of Province No. 1 of Nepal. Itahari city is business hub of eastern Nepal. It is the List of cities of Nepal, second most populous ...
,
Dharan Dharan ( ne, धरान) a sub-metropolitan city in Sunsari District of Province No. 1, Nepal, which was established as a fourth municipality in the Kingdom in 1958. It is the third most populous city in Eastern Nepal after Biratnagar and It ...
, Ilam, etc. Industries are also important. In this province manly there are four transit points: i.e. Kakarbhitta, Pashupatinagar and Jogbani to
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, and Olangchunggola and Kimathanka to
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.


Demographics

Total population of Province No. 1 (according to
2011 Nepal census Nepal conducted a widespread national census in 2011 by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics. Working with the 58 municipalities and the 3915 Village Development Committees at a district level, they recorded data from all the municipalities an ...
) is 4,543,943 in which female comprises 52% (2,368,407) of the total population. There are 992,445 households


Religion

Hinduism is the major religion of the province.
Kirat Mundhum Kirat Mundum, also known as Kiratism, or Kirati Mundum, is a Folk religion that is indigenous to the Kirati ethnic groups of Nepal, Darjeeling and Sikkim, majorly practiced by Yakkha, Limbu, Sunuwar, Rai, Thami, Jirel, Hayu and Surel peoples ...
is the second major religion of the province. 67% of the total population are Hindus, 17% are Kirantis, 9% are Buddhists, 4% are Muslims, and others make up 1%.


Ethnicity

The province is very ethnically diverse. The largest group is the
Chhetri Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), ( ne, क्षेत्री ; IAST: ''Kṣetrī'') historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speakers of Khas community, some of whom trace their origin to migration fro ...
, making up 14.58% of the population. Followed by
Madheshi Madheshi people ( ne, मधेशी) is a term used for several groups of people living in the Terai region of Nepal, literally meaning the people of ''Madhesh''. It has also been used as a political pejorative term by the Pahari people of Nep ...
with (14.26%). Next is Hill Brahmin (11.98%). Other Khas Arya groups are the
Kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
(3.27%) and
Damai Damai ( ne, दमाइँ) is an occupational caste found among Khas people. They comprise 45 subgroups. Their surnames take after the subgroup they belong to. People belonging to this caste are traditionally tailors and musicians. They are ade ...
(1.78%). The Janajati groups are the
Rai RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many terr ...
(11.26%),
Limbu Limbu may refer to: * Limbu people, an indigenous tribe living in Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan ** Rambahadur Limbu (born 1939), Nepalese Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross * Limbu language * Limbu script ** Limbu (Unicode block) Limbu is a Unicod ...
(8.01%),
Tamang The Tamang (; Devanagari: तामाङ; ''tāmāṅ'') are an Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group of Nepal. In Nepal Tamang/Moormi people constitute 5.6% of the Nepalese population at over 1.3 million in 2001, increasing to 1,539,830 as of the 2011 c ...
(4.62%), Magar (4.13%),
Newar Newar (; new, नेवार, endonym: Newa; new, नेवा, Pracalit script:) or Nepami, are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisatio ...
(3.68%),
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 * ...
(1.40%) and
Gurung Gurung (exonym; ) or Tamu (endonym; Gurung: ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the hills and mountains of Gandaki Province of Nepal. Gurung people predominantly live around the Annapurna region in Manang, Mustang, Dolpo, Kaski, Lamjung, Gorkha, ...
(1.36%). Some Terai groups include Tharu (4.10%),
Musalman Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraham ...
(3.55%), Rajbanshi (2.47%),
Musahar Musahar or Mushahar are a Dalit community found in the eastern Gangetic plain and the Terai. They are also known as ''Banbasi''.The other names of the Musahar are Bhuiyan and Rajawar Their name literally means 'rat-eater' due to their main form ...
(1.35%),
Yadav Yadav refers to a grouping of traditionally non-elite, Quote: "The Yadavs were traditionally a low-to-middle-ranking cluster of pastoral-peasant castes that have become a significant political force in Uttar Pradesh (and other northern state ...
(1.30%) and
Santal The Santal or Santhal are an Austroasiatic speaking Munda ethnic group in South Asia. Santals are the largest tribe in the Jharkhand and West Bengal state of India in terms of population and are also found in the states of Odisha, Bihar and A ...
(1.11%).


Language

Nepali language is
lingua franca A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, vehicular language, or link language, is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups ...
of the province and is the mother tongue of 42.53% of the population. Maithili is spoken by 20.46.1% of the population and is the second largest language. 7.27% of the population speaks
Limbu Limbu may refer to: * Limbu people, an indigenous tribe living in Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan ** Rambahadur Limbu (born 1939), Nepalese Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross * Limbu language * Limbu script ** Limbu (Unicode block) Limbu is a Unicod ...
, 3.89%
Tamang The Tamang (; Devanagari: तामाङ; ''tāmāṅ'') are an Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group of Nepal. In Nepal Tamang/Moormi people constitute 5.6% of the Nepalese population at over 1.3 million in 2001, increasing to 1,539,830 as of the 2011 c ...
, 3.87% Tharu, 3.20% Magar, 2.88%
Bantawa The Bantawa Language (also referred to as An Yüng, Bantaba, Bantawa Dum, Bantawa Yong, Bantawa Yüng, Bontawa, Kirawa Yüng), is a Kirati languages spoken in the eastern Himalayan hills of eastern Nepal by Kirati Bantawa ethnic groups. They use ...
, 2.0%
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''
Rajbanshi, 2.63%
Rai RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many terr ...
, 1.69%
Newar Newar (; new, नेवार, endonym: Newa; new, नेवा, Pracalit script:) or Nepami, are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisatio ...
, 1.65% Chamling, 1.47%
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 * ...
, 1.07% Santali. The Language Commission of Nepal has recommended
Limbu Limbu may refer to: * Limbu people, an indigenous tribe living in Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan ** Rambahadur Limbu (born 1939), Nepalese Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross * Limbu language * Limbu script ** Limbu (Unicode block) Limbu is a Unicod ...
and Maithili as official language in the province. The commission has also recommended Tharu,
Tamang The Tamang (; Devanagari: तामाङ; ''tāmāṅ'') are an Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group of Nepal. In Nepal Tamang/Moormi people constitute 5.6% of the Nepalese population at over 1.3 million in 2001, increasing to 1,539,830 as of the 2011 c ...
, Magar,
Bantawa The Bantawa Language (also referred to as An Yüng, Bantaba, Bantawa Dum, Bantawa Yong, Bantawa Yüng, Bontawa, Kirawa Yüng), is a Kirati languages spoken in the eastern Himalayan hills of eastern Nepal by Kirati Bantawa ethnic groups. They use ...
,
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''
Rajbanshi,
Nepal Bhasa Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan languages, Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surro ...
, Chamling,
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 * ...
and Santhali to be additional official languages, for specific regions and purposes in the province.


Education

71.22% of the total population of the province can read and write mean educated.


Notable people

KP Sharma Oli Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli ( ne, खड्गप्रसाद शर्मा ओली, ; born 22 February 1952) is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister of Nepal. He served three terms as prime minister from 11 October 2015 to 3 Augu ...
, Former Prime minister
Bidya Devi Bhandari Bidya Devi Bhandari (, ; born 19 June 1961) is a Nepali politician who is serving as the second and current president of Nepal. She formerly served as the minister of defence and minister of environment and population. She is the first woman t ...
, Current President of Nepal
Pramod Kharel Pramod Kharel ( ne, प्रमोद खरेल; born 6 November 1979) is a Nepalese singer. He is a versatile singer of the Nepali music industry. He has recorded more than 2000 songs of different genres. He is a coach in ''The Voice of Nep ...
, Singer Rachana Rimal, Singer
Namrata Shrestha Namrata Shrestha is a Nepalese actress and model. Since debuting in Alok Nembang's Sano Sansar in 2008, Shrestha has gone on to appear in a number of commercial Nepali-language films as a sought-after model and actor. Career In 2008, Shrest ...
, Actress & Model
Manita Devkota Manita Devkota ( ne, मनिता देवकोटा) is a Nepalese-born American model, women's health advocate, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Nepal on April 11, 2018, representing Nepal at the Miss Universe ...
, Miss Nepal Universe 2018
Rajendra Prasad Lingden Rajendra Prasad Lingden is a Nepali politician who is the Chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party. He served as a member of the 1st Federal Parliament of Nepal from March 2018 till his resignation in September 2022. Early life and education ...
, chairman of RPP
Malvika Subba Malvika Subba (Limbu) ( ne, माल्बिका सुब्बा (लिम्बु)) is a Nepalese media personality, beauty queen, actress, television host, social activist and entrepreneur. She graduated from Pokhara University with M ...
, Miss Nepal 2002
Malina Joshi Malina Joshi ( ne, मलिना जोशी) (born 27 January 1989) is a Nepali actress and Miss Nepal 2011. Joshi won the coveted title, beating Gurung, when she delivered an impressive answer about women's dominance to the judges, that se ...
, Miss Nepal 2011


See also

*
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 in 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 admi ...


References

{{Authority control 1 2015 establishments in Nepal States and territories established in 2015