Koshi Province

Province of Nepal From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Koshi Province (Nepali: कोशी प्रदेश, romanized: Kōśī pradēśa) is an autonomous province of Nepal adopted by the Constitution of Nepal on 20 September 2015. It covers an area of 25,905 km2 (10,002 sq mi), which is about 17.5% of the country's total area. With the industrial city of Biratnagar as its capital, the province includes the major towns of Birtamod, Sundar Haraincha, Damak, Dharan, Itahari, Triyuga Municipality, and Mechinagar. It further hosts a number of Himalayan peaks including Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga (the third highest peak on Earth), Lhotse (the fourth highest peak), Makalu (the fifth highest peak), Cho Oyu (the sixth highest peak), and Ama Dablam.

Country   Nepal
Formation20 September 2015
CapitalBiratnagar[1]
Highestelevation
(Mount Everest)
8,848.86 m (29,031.7 ft)
Quick facts कोशी प्रदेश, Country ...
Koshi Province
कोशी प्रदेश
Province
From top left to right: Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Gokyo Lakes, Kanyam, Todke waterfall, Halesi Mahadev Temple, Pathibhara Devi Temple
Official seal of Koshi Province
Seal
Etymology: Derived from Sanskrit word kauśika
Location of Koshi Province in Nepal
Location of Koshi Province in Nepal
Koshi Province
Interactive map of Koshi Province
Coordinates (Biratnagar): 26°27′15″N 87°16′47″E
Country   Nepal
Formation20 September 2015
Named as Koshi1 March 2023
Named afterKoshi River
CapitalBiratnagar[1]
Largest cityBiratnagar
Districts14
Government
 • TypeSelf-governing Province
 • BodyGovernment of Koshi Province
 • Governor Parshuram Khapung Limbu (CPN UML)
 • Chief MinisterHikmat Kumar Karki[2]
 • High CourtBiratnagar High Court
 • Koshi Provincial AssemblyUnicameral (93 seats)
 • Parliamentary constituency28
Area
 • Total
25,905 km2 (10,002 sq mi)
 • Rank2nd
Highest elevation
(Mount Everest)
8,848.86 m (29,031.7 ft)
Lowest elevation
(Kechana Kawal)
58 m (190 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total
4,961,412
 • Rank4th
 • Density192/km2 (500/sq mi)
  • Rank4th
 • Households
1,191,556
Demonym(s)Purbeli, Kosheli, Koshyali
Demographics
[4]
 • Religions
 • Ethnic groups
 • Sex ratio91.48 ♂ /100 ♀ (2011)
Development Parameters
[5]
 • Poverty rate0.127[6]
 • Literacy79.7%Increase
 • Life expectancy69
 • HDI0.553Increase (medium)
Time zoneUTC+5:45 (NST)
Postal code
57208
GeocodeNP-ON
ISO 3166 codeNP-P1
Vehicle registrationKOSHI XX AB XXXX
Other Official Languages1. Limbu, 2. Maithali[7]
Websitekoshi.gov.np
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The river Koshi, the largest river of the nation, and the Koshi Tappu wildlife reserve form the province's western boundary. The province is bordered by the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north, the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal to the east and Bihar to the south, and Bagmati Province and Madhesh Province to the west.[8][9][10] The province also hosts the Koshi highway, which is one of the three crucial Nepalese north-south corridors that are designed to connect India and China via land.[11]

Under the First-past-the-post voting system issued by the Constituency Delimitation Commission, Nepal, the province hosts 28 parliamentary seats and 56 provincial assembly seats.[12] According to the 2021 Nepal census, there are around five million people in the province, with a population density of 190 per square kilometre.[13] Per the earlier 2011 Nepal census, the province had approximately 4.5 million people.[14]

Etymology

Main article: Kosi River § Cultural significance

The province is named Koshi after the Koshi River, which is the largest river in the country. On 1 March 2023 the former temporary name of the province, Province No. 1, was changed to Koshi Province.[15]

The Kosi River is significantly and culturally an important river of Nepal. The Koshi River is called Kausika in the Rigveda and Kausiki in the Mahabharata.The Kosi is associated with many ancient spiritual stories. It is mentioned in the Bal Kand section of Valmiki's Ramayana as the Kausiki who is the form assumed by Satyavati after her death. In the Markandeya Purana, the Kosi is described as the primal force. Due to the violent nature of the Kosi in monsoon season, legend says that Parvati, the wife of Shiva, after defeating the demon Durg, became known as the warrior goddess Durga who transformed into Kaushiki. In Ramayana, the river Ganges is depicted as her elder sister.[16] According to Mahabharata epic, the God of death took the form of a woman and resides on the banks of the river to limit population growth. Kosi resonates with the folklore of Mithila. The most important depictions of Kosi folklore are Kosi as a virgin absolutely carefree and full of energy, and as a frustrated wife of old hermit Richeek wandering in the Himalayas. Koshi river is also invoked as the mother: 'Kosi Ma'.[16]

History

Further information: History of Nepal
Map of Kingdom of Morung between Kamala river[clarification needed] in the beginning of the 7th century

When King Mung Mawrong Hang came to prominence in the Terai lands of Limbuwan, he cleared much of the forest area in present-day Rangeli, east of Biratnagar, and built a town there. He named his Kingdom Morang after his name and rose to power.[17][verification needed] Meanwhile, King Prithvi Narayan Shah was on a campaign to conquer all the hill kingdoms into his Empire (the Kingdom of Nepal). He attacked Limbuwan on two fronts. After the Limbuwan–Gorkha War from 1771 to 1774 AD, the Limbu ministers of Morang, and Limbu rulers of the ten principalities came to an agreement with the King of Gorkha. With the Limbuwan Gorkha treaty of 1774, Limbuwan was annexed to the Kingdom of Nepal.[18]

Eastern districts of Nepal in 1942

The term district has been used in various ways throughout the modern history of Nepal. At the end of the Rana regime, Nepal was divided into 32 districts. Eastern Nepal was composed of the following districts:

In 1956, the eastern districts of Nepal were grouped together into a region called the Aruṇ Kshetra or Arun Region, after the Arun River which flows through it. Arun Kshetra was made by combining the then five districts; it had total area of 18,000 km2 (7,000 sq mi) and a total population of 1.1 million people.[19] The five districts were:[20][21]

  • Biratnagar District: including Sunsari District and Morang District
  • Dhankuta District: including Dhankuta District and Sankhuwasabha
  • Taplejung District: including Taplejung and Panchtharl
  • Mechi District: including Ilam District and Jhapa District
  • Bhojpur District: including Bhojpur District and Khotang District

In 1962, the administrative system once again was changed, abolishing the kshetra system. The country was restructured into 75 development districts and those districts were grouped together into zones.[22] In 1972, what is now called Koshi Province was called the Eastern Development Region that was composed of 16 districts which were grouped into three zones: Koshi, Mechi and Sagarmatha.

In 2015, the Constitution was adopted which made 14 districts into an autonomous province which was temporarily named Province No. 1. At the cabinet meeting held on 17 January 2018, the city of Biratnagar 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 Member of legislative assembly.[1] On March 1, 2023, the province was named Koshi Province on passage of the bill in Parliament. Later, some protested the name "Koshi".[23]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Koshi Province
Topography of Koshi Pradesh

Koshi Province covers an area of 25,905 km2.[14] The province has three-fold geographical division: Himalayan in the north, Hilly in the middle and Terai 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. To the west of Koshi River, in between Mahabharat Range and Churia Range, there elongates a valley called Inner Terai. Churai Range, Mahabharat Range 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, Umvek, Lumba Sumba and Janak being some of them. The highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest (8848.86 m); and the third highest mountain, Kangchenjunga (8598 m) also lie in this province.[24]

Nepal's lowest point, Kechana Kawal at 70 m, is located in Jhapa District of this province. There are many river basins and gentle slopes as well. Chure, Mahabharat, many basins, tars, and valleys form the Terai region. Between the Churia and Mahabharat, a low land of inner Terai exists. The Koshi River flows through the region with its seven tributaries; Indrawati, Likhu, Tamur, Dudh Kosi, 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.[25]

Koshi Pradesh also includes the snow fall capped peaks including Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga, Makalu with Solukhumbu, Sankhuwasabha, and Taplejung districts towards the north, the jungle clad hill tracts of Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Bhojpur, Tehrathum, Ilam and Panchthar in the middle and the alluvial fertile plains of Udayapur, Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa. Province No. 1 includes places like Haleshi Mahadev Temple, Pathivara Temple and Barahachhetra, which are the famous religious shrines for Hindus.[26]

Climate

Climatic conditions of Nepal vary from one place to another in accordance with their geographical features. Koshi Pradesh 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.[27]

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. Koshi Pradesh has five seasons: spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter.

More information Location, August (°F) ...
Average temperatures and precipitation for selected communities in Province No. 1[28]
Location August
(°F)		 August
(°C)		 January
(°F)		 January
(°C)		 Annual
precipitation
(mm/in)
Damak 94 / 82 34 / 28 74 / 47 23 / 8 2618 /103.07
Dharan 85.1/72.3 29.5/22.4 68.4/44.4 20.2/6.9 1416/55.7
Biratnagar 83.1 28.4 60.8 16 1549.8/61
Bhadrapur 82.2 27.9 61.2 16.2 2351.9/92.6
Dhankuta 76.5 24.7 54.5 12.5 1809.5/71.2
Khandbari 74.8 23.8 52 11.1 2040.7/80.3
Ilam 71.8 22.1 50.9 10.5 2551.5/100.5
Itahari 82 27.8 59.5 15.3 1414.8/55.7
Bhojpur 69.1 20.6 46.8 8.2 2290.4/90.2
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu 56.1/38.3 13.4/3.5 33.8/-0.8 1/-18.2 645/25.4
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Mountains

The northern part of Koshi Pradesh has the highest mountain in the world. Here is a list of mountains in Koshi Pradesh.[29]

More information Mountain/peak, metres ...
Mountain/peak metres feet Section Notes
Mount Everest8,848.86 29,031.7Khumbu Mahalangur  Earth's highest peak from sea level
Kanchenjunga8,586 28,169Northern Kangchenjunga  3rd highest on Earth
Lhotse8,516 27,940Everest Group  4th highest
Makalu8,463 27,766Makalu Mahalangur  5th highest
Cho Oyu8,201 26,906Khumbu Mahalangur  6th highest
Gyachung Kang7,952 26,089Khumbu Mahalangur  Between Everest and Cho Oyu
Nuptse7,861 25,791Everest Group  319 metres prominence from Lhotse
Jannu7,711 25,299Kumbhakarna Kangchenjunga  
Kabru7,412 24,318Singalila Kangchenjunga  
Kirat Chuli7,365 24,163Kangchenjunga  
Nangpai Gosum7,350 24,110Khumbu Mahalangur  
Chamlang7,321 24,019Barun Mahalangur  #79 in the world
Pumori7,161 23,494Khumbu Mahalangur  First ascent 1962
Baruntse7,129 23,389Barun Mahalangur  First ascent 1954
Ama Dablam6,812 22,349Barun Mahalangur  "Mother and her necklace"
Kangtega6,782 22,251Barun Mahalangur  First ascent 1963
Cho Polu6,735 22,096Barun Mahalangur  First ascent 1999
Lingtren6,714 22,028Khumbu Mahalangur  First ascent 1935
Num Ri6,677 21,906Barun Mahalangur  First ascent 2002
Khumbutse6,640 21,780Khumbu Mahalangur  First mountain west of Everest
Thamserku6,623 21,729Barun Mahalangur  First ascent 1964
Pangboche6,620 21,720Kutang Himal  
Taboche6,542 21,463Khumbu Mahalangur  First ascent 1974
Mera Peak6,476 21,247Himalayas  Trekking peak
Cholatse6,440 21,130Khumbu Mahalangur  Connected to Taboche
Kusum Kangguru6,367 20,889Barun Mahalangur  Trekking peak (difficult)
Ombigaichan6,340 20,800Barun Mahalangur  
Kongde Ri6,187 20,299Barun Mahalangur  Trekking peak (difficult)
Imja Tse6,160 20,210Khumbu Mahalangur  Also known as Island Peak. Popular trekking peak.
Lobuche6,145 20,161Khumbu Mahalangur  Trekking peak
Nirekha6,069 19,911Khumbu Mahalangur  Trekking peak (difficult)
Pokalde5,806 19,049Khumbu Mahalangur  Trekking peak (moderate)
Mount Khumbila5,761 18,901Mahalangur  Unclimbed
Kala Patthar5,545 18,192Khumbu Mah  Popular hiking peak below Pumori
Gokyo Ri5,357 17,575Himalayas  Popular hiking peak
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Rivers

Koshi Barrage over Koshi River

There are many rivers in the region that flow south from the Himalayas which are tributaries of other large rivers that join Ganga River (in India). Sapta Koshi or the Koshi is the main river of the region. Seven tributaries join the Koshi so it is called Saptkoshi.

The major rivers in the province are:

Protected areas

Subdivisions

There are 137 local administrative units in this province, including one 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. A district may have one or more municipalities. Koshi Province has two types of municipalities.

  • Urban municipality (Urban municipality has three levels):
    • Metropolitan city
    • Sub-metropolitan city and
    • Municipality
  • Rural municipality (Gaunpalika)

The government of Nepal has set out minimum criteria to meet city and towns. These criteria include a certain population, infrastructure, and revenues.

More information Largest cities in Koshi Province2021 census, Rank ...
 
 
Largest cities in Koshi Province
2021 census
Rank District Pop.
1BiratnagarMorang District244,750
2ItahariSunsari District198,098
3DharanSunsari District173,093
4MechinagarJhapa District131,520
5Sundar HaraichaMorang District121,305
6BirtamodJhapa District117,355
7DamakJhapa District107,410
8TriyugaUdayapur District104,375
9BarahakshetraSunsari District91,891
10ArjundharaJhapa District84,429
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Administration

Further information: Ministry of Internal Affairs And Law and Ministry of Tourism, Forests and Environment

The province is governed by Unicameral parliamentary system of representative Democracy. The house consists of 93 seats where 56 candidates are elected by FPTP and 37 by proportional basis.

The legislative assembly comprises a chief minister who is executive head, deputy chief minister who assists the chief minister, a speaker who hosts the assembly, a deputy speaker who assists the speaker, and various ministries which look over respective departments.[citation needed]

The first provincial elections in Nepal were held on 26 November and 7 December 2017. According to the results of this election in Koshi province, the biggest party is CPN (UML) winning 51 seats; the second biggest party is Nepali Congress which won 21 seats; the third biggest party is CPN (Maoist Center) which won 15 seats .[30]

In a meeting on 17 January 2018, the government of Nepal finalized the temporary capital of Province No. 1, which was renamed as Koshi Province in Falgun 17 2079 and appointed Govinda Subba as the governor.[31] Sher Dhan Rai was elected as first chief minister of Koshi Province on 14 February 2018.[32] Currently Hikmat Kumar Karki is serving as chief minister, the executive head of the Koshi government.[32]

For convenience and decentralisation, the province is divided into 14 districts, making it the province with the most districts in Nepal. CDO is the administrative head of each District. District inturn is further divided into Metropolitan city or/and Sub Metropolitan city or/and Municipality or/and Rural Municipality which has its own Local Government.[citation needed]

Infrastructure

Entrepreneurship, Investment, and Emerging Industries

Koshi Province has emerged as one of Nepal's most active subnational governments in promoting private sector-led economic growth. The provincial government has pursued a strategy combining policy reform, public–private partnerships, and dedicated investment facilitation to attract domestic and foreign capital across sectors including tourism, agriculture, agro-processing, hydropower, infrastructure, and information technology. The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) maintains a provincial chapter in Koshi,[33] and the Confederation of Nepalese Industries Young Entrepreneurs' Forum (CNIYEF) operates a Koshi Chapter working to develop the next generation of business leaders in the region.[34]

The first Koshi Province Investment Summit was held in Biratnagar on 1–2 May 2025 (Baisakh 18–19, 2082 BS), marking a landmark event in Nepal's federal economic governance.[35][36][37][38] The summit was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and hosted under the leadership of Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki, with coordination handled by the Provincial Investment Authority (PIA), led by Executive Director Dr. Saroj Koirala.[39] A total of 71 projects across eight sectors — tourism, agriculture, industry, infrastructure, energy, information technology, services, and waste management — were presented to investors, with a combined estimated value of NPR 173.49 billion.[40] Ahead of the event, the provincial government amended eight laws through executive ordinances — including the Provincial Industrial Enterprises Act, the Public Private Partnership and Investment Authority Act, and the Provincial Tourism Act — to remove bureaucratic barriers and create a more investment-friendly legal environment.[41] Investors from China, Russia, the United States, South Korea, India, and the non-resident Nepali diaspora participated alongside major domestic industrialists. By the conclusion of the two-day event, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) had been signed for 46 projects worth NPR 152.16 billion, covering agriculture, industry, tourism, infrastructure, energy, information technology, and waste management.[42] An additional five MoUs were concluded in the weeks following the summit, bringing the total to 51 committed projects. Writing in The Kathmandu Post in February 2026, analysts described the summit as a "concrete step toward operationalising federalism through economic governance," arguing it could help transform the province into a production-oriented growth centre contributing to national capital formation and employment generation, in contrast to Nepal's historically import- and consumption-driven fiscal structure. [43]

To sustain the momentum generated by the Investment Summit, the provincial government launched the Udaya project in 2025 with financial and technical support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).[44] Designed to run for ten years — with an initial four-year implementation phase — Udaya targets small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across all 14 districts of Koshi Province with the aim of creating 3,000 jobs in its first phase. The project provides collateral-free loans ranging from NPR 3 million to NPR 30 million through a credit guarantee fund of NPR 600 million, designed to mobilise approximately NPR 8 billion in total bank lending. A Challenge Fund of NPR 280 million will additionally support the promotional and competitive capacity of emerging businesses.

In the information technology sector, the CNIYEF Koshi Chapter organised the 1st Koshi IT Summit 2025 in Biratnagar on 3 May 2025, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, IT professionals, and investors to explore opportunities for leveraging technology as a catalyst for economic growth and innovation in the region. The summit aimed to develop a roadmap for a sustainable IT ecosystem in Koshi Province, foster public–private–academic partnerships, and attract investment into IT-driven startups.[45] Complementing these initiatives, the Step Up project — co-financed by the Happel Foundation and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation — has been active in Koshi Province, promoting youth entrepreneurship and self-employment as a means of reducing outmigration, particularly among young people in rural hill and Terai communities.

Entrepreneurial activity has expanded in Koshi Province in recent years, supported by targeted policies, investment promotion events and a growing startup ecosystem. A special study by Nepal Rastra Bank reported that 160 startup enterprises in the province attracted a combined investment of around Rs 2.56 billion, with approximately 61 percent contributed as equity and 39 percent as loans. The study found that most startups operate in agriculture and forestry, followed by manufacturing, services, tourism and information technology, indicating a gradual diversification of the provincial economy.[46]

Healthcare

See also: Ministry of Health (Koshi Province)

Koshi province stretches from Himalayan region to the Terai belt due to which health facilities are more viable in Terai than other parts.

Koshi Province has 791 public health facilities including four large hospitals (BPKIHS, Koshi Hospital, Nobel Medical College, Birat Medical College). Altogether, there are 18 public hospitals, one regional medical store, 41 primary health centres, 648 health posts, 34 urban health care centres, and 41 community health units.

Energy

There are various power stations in Koshi province:

Provincial Assembly

Further information: Koshi Provincial Assembly

The first meeting of the provincial assembly was held on 5 February 2018 in Biratnagar and was chaired by Om Prakash Sarbagi.[47] Pradeep Kumar Bhandari was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly on 11 February 2018.[48] Saraswoti Pokharel was also elected unopposed to the post of Deputy Speaker on 15 February 2018.[citation needed]

More information Party, FPTP ...
Party FPTP PR Total
CPN (UML) 25 15 40
Nepali Congress 17 12 29
CPN (Maoist Centre) 9 4 13
CPN (Unified Socialist) 3 1 4
Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal - 1 1
Rastriya Prajatantra Party 2 4 6
Total 56 37 93
Source: Election Commission of Nepal
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Transportation

Only three districts out of Koshi's fourteen fall in Terai and one district falls in inner Terai. Elevation from the lowest point of Nepal, Kechana (70 m above sea level) to the highest point of world, Everest (8848 m above sea level) lies in this province, so maintaining a consistent road network is challenging, but all districts are connected by road networks. Air services are available. Rail services are under construction.

Roadways

Main article: List of national highways in Nepal by province
Road and highway map of Koshi Province
NH08 Koshi Highway at Tarhara
NH2 Mechi Highway near Buddhashanti rural municipality
Hilepani Junction at an elevation of 1,822 m (5,978 ft)
More information S#, Highway number ...
Highways in Koshi Province
S#Highway numberLengthTerminusNote
1 NH01135Kakarbhitta, Koshi BarrageInterprovincial NH
2 NH02352Kechana, Gharila PassProvincial NH
3 NH03525Chiyo Bhanjyang, Bahadura KholaInterprovincial NH
4 NH0415Birtamod, ChandragadhiProvincial NH
5 NH05124Mechipul, LaukahiInterprovincial NH
6 NH06135Chatara, GaneshchowkProvincial NH
7 NH0748Chatara, Koshi new bridgeInterprovincial NH
8 NH08320Biratnagar, KimathankaProvincial NH
9 NH09250Bahundangi, BaireniInterprovincial NH
10 NH1092Basantapur, BohoratarProvincial NH
11 NH1119Phikkal Bazar, ChhabbiseProvincial NH
12 NH12163Ghurmi, BarkhadandaProvincial NH
13 NH1440Basaha, PhattehpurInterprovincial NH
14 NH16111Siswari bridge, MohureInterprovincial NH
15 NH20161Jyamire, SalleriInterprovincial NH
16 NH23108Diktel, PekarnasInterprovincial NH
17 NH7325Surunga, LasunganjProvincial NH
18 NH7450Biplate, SandakpurProvincial NH
19 NH75135Ghorepani, BasaProvincial NH
20 NH7644Chisapani, RabiProvincial NH
21 NH78100Damak ringroadProvincial NH
22 NH8012.29Cancer Hospital, BelsotInterprovincial NH
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Airways

Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla

Many domestic airports and air services are available in the region including one of the most geographically challenging airports, Lukla Airport.

Airports in Koshi:

[49]

Railways

More information Bathnaha–Katahari ...
Bathnaha–Katahari
Legend
0 km
 Bathnaha
custom yard
4.2 km
7 km
 Jogbani
Border
5.3 km
custom yard
6.3 km
Katahari
18 km
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There is a 13 km railway track which has been laid in Nepal by Indian Railways is connected to Bathnaha railway station. Bathnaha is a village situated at Araria district of Bihar state of India. 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.[50][51] Itahari will be further connected with Katahari, which is 20 km from Biratnagar (Katahari).[52]

Economy

Koshi has the second largest economy in Nepal, and contributes 15% to the national GDP. Koshi's GDP growth rate was estimated to be 6.5% in fiscal year 2018/19.

The population in absolute poverty in Koshi was 12.4%, and the multidimensional poverty rate was 19.7%.

Agriculture

Agriculture accounts for 38% of Koshi's GDP and is the main source of livelihood for 75% of the population.

The province has 714 registered businesses, with agriculture and forestry industry having the highest number registered businesses 114 (15.96%). Koshi contributes 22% of the total paddy production of Nepal and 29.3% of the national maize production.

Sports

Biratnagar Match

Cricket

Koshi province has a wide audience in the province. It has been a pioneer in organising night matches. Inaruwa, Sunsari organised the first night cricket in Nepal.[53] The first night football was organised in Duhabi, Sunsari on 31 March 2018.[54]

The provincial teams take part in various games inside and outside Nepal.[55] The team includes men as well as women. The overall sports in the province are administered by the Province 1 Sports Department.

There are numerous stadiums in Koshi:

Major football cups include:

Demographics

More information Year, Pop. ...
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1981 2,954,510—    
1991 3,520,335+1.77%
2001 4,201,795+1.79%
2011 4,534,943+0.77%
2021 4,961,412+0.90%
Sources:[58]
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The total population of the province according to the 2021 Nepal census was 4,961,412, of whom 2,544,084 were women (51.3%). 95 male per 100 female was the sex ratio. There were 1,191,556 households. 79.7% of the total population were literate. 86.1% of the total population of the male were educated, while 73.6% of the total of the female population were literate.[59]

Religion

Religions of Koshi Province (2021)
  1. Hinduism (67.0%)
  2. Buddhism (9.00%)
  3. Kirat (17.0%)
  4. Islam (4.00%)
  5. Christianity (2.32%)
  6. Prakriti (0.45%)
  7. Other (0.08%)

Hinduism is the major religion of the province. Kirat Mundhum is the second major religion of the province. 67% of the total population are Hindus, 17% are Kirantis, 9% are Buddhists, 4% are Muslims, 2% are Christians and others make up 1%.[60]

Ethnic groups

The province is very ethnically diverse. In 2011, the largest group was Chhetri, making up 14.58% of the population. This is followed by Madheshi with (14.26%). Next is Hill Brahmin (11.98%). Other Khas Arya groups are the Kami (3.27%) and Damai (1.78%). The Janajati groups are the Rai (10.21%), Limbu (8.01%), Tamang (4.62%), Magar (4.13%), Newar (3.68%) and Gurung (1.36%). Some Terai groups include Tharu (4.10%), Musalman (3.55%), Rajbanshi (2.47%), Musahar (1.35%), Yadav (1.30%) and Santal (1.11%).[61][62]

As of 2021, Chhetris were the largest ethnic group with 11.0% of the population. Rai 10.2%,Bahun constituted 8.3% of the population, Limbu 7.8%,10.2%, Sherpa 7.3%, Tamang 4.6%, Tharu 4.2%, Muslims 4.1%, Magar 4.0% and Newar 3.6%.[3] The various Madheshi non-Dalit communities were 8.68% of the population, of which the Yadav (1.42%) and Teli (0.98%) were the largest and second-largest non-Dalit communities. Madheshi Dalits were 3.40%, of which Musahar were 1.51%.[59]

Language

Languages of Koshi Pradesh (2021)[62]
  1. Nepali 45.27 (41.8%)
  2. Maithili 11.68 (10.8%)
  3. Yakthung/Limbu 7.7 (7.11%)
  4. Shepa/Bhote 7.3 (6.74%)
  5. Tharu 4.4 (4.06%)
  6. Tamang 3.54 (3.27%)
  7. Magar Dhut 2.88 (2.66%)
  8. Bantawa 2.7 (2.49%)
  9. Rajbanshi 2.58 (2.38%)
  10. 2.32 (2.14%)
  11. Others 17.93 (16.6%)

Nepali language is lingua franca of the province and is the mother tongue of 45.27% of the population. Maithili is the second-largest language, spoken by 11.68%. 7.70% of the population spoke Sherpa,7.30% of the population spoke Limbu, 4.40% Tharu, 3.54% Tamang, 2.88% Magar Dhut, 2.70% Bantawa, 2.58% Rajbanshi, 2.32% Urdu, 1.85% Rai, 1.67% Chamling, 1.32% Sherpa, 1.26% Nepal Bhasha and 1.08% Santali.[62]

The Language Commission of Nepal has recommended Limbu and Maithili as official language in the province. The commission has also recommended Tharu, Tamang, Magar, Bantawa, Urdu, Rajbanshi, Nepal Bhasa, Chamling, Sherpa and Santhali to be additional official languages, for specific regions and purposes in the province.[63]

Education

Koshi is renowned for its educational facilities; 71.22% of the population of the province can read and write.[64]

Education up to the level of master's degree is provided by Purbanchal University, which offers courses like Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Bachelor of Science in Nursing.[citation needed] Insand titutions like BPKIHS, Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital, Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital, B&C Medical College Teaching Hospital offer MBBS and BDS courses along with paramedic courses.[citation needed]

Notable people

See also

References

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