Nepal is a beautiful country with a rich culture and diverse landscape. It is home to the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountain range, as well as beautiful forests, agricultural valleys, and stunning lakes. Nepal is also home to a variety of ethnic groups, each with its unique language, customs, and traditions.
Nepal is divided into 7 provinces and 77 districts. Furthermore, each district is divided into municipalities and rural municipalities. Each district of Nepal has its own government, which handles providing services to the people of the district.
Understanding the administrative divisions of Nepal can be helpful for several reasons. For example, it can help you understand where to go to get government services like a passport or driver’s license. It can also help you learn more about different parts of Nepal and its people.
The purpose of this blog post is to provide a list of districts in Nepal arranged by province. The list of districts of Nepal is very useful for students, teachers, and anyone else interested in learning more about the administrative divisions of Nepal.
Provinces Of Nepal
On 20 September 2015, Nepal was divided into 7 provinces, which are further subdivided into 77 districts. Two districts, Rukum and Nawalparasi, were split into two parts, each of which is located in a different province. The District Development Committee (DDC) was replaced with the District Coordination Committee (DCC).
The following table shows the names of 7 provinces of Nepal with their capital city. Also, the number of districts in each province, and number of total population in each province as well as the areas of the province:
| S.N. | Province Name | Capital City | Total Area (km²) | Total District | Total Population (2021) |
| 1. | Koshi | Biratnagar | 25905 | 14 | 4961412 |
| 2. | Madesh | Janakpur | 9661 | 8 | 6114600 |
| 3. | Bagmati | Hetauda | 20300 | 13 | 6116866 |
| 4. | Gandaki | Pokhara | 29504 | 11 | 2466427 |
| 5. | Lumbini | Deukhuri | 22288 | 12 | 5122078 |
| 6. | Karnali | Birendranagar | 27984 | 10 | 1688412 |
| 7. | Sudurpaschim | Dhangadhi | 19539 | 9 | 2694783 |
List of Districts Of Nepal: Province Wise
There are 77 districts in Nepal. The districts in Nepal are the second level of administrative divisions after provinces. Each district is governed by a District Coordination Committee (DCC), which is composed of elected representatives from the district. The DCC is responsible for implementing government programs and projects at the district level.
Below you can find a comprehensive list of districts in Nepal arranged by province. The list includes the name of each district, its headquarters, its Areas, and its population.
List of Districts in Koshi Province
The following table shows the list of districts in Koshi Province (Province no. 1):
| S.N. | District Name | Headquarter | Total Area (km²) | Total Population (2021) |
| 1. | Taplejung | Fungling | 3646 | 120590 |
| 2. | Terhrathum | Myanglung | 679 | 88731 |
| 3. | Panchthar | Fidim | 1241 | 172400 |
| 4. | Sankhuwasabha | Khandbari | 3480 | 158041 |
| 5. | Solukhumbu | Salleri | 3312 | 104851 |
| 6. | Bhojpur | Bhojpur | 1507 | 157923 |
| 7. | Khotang | Diktel | 1591 | 175298 |
| 8. | Ilam | Ilam | 1703 | 279534 |
| 9. | Udayapur | Gaighat | 2063 | 340721 |
| 10. | Okhaldhunga | Siddhicharan | 1074 | 139552 |
| 11. | Jhapa | Bhadrapur | 1606 | 998054 |
| 12. | Dhankuta | Dhankuta | 892 | 150599 |
| 13. | Morang | Biratnagar | 1855 | 1148156 |
| 14. | Sunsari | Inaruwa | 1257 | 926962 |
There are 14 districts in Koshi Province. The largest district of Koshi Province is Taplejung whose total area is 3646 km². The Smallest district of Koshi Province is Terhrathum with a total area of 679 km².
List of Districts in Madhesh Province
The following table shows the list of districts in Madhesh Province (Province no. 2):
| S.N. | District Name | Headquarter | Total Area (km²) | Total Population (2021) |
| 1. | Parsa | Birjung | 1353 | 654471 |
| 2. | Bara | Kalaiya | 1190 | 763137 |
| 3. | Rautahat | Gaur | 1126 | 813573 |
| 4. | Sarlahi | Malangwa | 1259 | 813573 |
| 5. | Mahottari | Jalleswor | 1002 | 706994 |
| 6. | Dhanusha | Janakpur | 1180 | 867747 |
| 7. | Siraha | Siraha | 1188 | 739953 |
| 8. | Saptari | Rajbiraj | 1363 | 706255 |
There are a total of 8 districts in Madhesh Province. Saptari is the largest district of Madhesh Province with a total area of 1363 km². The smallest district of Madhesh Province is Mahottari whose total area is 1002 km².
List of Districts in Bagmati Province
The following table shows the list of districts in Bagmati Province (Province no. 3):
| S.N. | District Name | Headquarter | Total Area (km²) | Total Population (2021) |
| 1. | Kathmandu | Kathmandu | 395 | 2041587 |
| 2. | Lalitpur | Lalitpur | 385 | 551667 |
| 3. | Bhaktapur | Bhaktapur | 119 | 432132 |
| 4. | Kavre | Dhulikhel | 1396 | 364039 |
| 5. | Sindhupalchowk | Chautara | 2542 | 262624 |
| 6. | Dolakha | Charikot | 2191 | 172767 |
| 7. | Dhading | Dhading Besi | 1926 | 325710 |
| 8. | Nuwakot | Bidur | 1121 | 263391 |
| 9. | Makwanpur | Hetauda | 2426 | 466073 |
| 10. | Rasuwa | Dhunche | 1544 | 46689 |
| 11. | Ramechhap | Manthali | 1546 | 170302 |
| 12. | Chitwan | Bharatpur | 2218 | 719859 |
| 13. | Sindhuli | Sindhulighadi | 2491 | 300026 |
Did you know “how many districts are there in Bagmati Province?” Well, it’s 13 districts. There are a total of 13 districts in Bagmati Province. Sindhupalchowk is the largest district in Bagmati Province with a total area of 2542 km². The smallest district of Bagmati Province is Bhaktapur whose total area is 119 km². Bhaktapur is also the smallest district of Nepal.
List of Districts in Gandaki Province
The following table shows the list of districts in Gandaki Province (Province no. 4):
| S.N. | District Name | Headquarter | Total Area (km²) | Total Population (2021) |
| 1. | Kaski | Pokhara | 2017 | 600051 |
| 2. | Gorkha | Gorkha Bazar | 3610 | 251027 |
| 3. | Nawalpur | Kawasoti | 1043 | 378079 |
| 4. | Parbhat | Kusma | 494 | 130887 |
| 5. | Tanahu | Damauli | 1546 | 321153 |
| 6. | Baglung | Baglung | 1784 | 249211 |
| 7. | Myagdi | Beni | 2297 | 107033 |
| 8. | Lamjung | Besisahar | 1692 | 155852 |
| 9. | Syangja | Putali Bazar | 1164 | 253024 |
| 10. | Manang | Chame | 2246 | 5658 |
| 11. | Mustang | Jomsom | 3573 | 14452 |
There are a total of 11 districts in Gandaki Province. Gorkha is the largest district of Gandaki Province with a total area of 3610 km². The smallest district of Gandaki Province is Parbhat whose total area is 494 km².
List of Districts in Lumbini Province
The following table shows the list of districts in Lumbini Province (Province no. 5):
| S.N. | District Name | Headquarter | Total Area (km²) | Total Population (2021) |
| 1. | Parasi | Ramgram | 634.88 | 386868 |
| 2. | Dang | Ghorahi | 2955 | 674993 |
| 3. | Gulmi | Tamghas | 1149 | 246494 |
| 4. | Kapilvastu | Taulihawa | 1738 | 246494 |
| 5. | Arghakharchi | Sandhikharka | 1193 | 177086 |
| 6. | Palpa | Tansen | 1373 | 245027 |
| 7. | Rukum East | Rukumkot | 1161.13 | 56,786 |
| 8. | Pyuthan | Pyuthan | 1309 | 232019 |
| 9. | Banke | Nepalgunj | 2337 | 603194 |
| 10. | Bardiya | Gulariya | 2025 | 459900 |
| 11. | Rupandehi | Sidharthanagar | 1360 | 1121957 |
| 12. | Rolpa | Liwang | 1879 | 234793 |
There are a total of 12 districts in Lumbini Province. Dang is the largest district of Lumbini Province with a total area of 2955 km². The smallest district of Lumbini Province is Parasi whose total area is 634.88 km².
List of Districts in Karnali Province
The following table shows the list of districts in Karnali Province (Province no. 6):
| S.N. | District Name | Headquarter | Total Area (km²) | Total Population (2021) |
| 1. | Rukum West | Musikot | 1213.49 | 166740 |
| 2. | Mugu | Gamgadhi | 3535 | 64549 |
| 3. | Dailekh | Narayan | 1502 | 252313 |
| 4. | Dolpa | Dunai | 7889 | 42774 |
| 5. | Jumla | Chandannath | 2531 | 118349 |
| 6. | Jajarkot | Khalang | 2230 | 189360 |
| 7. | Kalikot | Manma | 1741 | 145292 |
| 8. | Salyan | Khalanga | 1462 | 238515 |
| 9. | Surkhet | Birendranagar | 2451 | 415126 |
| 10. | Humla | Simikot | 5655 | 118349 |
There are a total of 10 districts in Karnali Province. Dolpa is the largest district of Karnali Province with a total area of 7889 km². It is also the Largest district of Nepal. The smallest district of Karnali Province is Rukum West whose total area is 1213.49 km².
List of Districts in Sudurpashchim Province
The following table shows the list of districts in Sudurpashchim Province (Province no. 7):
| S.N. | District Name | Headquarter | Total Area (km²) | Total Population (2021) |
| 1. | Kailali | Dhagadhi | 3235 | 904666 |
| 2. | Kanchanpur | Mahendranagar | 1610 | 513757 |
| 3. | Achham | Mangalsen | 1680 | 228852 |
| 4. | Dadeldhura | Amargadhi | 1538 | 139602 |
| 5. | Doti | Dipayal | 2025 | 204831 |
| 6. | Darchula | Darchula | 2322 | 133310 |
| 7. | Bajhang | Chainpur | 3422 | 189085 |
| 8. | Bajura | Martadi | 2188 | 138523 |
| 9. | Baitadi | Dasarathchand | 1519 | 242157 |
There are a total of 9 districts in Sudurpashchim Province. Bajhang is the largest district of Sudurpashchim Province with a total area of 3422 km². The smallest district of Sudurpashchim Province is Baitadi whose total area is 1519 km².
Top 5 Largest Districts of Nepal (Area Basis)
The following table shows the list of the top 5 largest districts in Nepal (Area-wise):
| S.N. | District Name | Total Area (km²) | Province |
| 1. | Dolpa | 7889 | Karnali Province |
| 2. | Humla | 5655 | Karnali Province |
| 3. | Taplejung | 3646 | Koshi Province |
| 4. | Gorkha | 3610 | Gandaki Province |
| 5. | Mustang | 3573 | Gandaki Province |
Top 5 Smallest Districts of Nepal (Area Basis)
The following table shows the list of the top 5 smallest districts in Nepal (Area-wise):
| S.N. | District Name | Total Area (km²) | Province |
| 1. | Bhaktapur | 119 | Bagmati Province |
| 2. | Lalitpur | 385 | Bagmati Province |
| 3. | Kathmandu | 395 | Bagmati Province |
| 4. | Parbat | 494 | Gandaki province |
| 5. | Terhrathum | 679 | Koshi Province |
FAQs on Districts of Nepal:
which is the youngest district of Nepal?
Rukum West is the youngest district of Nepal. It was created on September 20, 2015, when the former Rukum District was divided into two districts: Rukum West and Rukum East. Rukum West is located in the Lumbini Province of Nepal, and its headquarters is the town of Musikot
which is the smallest district of Nepal?
Bhaktapur is the smallest district of Nepal, with an area of only 119 square kilometers. It is located in the Bagmati province and is home to the ancient city of Bhaktapur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bhaktapur is known for its rich culture and heritage, as well as its traditional handicrafts and cuisine.
which is the largest district of Nepal?
Dolpa is the largest district of Nepal, with an area of 7,849 square kilometers. It is located in the Karnali Province. Dolpa is home to some of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, including Mount Dolpa and Mount Dhaulagiri. Dolpa is a remote and sparsely populated district and is known for its rugged terrain and harsh climate.
which district looks like the map of Nepal?
Baglung district looks like the map of Nepal. It is located in Gandaki Province, Nepal. Baglung is known for its natural beauty, including mountains, forests, and rivers. It is also home to several Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
how many districts of Nepal touch India and China?
2 districts of Nepal touch both India and China: Darchula District and Taplejung District.
Darchula District: Darchula District is located in the far western region of Nepal and shares borders with both India and China. It is situated in a strategic location where the borders of Nepal, India, and China converge.
Taplejung District: Taplejung District is known to be in the northeastern part of Nepal and shares its border with the Indian state of Sikkim, which is adjacent to China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. This makes Taplejung District another district that touches both India and China.
how many districts of Nepal touch India?
24 districts of Nepal touch the India border. They are Panchthar, Illam, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kapilbastu, Dang, Banke, Bardia, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Dadeldhura and Baitadi.
how many districts of Nepal touch China?
14 districts of Nepal touch the China border. They are Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Dolakha, Kavrepalanchowk, Sindhupalchowk, Rashuwa, Dhading, Gorkha, Manang, Mustang, Dolpa, Mugu, Humla and Bajhang.