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Jhapa District

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Jhapa District
झापा जिल्ला
District
View of both hills and Terai in Jhapa district
View of both hills and Terai in Jhapa district
Country Nepal
ProvinceKoshi Province
Admin HQ.Bhadrapur
Government
 • TypeCoordination committee
 • BodyDCC, Jhapa
 • HeadMr. Bishwanath Baral
 • Deputy-HeadMrs. Shanta Rokka
 • Parliamentary constituencies5
 • Provincial constituencies10
 • Chief District OfficerShiva Ram Gelal [1]
Area
 • Total
1,606 km2 (620 sq mi)
Elevation
(maximum)
506 m (1,660 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total
998,054
 • Rank4th (Nepal)
 • Density621.5/km2 (1,610/sq mi)
 • Households
219,989
Demographics
[2]
 • Ethnic groupsBahun, Chhetri, Rajbanshi, Limbu, Rai
 • Female ♀51.97%
 • Male ♂/100 female92,43
Human Development Index
 • Per Capita Income1,226 USD
 • Poverty rate21.82
 • Literacy75%
 • Life Expectancy67.29
Time zoneUTC+05:45 (NPT)
Telephone Code023
Main Language(s)Nepali, Rajbanshi, Surjapuri language Limbu, Maithili
Major highwaysMahendra Highway, Postal Highway
Websitedaojhapa.moha.gov.np

Jhapa District (Nepali: झापा जिल्ला; Listenⓘ) is a district of Koshi Province in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi word "Jhapa", meaning "to cover" (verb). The 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the district at 994,090.[3] The total area of the district is 1,606 square kilometres.

History

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Jhapa’s history is a multi-layered heritage of ancient archaeology, Kirat , Morang politics, Sen/Vijayapur influence and indigenous Terai communities

Kichakabad archeological site in Bhadrapur

Kichakbadh, in Bhadrapur, is a major archaeological site. Excavations have uncovered brick structures, walls, pottery, metal objects, ornaments and other remains. Archaeological studies broadly associate the site with the Śuṅga–Kuṣāṇa period, while reported dating places important remains at around 2,200 years ago (approximately 120–200 BCE). This demonstrates ancient organised settlement in the Jhapa–Morang Terai.[4] [5]

Local tradition identifies Kichakbadh with Kichaka and Bhima of the Mahabharata, but archaeology has not conclusively proven this identification.

map of 1817 Jhapa under Morang State showing Chayanpoor in the North, Sikkim in the East of Morang state in the south.

Jhapa belonged to the wider Morang–eastern Nepal historical landscape, where Kirat cultural traditions connected the eastern hills and plains. In later periods, the region became associated with Sen/Vijayapur political authority and local Kirat/Limbu leadership. However, the exact administrative boundaries of these historical states remain debated.[6]

The history of Jhapa must also include its indigenous Terai peoples, particularly Dhimal, Rajbanshi/Koch, Meche, and other communities, whose historical presence and cultural traditions are fundamental to the region.[7] [8]

During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, malaria, forests, state land policies, agricultural expansion, migration and cross-border trade transformed Jhapa’s population and landscape.

Location

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Jhapa is the easternmost district of Nepal and lies in the fertile Terai plains. It is part of the Outer Terai. Jhapa borders Ilam in the north, Morang in the west, the Indian state of Bihar in the south and the Indian state of West Bengal to the southeast and east. Geographically, it covers an area of 1,606 km2 (620 sq mi) and lies on 87°39’ east to 88°12’ east longitude and 26°20’ north to 26°50’ north latitude.[9]

Climate and geography

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Jhapa receive 250 to 300 cm of rainfall a year, mostly during the monsoon season in the summer, and its hilly northern area receives more rainfall than the south.[10] The maximum temperature recorded is 42.5 °C in summer and 1 °C in winter.[11] The lowest elevation point is 58 meters which is the lowest land in Nepal and the highest elevation point is 500 meters from mean sea level.[9]

Climate Zone[12] Elevation Range % of Area
Lower Tropical below 300 meters (1,000 ft) 98.8%
Upper Tropical 300 to 1,000 meters
1,000 to 3,300 ft.		  1.2%

Administrative divisions

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Jhapa consists of 15 administrative divisions including eight municipalities and seven rural municipalities. Each division has wards according to the demographic and geographic size. These are:

Municipalities

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Rural municipalities

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Villages

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Demographics

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At the time of the 2021 Nepal census, Jhapa District had a population of 998,054. 23.25% of the population is under 5 years of age. It has a literacy rate of 82.83% and a sex ratio of 1085 females per 1000 males. 704,357 (70.57%) lived in municipalities.[13]

Jhapa District has an average population density of around 619 per square kilometer. The district population growth rate is 1.93%. However, the growth is balanced and in-migration is rapidly increasing day to day into the district. At the time of the 2021 Nepal census, Jhapa District had a population of 994,090 making it the 4th largest district in Nepal after Kathmandu, Morang and Rupandehi.

Ethnicity/caste of Jhapa district (2021)[14]
  1. Bahun (23.2%)
  2. Chhetri (16.8%)
  3. Rajbanshi (8.26%)
  4. Limbu (7.32%)
  5. Rai (4.58%)
  6. Santal (3.47%)
  7. Kami (3.39%)
  8. Newar (3.23%)
  9. Muslim (3.14%)
  10. Tamang (3.11%)
  11. Magar (2.11%)
  12. Damai (2.07%)
  13. Other Terai Janajati (5.76%)
  14. Madheshi non-Dalit (5.22%)
  15. Other Hill Janjati (4.25%)
  16. Other Khas (1.15%)
  17. Others (2.90%)

Being at the cross-roads of the eastern hills and the eastern Terai, Jhapa has huge ethnic diversity with 110 castes/ethnic groups represented. The largest communities are Bahun and Chhetri. Other communities include the Janajati Limbu and other Kirati peoples, Dalit communities like Kami and Damai, as well as Tamang, Newar and Magar and Adivasi communities like the Rajbanshi/Tajpuriya, Gangai or Ganesh, Santal, Tharu and Dhimal in the Terai.[14]

Languages of Jhapa district (2021)[15]
  1. Nepali (61.5%)
  2. Rajbanshi (8.54%)
  3. Limbu (5.43%)
  4. Maithili (4.18%)
  5. Santali (3.22%)
  6. Tamang (2.01%)
  7. Rai (1.82%)
  8. Gangai (1.79%)
  9. Tajpuriya (1.31%)
  10. Magar (1.06%)
  11. Others (9.17%)

As their first language, 61.47% of the population spoke Nepali, 8.54% Rajbanshi, 5.43% Limbu, 4.18% Maithili, 3.22% Santali, 2.01% Tamang, 1.82% Rai, 1.79% Gangai, 1.31% Tajpuriya and 1.06% Magar as their first language.[15] In 2011, Nepali was spoken by 55.82% of the population as their first language.[16]

Religion in Jhapa District (2021)[17]
Religion Percent
Hinduism
 
 79.10%
Kirat Mundhum
 
 9.38%
Buddhism
 
 4.94%
Islam
 
 3.33%
Christianity
 
 2.60%
Prakriti
 
 0.63%
Other or not stated
 
 0.02%

Religion: 79.10% were Hindu, 9.38% Kirati, 4.94% Buddhist, 3.33% Muslim, 2.60% Christian, 0.63% Prakriti and 0.02% others.[17]

International Borders

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Jhapa borders the Indian state of Bihar to the south and the Indian state of West Bengal to the east. Jhapa is an eastern entry point of Nepal from India. Kakarbhitta-Mechinagar border lies in Jhapa and is an important trade point for Nepal.

Education

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Among 77 districts, Jhapa has a literacy rate of 75.2%, higher than the national average.[18] There are enough primary schools, secondary schools, high schools and colleges available both from private sector and the government. One such school is Shree Adarsh Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School.

Notable people

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Jhapa district is home to notable personalities including one former prime minister and two former deputy prime ministers.

References

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  1. ↑ "Staff Profile of DAO". The Government of Nepal. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  2. ↑ "Nepal Human Development Report 2014". Npc.gov.np. Archived from the original on 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  3. ↑ "Preliminary Report of National Population Census 2021". National Census 2021. National Statistical Office. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  4. ↑ Baral, Deva Narayan (2023). Archaeological Remains of the Kichakbadh. Nepalese Culture, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 141–148.
  5. ↑ Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal / archaeological excavation reports. Excavation and scientific testing at Kichakbadh have produced evidence dating the site to approximately 120–200 BCE (about 2,200 years ago).
  6. ↑ Tri Ratna. Research on the political history of eastern Nepal
  7. ↑ Diwas, Tulasi (1982). Dhimal Folk Life, Religion and Culture. Royal Nepal Academy.
  8. ↑ Government of Nepal, Jhapa-related socio-economic/ethnographic documentation.
  9. 1 2 District Transport Masterplan-Jhapa (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2023, retrieved May 5, 2020
  10. ↑ Climate in Jhapa, retrieved May 5, 2020
  11. ↑ Bhandari G., GurungS., Dhimal M., and Bhusal C. L., "Climate Change and Occurrence of Diarrheal Diseases: Evolving Facts from Nepal", J Nepal Health Res Counc, Jan. 2013.
  12. ↑ The Map of Potential Vegetation of Nepal - a forestry/agroecological/biodiversity classification system (PDF), Forest & Landscape Development and Environment Series 2-2005 and CFC-TIS Document Series No.110., 2005, ISBN 87-7903-210-9, retrieved Nov 22, 2013
  13. ↑ "Provincial/District/Local reports: Koshi Province". Census Nepal 2021. Central Bureau of Statistics.
  14. 1 2 "Table 1: Caste/Ethnicity and sex". Census Nepal 2021. Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  15. 1 2 "Table 5: Mother tongue and sex". Census Nepal 2021. Central Bureau of Statistics.
  16. ↑ "Social characteristics tables" (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-09-23. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  17. 1 2 "Table 5: Religion and sex". Census Nepal 2021. Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  18. ↑ "Census 2001". Census. central bureau of statistics, Nepal. 2001. Archived from the original on 2008-09-24. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
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27°55′03″N 84°11′37″E / 27.917373°N 84.193726°E / 27.917373; 84.193726

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