Political & Administrative Map
Posted onNepal is a country located in the Himalayas in South Asia between India and China. Nepal is divided into seven provinces, with its capital, Kathmandu, located in the Bagmati province. The political and administrative map shows the surrounding countries with international boundaries; the national capital Kathmandu; district boundaries; district names; district headquarters; major cities; international airports; domestic airports; peaks; passes; rivers/streams; lakes; highways; other roads; tracks; railway tracks; local level boundaries; metropolitan city, sub metropolitan city, municipality, and rural municipality, preservation areas, and Kalapani territory.
Sudurpashchim Province
Nepal’s westernmost province, formerly named Province No. 7, has a population of 2.5 million people. The main languages are Doteli and Nepali. Sudurpashchim borders India to the west and south and the People’s Republic of China with the Tibet region to the north. The capital is Godawari (Kailali); the largest city is Dhangadhi. Other major cities are Bhimdatta (Mahendranagar) and Tikapur.
Karnali Province
Nepal’s largest province, temporarily called Province No. 6, is named after the Karnali River. Karnali is the province with the least population, having only about 1.8 million inhabitants. The main spoken language is Nepali. The capital and largest city is Birendranagar. The province is home to Lake Rara, the largest freshwater lake in the Nepalese Himalayas and a popular pilgrimage site.
Lumbini Province
Lumbini borders Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India to the south. The province is named after the sacred pilgrimage site of Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha-the founder of Buddhism. Lumbini has a population of 4.5 million people. The main language is Nepali (50%). The capital is Deukhuri; the largest city is Ghorahi. Other major towns are Butwal, Siddharthanagar, Nepalganj, Tansen, and Tulsipur. Lumbini Pradesh is home to the Tharu, Magar, Chhetri, and Brahman-Hill ethnic groups.
Gandaki Province
Gandaki borders China’s autonomous region of Tibet to the north. The province is named after the River Gandak, one of the many tributaries of the Ganges. Gandaki has a population of 2.4 million people. The major ethnic groups/castes are Brahmin-Hill (21%), Magar (19%, Chhetri (13%), and Gurung (11%). The main language is Nepali (73%), and the major religion is Hinduism (84%). The province was temporarily called Province No. 4. The capital and largest city is Pokhara.
Bagmati Pradesh
The Bagmati province borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north. The province is home to the Kathmandu Valley and the national capital, Kathmandu. Hetauda is the state capital; the largest city is Kathmandu. Other major cities and towns are Lalitpur (Patan), Bharatpur, Budhanilkantha, and Gokarneshwar. The city of Bhaktapur is famous for its many temples. More than 5.5 million people live in Nepal’s most populous province. The major ethnic groups/castes are Tamang (21%), Brahman-Hill (18%), Chhetri (17%), and Newar (17%). The main language spoken is Nepali. The province is named after the Bagmati River, one of the sacred rivers of Nepal. Before the renaming, Bagmati was temporarily designated as Province No. 3.
Madhesh Province
Madhesh Province is the smallest province of Nepal and has a population of 5.4 million people. The majority of the population is Hindu (85%). The main languages are Maithili (45%) and Bhojpuri (19%). The interim provincial capital is Janakpur; the largest city is Birgunj. The Gadhimai festival is a centuries-old tradition of the Madheshi people and a sacrificial ceremony held every five years at the Gadhimai Temple of Bariyarpur. The event is the largest ritual slaughter of animals in the world-just to please Gadhimai, a Hindu goddess of power.
Province No. 1
Province No. 1 is still waiting for its official name. The easternmost state of Nepal borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north and the Indian states of Bihar, West Bengal, and Sikkim. The provincial capital, Biratnagar, is an industrial city in the Terai region, located just north of the Nepal-India border. Other major cities are Damak, Dharan, Itahari, Inarua, and Birtamod. Province No. 1 is home to the country’s first national park, Sagarmatha National Park. The World Heritage Site is described as an outstanding area of dramatic mountains, glaciers and deep valleys, dominated by Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak (8,848 m). Other world-famous peaks in Province No. 1 are Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, and Nuptse.
