Panchthar District

Panthar District (Nepali: पान्थर जिल्लाListen^ⓘ) is one of 14 districts of Koshi Province in the eastern hilly region of Nepal. It is a Hill district of eastern Nepal. The district covers 1,241 km² (479 sq mi) of area. The 2011 census counted 191,817 population. Phidim is the district headquarters.

Panthar District पाँचथर जिल्ला
District
Location of Panchthar district
Divisional map of Panchthar district
Country	Nepal
Province	Koshi Province
Admin HQ.	Phidim
Government
• Type	Coordination committee
• Body	DCC, Panchthar
Area
• Total	1,241 km2 (479 sq mi)
Population  (2011[1])
• Total	191,817
• Density	150/km2 (400/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+05:45 (NPT)

History

Panthar was a part of Old Dhankuta District during Rana era and until 1962. Dhankuta district had two subdivisions Chhathum and Tehrathum. Panchthar was a thum (county) under the Terhathum subvision. It became a separate district in 1962 when the old 32 traditional districts divided into 75 district.

Geography and climate

Climate Zone[2]	Elevation Range	% of Area
Upper Tropical	300 to 1,000 meters 1,000 to 3,300 ft.	18.3%
Subtropical	1,000 to 2,000 meters 3,300 to 6,600 ft.	52.6%
Temperate	2,000 to 3,000 meters 6,400 to 9,800 ft.	23.9%
Subalpine	3,000 to 4,000 meters 9,800 to 13,100 ft.	4.7%
Alpine	4,000 to 5,000 meters 13,100 to 16,400 ft.	0.4%

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1981	153,746	—
1991	175,206	+1.32%
2001	202,056	+1.44%
2011	191,817	−0.52%
2021	172,400	−1.06%
Sources:[3]

At the 2021 Nepal census, Panchthar District had 42,495 households and a population of 172,400. 8.11% of the population was under 5 years of age. Panchthar had a literacy rate of 82.48% and a sex ratio of 1012 females per 1,000 males. 12,336 (7.16%) lived in urban areas.^[4]

Ethnicity/caste of Panchthar district (2021)^[5]

1. Limbu (43.37%)
2. Rai (13.9%)
3. Chhetri (9.14%)
4. Bahun (8.84%)
5. Tamang (7.15%)
6. Magar (3.66%)
7. Kami (3.27%)
8. Damai (2.08%)
9. Gurung (1.68%)
10. Newar (1.46%)
11. Sunuwar (1.16%)
12. Other Hill Janjati (2.58%)
13. Others (1.71%)

Ethnicity/caste: Janjatis make up the majority in the district at 73%. Limbu people make up over 43% of the population. Rai peoples such as the Bantawa, Chamling and Sunuwar are 15% of the population. Chhetri are 9%, Bahun 8% and Khas Dalit groups are 6% of the population.^[5]

Religion in Panchthar District (2021)[6]
Religion			Percent
Kirat Mundhum			55.71%
Hinduism			29.21%
Buddhism			12.26%
Christianity			2.72%
Other or not stated			0.10%

Religion: 55.71% were Kirati, 29.21% were Hindu, 12.26% Buddhist, 2.72% Christian and 0.10% others.^[6]

Languages of Panchthar district (2021)^[7]

1. Limbu (42.27%)
2. Nepali (29.28%)
3. Bantawa (6.96%)
4. Tamang (6.82%)
5. Magar Dhut (3.41%)
6. Rai (2.86%)
7. Chamling (1.87%)
8. Gurung (1.16%)
9. Sunuwar (1%)
10. Others (4.37%)

As their first language, 42.27% of the population spoke Limbu, 29.28% Nepali, 6.96% Bantawa, 6.82% Tamang, 3.41% Magar Dhut, 2.86% Rai, 1.87% Chamling, 1.16% Gurung and 1.00% Sunuwar as their first language.^[7] In 2011, 33.9% of the population spoke Nepali as their first language.^[8]

Municipality and Rural Municipalities of Panchthar

1. Phidim Municipality Nepali: फिदिम नगरपालिका (Phidim Municipality, Ranitar, Lumphabung, Yangnam(1-5), Nangin, Lungrupa)
2. Hilihang Rural Municipality Nepali: हिलिहाङ गाउँपालिका (Ambarpur, Panchami, Subhang, Bharapa)
3. Kummayak Rural Municipality Nepali: कुम्मायाक गाउँपालिका (Yasok, Rani Gaun, Mangjabung, Syabarumba)
4. Miklajung Rural Municipality Nepali: मिक्लाजुंग गाउँपालिका (Aarubote, Sarangdanda, Rabi, Kurumba, Limba, Durdimba)
5. Phalelung Rural Municipality (Nepali: फालेलुंग गाउँपालिका (Ektin, Memeng, Prangbung, Yangnam(6,9) Sidin)
6. Phalgunanda Rural Municipality (Nepali: फाल्गुनन्द गाउँपालिका (Nawamidanda, Imbung, Pauwa Sartap, Chilingdin, Aangsarang, Phaktep)
7. Tumbewa Rural Municipality Nepali: तुम्वेवा गाउँपालिका (Aangna, Olane, Hangum, Mauwa)
8. Yangawarak Rural Municipality Nepali: याङवरक गाउँपालिका (Chyangthapu, Phalaicha, Oyam, Tharpu, Nagi)

VDC's in small brackets means they are combined to form main Rural Municipality

Previous Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Municipalities

Map of the VDCs in Panchthar District

• Aangna
• Aangsarang
• Ambarpur
• Bharapa
• Chilingdin
• Chyangthapu
• Durdimba
• Ektin
• Embung
• Phalaicha
• Hangum
• Kurumba
• Limba
• Lungrupa
• Mangjabung
• Mauwa
• Memeng
• Nagi
• Nangin
• Nawamidanda
• Olane
• Oyam
• Panchami
• Prangbung
• Pauwa Sartap
• Phaktep
• Phidim Municipality
• Prangbung
• Rabi
• Rani Gaun
• Ranitar
• Sarangdanda
• Sidin
• Subhang
• Syabarumba
• Tharpu
• Yangnam
• Yasok

1. lumphabung
2. sarangdada
3. phaktep

People from Panchthar District

• Basanta kumar nembang
• Bairagi Kainla
• Bhishmaraj Angdembe
• Damber Singh Sambahamphe
• Ganesh Prasad Rijal
• Rambahadur Limbu
• Upendra Subba
• Ratna Bahadur Limbu

See also

• Zones of Nepal