Rolpa District

For headquarter of this district, see Rolpa Municipality.

28°22′N 082°33′E

Rolpa District रोल्पा
District
Apple orchard at Chalabang
Location of Rolpa (dark yellow) in Lumbini Province
Country	Nepal
Province	Lumbini Province
Established	13 April 1961
Admin HQ.	Rolpa
Government
• Type	Coordination committee
• Body	DCC, Rolpa
Area
• Total	1,879 km2 (725 sq mi)
Population  (2015)[1]
• Total	221,178
• Density	120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+05:45 (NPT)
Main Language(s)	Nepali, Kham Magar, Newari, English
Website	ddcrolpa.gov.np

Rolpa (Nepali: रोल्पा जिल्ला)Listen^ⓘ, is a "hill" district in Lumbini Province of Nepal. Rolpa district covers an area of 1,879 km² (725 sq mi) with population (2011) of 221,177. Rolpa town is the district's administrative center.

The various grievances of Rolpa's population made the district ripe for revolt. It became a "Maoist Stronghold" of the Communist Party of Nepal.^[2] In May 2002 a major battle between Maoist guerrillas and the army was fought at Lisne Lekh near the Rolpa-Pyuthan border.

History

Before the 15th century, the region that is now Rolpa District was under the control of the Rukumkot Kingdom, ruled by the King of Rukum District. The area's political landscape changed when Tuthansen, the King of Salyankot, established a separate kingdom by annexing 18 villages from the Rukumkot Kingdom. This event marked the formation of the Gajulkot Kingdom. These villages were given to Tuthansen as part of a dowry arrangement by Jayant Berma, the then King of Rukumkot. The historical remnants of Gajulkot still exist in Rolpa District.

During the Rana regime in Nepal, the region that constitutes present-day Rolpa was not a separate district. Instead, it was divided between two larger administrative units: Pyuthan District and Salyan District. This arrangement persisted until 1962, when the government undertook administrative reforms to streamline the district divisions across the country. It was during this time that Rolpa was officially recognized and established as an independent district, carved out from portions of Pyuthan and Salyan Districts.

Administrative divisions

Divisions of Rolpa District

Rolpa district is divided into 10 local level bodies in which nine are rural municipalities and one is municipality:

1. Rolpa Municipality
2. Runtigadhi Rural Municipality
3. Triveni Rural Municipality
4. Sunilsmiriti Rural Municipality (previously: Suwarnawati Rural Municipality)
5. Lungri Rural Municipality
6. Sunchhahari Rural Municipality
7. Thabang Rural Municipality
8. Madi Rural Municipality
9. Gangadev Rural Municipality (previously: Sukidaha Rural Municipality)
10. Paribartan Rural Municipality (previously: Duikholi Rural Municipality)

Geography and climate

Rolpa is drained southward by the Madi Khola from a complex of 3,000 to 4,000 meter ridges about 50 kilometers south of the Dhaulagiri Himalaya. This mountainous barrier historically isolated Rolpa by encouraging travelers between India and Tibet to detour to follow easier routes to the east or west, while east–west travelers found easier routes to the north through Dhorpatan Valley, or to the south through Dang Valley or along the Mahabharat Range.

Climate Zone[3]	Elevation Range	% of Area
Upper Tropical	300 to 1,000 meters 1,000 to 3,300 ft.	3.3%
Subtropical	1,000 to 2,000 meters 3,300 to 6,600 ft.	61.7%
Temperate	2,000 to 3,000 meters 6,400 to 9,800 ft.	31.4%
Subalpine	3,000 to 4,000 meters 9,800 to 13,100 ft.	3.6%

Demographics

At the time of the 2021 Nepal census, Rolpa District had a population of 234,793. 10.26% of the population is under 5 years of age. It has a literacy rate of 75.63% and a sex ratio of 1137 females per 1000 males. 35,376 (15.07%) lived in municipalities..^[4]

Castes/ethnic groups in Rolpa district (2021)^[5]

1. Magar (42.8%)
2. Chhetri (35.2%)
3. Kami (12.6%)
4. Damai (3.64%)
5. Dasnami (1.54%)
6. Bahun (0.96%)
7. Other Hill Janjati (1.09%)
8. Others (2.26%)

Khas people make up a majority of the population with 55% of the population, of which Khas Dalits are 17% of the population. Hill Janjatis make up 44% of the population, of which Magars are 43% and are the largest single community in the district.^[5]

Languages of Rolpa district (2021)^[6]

1. Nepali (85.0%)
2. Magar Kham (13.1%)
3. Magar Dhut (1.03%)
4. Others (0.84%)

At the time of the 2021 census, 85.03% of the population spoke Nepali, 13.10% Magar Kham and 1.03% Magar Dhut as their first language.^[6] In 2011, 86.1% of the population spoke Nepali as their first language.^[7]

Religion in Rolpa District (2021)[8]
Religion			Percent
Hinduism			87.48%
Prakriti			8.21%
Christianity			2.39%
Buddhism			1.76%
Other or not stated			0.16%

Population by Census 1971-2021

Sources:^[9][10]

Historic, cultural, archeological sites

• Bhama Odar^[11]
• Gari Lake, Jaulipokhari
• Bibang Daha, Gam
• Chaturbhuj Panchayan
• Baraha Khetra Badachaur
• Devi and Khadga Temple, Durga Bhawani, Durga Temple
• Gajulkot
• Jaljala, Jankot Jhankristhan
• Kalika Devi, Khungrikot, Kot Maula
• Pateswari Temple
• Shivalaya Mandir
• Kothi Vheer, Gam
• Murelle lake, Holleri

Health services

Rolpa is one of the most remote district in Nepal in terms of Health services some notable Health care centers being:

• Rolpa District Hospital^[12]
• Jeevan Anmol Hospital
• Jan Namuna Hospital^[13]

  

  Dashain Mela is celebrated in Rolpa Gajul kot which is located in Gajul Rolpa.