Development regions of Nepal
| Development Regions of Nepal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Federated state |
| Location | Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal |
| Number | 5 (as of 2037 B.S.) |
| Government |
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| Subdivisions | |
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 Nepal portal |
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Prior to the promulgation of a new constitution in 2015 after an earthquake, Nepal was divided into five development regions (Nepali: विकास क्षेत्र), 14 administrative zones (Nepali: अञ्चल) and 75 districts (Nepali: जिल्ला). The 14 administrative zones were grouped into five development regions. Each district is headed by a Chief District Officer (CDO) responsible for maintaining law and order and coordinating the work of field agencies of the various government ministries.
The five development regions of Nepal were (from east to west):
| No. | English name | Nepali name | Zones | Districts (no.) | Headquarters | Population | Area (km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Development Region | पुर्वाञ्चल विकास क्षेत्र | Mechi Koshi Sagarmatha | 16 | Dhankuta | 5,811,555 | 28,456 |
| 2 | Central Development Region | मध्यमाञ्चल विकास क्षेत्र | Janakpur Bagmati Narayani | 19 | Kathmandu | 9,656,985 | 27,410 |
| 3 | Western Development Region | पश्चिमाञ्चल विकास क्षेत्र | Gandaki Lumbini Dhaulagiri | 16 | Pokhara | 4,926,765 | 29,398 |
| 4 | Mid-Western Development Region | मध्य पश्चिमाञ्चल विकास क्षेत्र | Rapti Bheri Karnali | 15 | Birendranagar | 3,546,682 | 42,378 |
| 5 | Far-Western Development Region | सुदुर पश्चिमाञ्चल विकास क्षेत्र | Seti Mahakali | 9 | Dipayal | 2,552,517 | 19,999.28[1][2] |
King Birendra divided the entire kingdom into four different regions in 2029 BS (1972):
- Eastern Development Region
- Central Development Region,
- Western Development Region
- Far-Western Development Region
The three regions were:
- Himalayan region, consisting of 21 districts
- Hilly region, consisting of 35 districts
- Terai region, consisting of 21 districts from east to west (Jhapa, Siraha, Saptari, Morang, Sunsari, Dhanusa, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Chitwan, Kapilvastu, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Dang, Bake, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur)
To fill the gap between different parts of the nation by balanced or proportionate development. Eight years later, in 2037 (1982), he further divided the nation adding one more separate development region, naming it the mid-western development region, taking two zones from Far Western Development region Seti and Mahakali.[3]
See also
- List of provinces of Nepal
- List of zones of Nepal (former)
- List of districts of Nepal
- List of village development committees of Nepal (former)
- ISO 3166-2:NP
References
- ^ "Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal: A Comprehensive Overview - GitHub" (PDF). GitHub. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ "Robotics association of Farwest Nepal". 9 September 2025.
- ^ "Administrative Div of Nepal".
| Eastern Region (Purwanchal) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Central Region (Madhyamanchal) | ||
| Western Region (Pashchimanchal) | ||
| Mid-Western Region (Madhya Pashchimanchal) | ||
| Far-Western Region (Sudur Pashchimanchal) | ||
