Districts in Nepal are second level of administrative divisions after provinces. Districts are subdivided into municipalities and rural municipalities. There are seven provinces and 77 districts in Nepal.

There were total of 75 districts in Nepal until 2015, grouped into 14 Zones and 5 Development Regions. After the adoption of federalism in 2015, the existing Zones and Development Regions were dissolved. Nawalparasi District and Rukum District were respectively divided into Parasi District and Nawalpur District, and Eastern Rukum District and Western Rukum District, making total number of districts 77. These 77 districts were regrouped into 7 provinces.

District officials District official include:

Chief District Officer, an official under Ministry of Home Affairs is appointed by the government as the highest administrative officer in a district. The C.D.O is responsible for proper inspection of all the departments in a district such as health, education, security and all other government offices. District Coordination Committee acts as an executive to the District Assembly. The DCC coordinates with the Provincial Assembly to establish coordination between the Provincial Assembly and rural municipalities and municipalities and to settle disputes, if any, of political nature. It also maintains coordination between the provincial and Federal government and the local bodies in the district.

History During the time of king Rajendra Bir Bikram Shah and prime minister Bhimsen Thapa, Nepal was divided into 10 districts. All areas east of Dudhkoshi River were one district, Dhankuta.

Rana regime (1885–1951) During the time of prime minister Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana (1885–1901), Nepal was divided into 32 districts and Doti, Palpa and Dhankuta were 3 gaunda (, "cantonment"). Hilly region had 20 districts and Terai had 12 districts.

The districts were categorized into Gaundas, Goswaras and Gadhis. Each had a headquarters and Badahakim (District Administrator) as its head. Kathmandu Valley was administered directly by Rana Prime Minister through Hajuriya General with additional Brigadier Generals for Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. The list of districts until 1951 are given below: +Districts until 1951S.N.DistrictHeadquartersCategoryDistrict Administrator1East No. 1Chautara (initially Dhulikhel)Militia GoswaraBadahakim2East No. 2 Ramechhap3East No. 3Okhaldhunga4East No. 4Bhojpur5DhankutaDhankutaGaundaGoverner (General rank)6IlamIlam7UdayapurUdayapur GadhiGadhiBadahakim8SindhuliSindhuli Gadhi9JhapaJhapaChhoti Goswara10Morang (Biratnagar)Biratnagar (initially Rangeli)Goswara11SaptariRajbiraj (initially Hanumannagar)12Mahottari-SarlahiJaleshwar13BirgunjBirgunj14Kathmandu ValleyKathmanduValley administrationHajuriya General (with additional Brigadier Generals for Lalitpur and Bhaktapur)15ChisapaniChisapani GadhiGadhiBadahakim16West No. 1NuwakotMilitia Goswara17West No. 2Gorkha18West No. 3Pokhara (initially Bandipur)19West No. 4Syangja20PalpaTansenGaundaGoverner (General rank)21PyuthanPyuthanChhoti GaundaBadahakim (Captain rank)22SalyanSalyanGaundaBadahakim (Colonel rank)23DailekhDailekh24JumlaJumlaChhoti GaundaBadahakim25DotiSilgadhiGaundaBadahakim (Colonel rank)26Baitadi BaitadiChhoti GaundaBadahakim27DadeldhuraDadeldhura28Pali-MajhkhandaBhairahawa (initially Bethari)Goswara29Khajahani-ShivarajTaulihawa30Dang-DeukhuriBijauri31Banke-BardiyaNepalgunj32Kailali-KanchanpurDhangadhi Districts from 1951 to 1962 Several changes were brought to district administration after the fall of Rana regime in 1951. Gulmi (Headquarters: Tamghas) and Baglung (Headquarters: Baglung) were separated from Palpa and made into new districts of Gaunda category. Sindhuli was merged with East No. 2 (Ramechhap). Headquarters of Jhapa was moved to Chandragadhi whereas the headquarters of Dang-Deukhuri was moved to Ghorahi.

In 1953, districts were classified into three classes of A, B and C according to population, revenue and importance. In 1954, the positions of Hajuriya General and Brigadier Generals, who governed Kathmandu Valley were abolished and the three subdivisions of Kathmandu Valley were brought under the governance of three magistrates.

In 1956, an Administrative Reorganization Planning Commission (ARPC) was setup for administrative reorganization. It recommended a fresh reorganization of the old districts whose boundaries were "the result of historical factors" and not "efficiency of administration or uniformity of size." It recommended 32 new districts, grouped into seven regions. However, these recommendations were overlooked and the traditional districts (Gaundas, Goswaras and Gadhis) were continued till 1962. +Districts from 1951 to 1962ClassDistrictsNo. of districtsADhankuta • Birgunj • Mahottari-Sarlahi • Saptari • Biratnagar • Palpa • Palhi-Majhkhanda7BEast No. 1 • Ilam • Jhapa • West No. 1 • West No. 3 • Doti • Khajahani-Shivaraj • Banke-Bardiya • Kailali-Kanchanpur9CEast No. 2 • East No.3 • East No. 4 • Chisapani • Udayapur • West No. 2 • West No. 4 • Baglung • Salyan • Pyuthan • Gulmi • Dailekh • Dadeldhura • Jumla • Baitadi • Dang-Deukhuri16Valley magistrates (since 1954)Kathmandu • Lalitpur • Bhaktapur3Total districts35

Panchayat era (1960–1990) In 1961 (2018 B.S), King Mahendra declared that the country would be divided into 14 zones and 75 development districts. A Zone and Development District Division Committee () was setup to draw zonal/district boundaries and fix their headquarters. As per the report submitted by the committee, on 20 November 1962 (5 Mangsir 2019 B.S), the Government of Nepal took the decision to divide Nepal into 14 zones and 75 development districts, and it came into effect upon the publication in the Nepal Gazette on 17 December 1962 (2 Poush 2019 B.S) replacing the traditional districts.

In 1975, most districts underwent major boundary changes that shaped Nepal’s present-day districts. Large number of Village Panchayats were shifted across 58 districts. The most significant change was the merger of the former Tibrikot District into Jumla District and the creation of new district Kalikot, carved out of western Jumla. Bhojpur District was moved from Sagarmatha Zone to Koshi Zone, Parbat District from Gandaki Zone to Dhaulagiri Zone, and Dolpa District from Dhaulagiri Zone to Karnali Zone. Despite these changes, the total number of districts remained at 75.

District Panchayat was the district level governing body during the Panchayat System (1962–1990). +Zones and Districts of Nepal (1975-2015)S.N.ZoneDistrictsNo. of Districts1MechiTaplejung • Panchthar • Ilam • Jhapa42KoshiSankhuwasabha • Tehrathum • Bhojpur • Dhankuta • Morang • Sunsari63SagarmathaSolukhumbu • Khotang • Okhaldhunga • Udayapur • Saptari • Siraha64JanakpurDolakha • Ramechhap • Sindhuli • Dhanusha • Mahottari • Sarlahi65BagmatiRasuwa • Nuwakot • Dhading • Sindhupalchok • Kavrepalanchok • Bhaktapur • Lalitpur • Kathmandu86NarayaniMakwanpur • Rautahat • Bara • Parsa • Chitwan57GandakiGorkha • Manang • Lamjung • Kaski • Tanahun • Syangja68LumbiniGulmi • Palpa • Arghakhanchi • Nawalparasi • Rupandehi • Kapilvastu69DhaulagiriMustang • Myagdi • Baglung • Parbat410RaptiRukum • Rolpa • Pyuthan • Salyan • Dang511BheriJajarkot • Dailekh • Surkhet • Banke • Bardiya512KarnaliDolpa • Mugu • Humla • Jumla • Kalikot513SetiBajura • Bajhang • Achham • Doti • Kailali514MahakaliDarchula • Baitadi • Dadeldhura • Kanchanpur4Nepal75

District Development Committee (1990–2017) District Development Committee (DDC) was established in 1990, following the end of the Panchayat system. It replaced the previous District Panchayat. It was composed of elected members at the district level. It was responsible for formulating district-level development policies. It was replaced with District Coordination Committee (DCC) in 2017.

Districts under new administration Since 20 September 2015, Nepal is divided into 7 provinces and 77 districts. They are defined by schedule 4 of the new constitution, by grouping together the existing districts. Two districts, Nawalparasi and Rukum, were split in two parts: Parasi District and Nawalpur District, and Eastern Rukum District and Western Rukum District respectively ending up in two different provinces. The old District Development Committee (DDC) was replaced with District Coordination Committee (DCC) in 2017.

+ Provinces Capital Districts Area(KM2) Population(2021) CBS Density(people/KM2) Major Languages Nepal Kathmandu 77 147,641.28 km2 29,164,578 198.15 NepaliKoshi Province Biratnagar 14 25,905 km2 4,961,412 191.52 Nepali/Rai/Limbu/ RajbanshiMadhesh Province Janakpur 8 9,661 km2 6,114,600 632.92 Nepali/Maithili/BhojpuriBagmati Province Hetauda 13 20,300 km2 6,116,866 301.32 Nepali/Tamang/Nepal BhashaGandaki Province Pokhara 11 21,504 km2 2,466,427 113.18 Nepali/Gurung/MagarLumbini Province Deukhuri 12 22,288km2 5,122,078 265.79 Nepali/Tharu/AwadhiKarnali Province Birendranagar 10 27,984km2 1,688,412 54.97 Nepali/Magar/TamangSudurpashchim Province Godawari 9 19,999.28 km2 2,694,783 137.92 Nepali/Doteli/Tharu

List of districts Koshi Province

+ Districts of Koshi Name Nepali Headquarters Area (km2) Population (2021) Website Bhojpur District भोजपुर जिल्ला Bhojpur 1,507 157,923 Dhankuta District धनकुटा जिल्ला Dhankuta 891 150,599 Ilam District इलाम जिल्ला Ilam 1,703 279,534 Jhapa District झापा जिल्ला Chandragadhi (Bhadrapur) 1,606 998,054 Khotang District खोटाङ जिल्ला Diktel 1,591 175,298 Morang District मोरङ जिल्ला Biratnagar 1,855 1,148,156Okhaldhunga District ओखलढुङ्गा जिल्ला Okhaldhunga (Siddhicharan) 1,074 139,552 Panchthar District पाँचथर जिल्ला Phidim 1,241 172,400 Sankhuwasabha District सङ्खुवासभा जिल्ला Khandbari 3,480 158,041 Solukhumbu District सोलुखुम्बु जिल्ला Salleri (Solududhkunda) 3,312 104,851 Sunsari District सुनसरी जिल्ला Inaruwa 1,257 926,962 Taplejung District ताप्लेजुङ जिल्ला Phungling 3,646 120,590 Tehrathum District तेह्रथुम जिल्ला Myanglung 679 88,731Udayapur District उदयपुर जिल्ला Gaighat (Triyuga) 2,063 340,721 Koshi Pradeshकोशी प्रदेशBiratnagar25,905 km24,961,412

Madhesh Province

+ Districts of Madhesh Province Districts Nepali Headquarters Area (km2) Population (2021) Official Website Parsa District पर्सा जिल्ला Birgunj 1,353 654,471 Bara District बारा जिल्ला Kalaiya 1,190 763,137 Rautahat District रौतहट जिल्ला Gaur 1,126 813,573 Sarlahi District सर्लाही जिल्ला Malangwa 1,259 862,470 Dhanusha District धनुषा जिल्ला Janakpur 1,180 867,747 Siraha District सिराहा जिल्ला Siraha 1,188 739,953 Mahottari District महोत्तरी जिल्ला Jaleshwar 1,002 706,994 Saptari District सप्तरी जिल्ला Rajbiraj 1,363 706,255 Madhesh Province मधेश प्रदेशJanakpur9,661 km26,114,600

Bagmati Province

+Districts of Bagmati Districts Nepali Headquarters Area (km2) Population (2021) Official Website Sindhuli District सिन्धुली जिल्ला Sindhulimadhi (Kamalamai) 2,491 300,026 Ramechhap District रामेछाप जिल्ला Manthali 1,546 170,302 Dolakha District दोलखा जिल्ला Charikot (Bhimeshwar) 2,191 172,767 Bhaktapur District भक्तपुर जिल्ला Bhaktapur 119 432,132 Dhading District धादिङ जिल्ला Dhading Besi (Nilkantha) 1,926 325,710 Kathmandu District काठमाडौँ जिल्ला Kathmandu 395 2,041,587 Kavrepalanchok District काभ्रेपलाञ्चोक जिल्ला Dhulikhel 1,396 364,039 Lalitpur District ललितपुर जिल्ला Lalitpur 385 551,667 Nuwakot District नुवाकोट जिल्ला Bidur 1,121 263,391 Rasuwa District रसुवा जिल्ला Dhunche 1,544 46,689 Sindhupalchok District सिन्धुपाल्चोक जिल्ला Chautara 2,542 262,624 Chitwan District चितवन जिल्ला Bharatpur 2,218 719,859 Makwanpur District मकवानपुर जिल्ला Hetauda 2,426 466,073 Bagmati Provinceबागमती प्रदेशHetauda20,300 km26,116,866

Gandaki Province