Khotang District

Khotang District (Nepali: खोटाङ जिल्लाListen ) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district, with Diktel as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,591 km² (614 sq mi) and has a population (2011) of 206,312.[1] The district has been bordered by Bhojpur District in the east, Udayapur district in the south, Okhaldhunga district in the west and Solukhumbu district in the North.[2]

Khotang District खोटाङ जिल्ला
District
A view of Diktel Bazar, Khotang
Coordinates: 27°12′N 86°47′E
Country	Nepal
Province	Province No. 1
Established	1962
Admin HQ.	Diktel
Government
• Type	Coordination committee
• Body	DCC, Khotang
• Head	Mr. Kamal Bhim Raj Khadka
• Deputy-Head	Mrs. Indra Kala Khadka
• Parliamentary constituencies	1
• Provincial constituencies	2
Area
• Total	1,591 km^2 (614 sq mi)
Population  (2011 [1])
• Total	206,312
• Density	130/km^2 (340/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+05:45 (NPT)
Website	ddckhotang.gov.np/en/

History

Before the unification of Nepal, Khotang District was a part of Majha Kirat or Khambuwan. The land area between two rivers from Dudh Koshi to Arun was Majha Kirat and it was under suzerainty of Sen King of Chaudandigadhi.[3]

During Rana rule, Nepal had 32 districts and the current Khotang District was divided into two previous districts. Half of the north part of the current Khotang district was part of East No. 3 (Okhaldhunga) and half of southern part of current Khotang was part of East No. 4 (Bhojpur).[4] In 1962 the traditional 32 districts were divided into 75 districts[5] thus Khotang county of East No. 4 and some counties from "East No. 3" merged and made the current Khotang District.

A map of Nepal of 1942 shows current Khotang was part of Okhaldhunga (East No. 3) and Bhojpur (East No. 4)

Geography and climate

Geographically, Khotang is a hilly district of Eastern Nepal. It lies on the coordinates of 260° 50" N to 270° 28" N latitude and 860° 26" E to 860° 58" E longitude. Coordinates of the center is 27° 11' 60.00" N and 86° 46' 59.99" E. Total area of the district is 1,591 square kilometres (614 sq mi).[6] The elevations of the district is 152 m to 3620 m from the sea level.[7] Sunkoshi River and Dudh Koshi river makes natural borders in the North, West and South and a series of hills and small river makes border separating it from Bhojpur District in East. Approximately 56% of the district area is covered with forest. And about 42% of the district area is under cultivation.[2]

Climate Zone[8]	Elevation Range	% of Area
Lower Tropical	below 300 meters (1,000 ft)	0.7%
Upper Tropical	300 to 1,000 meters 1,000 to 3,300 ft.	31.5%
Subtropical	1,000 to 2,000 meters 3,300 to 6,600 ft.	49.1%
Temperate	2,000 to 3,000 meters 6,400 to 9,800 ft.	16.3%
Subalpine	3,000 to 4,000 meters 9,800 to 13,100 ft.	1.6%

Demographics

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Khotang District had a population of 206,312. Of these, 50.1% spoke Nepali, 16.5% Chamling, 4.4% Magar, 3.9% Tamang, 3.7% Bantawa, 3.5% Sampang, 2.7% Newari, 2.5% Dumi, 2.2% Puma, 1.9% Thulung, 1.5% Wambule, 1.3% Nachhiring, 0.9% Koch, 0.8% Rai, 0.6% Sherpa, 0.5% Tilung and 0.5% Khaling as their first language.

43.0% of the population in the district spoke Nepali, 1.1% Bantawa and 0.6% Chamling as their second language.[9]

Administration

Khotang District is administered by Khotang District Coordination Committee (Khotang DCC). The Khotang DCC is elected by Khotang District Assembly. The head of Khotang DCC is Mr. Kamal Bhimraj Khadka and Mrs. Indrakala Khadka is deputy head of Khotang DCC.

Khotang District Administration Office under Ministry of Home Affairs co-operate with Khotang DCC to maintain peace, order and security in the district. The officer of District Administration office called CDO and current CDO of Khotang DAO is Bishnuhari Upadhyay

Khotang District Court is a Judicial court to see the cases of people on district level.

Administration	Name	Head	Website
Legislative	District Coordination Committee	Mr. Bobby Chamling	dcckhotang.gov.np
Executive	District Administration Office	Mr. Shaligram Sharma Paudel	daokhotang.moha.gov.np
Judicial	District Court	Mr. Matrika Prasad Acharya	supremecourt.gov.np/court/khotangdc

Division

Divisions of Khotang District
RM=Rural municipality
UM=Urban municipality

The district consists of 10 Municipalities, out of which two are urban municipalities and eight are rural municipalities. These are as follows:[10]

#	Local body	Nepali	Population (2011)	Area (KM^2)	Mayor	Deputy Mayor	Wards	Web
1	Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi	रूपाकोट मझुवागढी	46903	246.51			15
2	Halesi Tuwachung	हलेसी तुवाचुङ	29532	280.17			11
3	Khotehang	खोटेहाङ	22474	164.09			9
4	Diprung	दिप्रुङ	20175	136.48			7
5	Aiselukharka	ऐंसेलुखर्क	16097	125.93			7
6	Jantedhunga	जन्तेढुँगा	15444	128.62			6
7	Kepilasgadhi	केपिलासगढी	15288	191.28			7
8	Barahpokhari	बराहपोखरी	14349	141.6			6
9	Rawabesi	रावाबेसी	13369	97.44			6
10	Sakela	साकेला	11594	97.99			5

Former divisions (1962-2015)

Map of the VDCs in Khotang District

Prior to the restructuring of the district, Khotang District consisted of the following municipalities and Village development committees: [11] (Before 2014, Khotang district had 76 VDC and no municipality. Diktel municipality established in 2014 merging some VDC)

Ainselu Kharka Arkhale Badahare Badka Dipali Bahunidanda Bakachol Baksila Bamrang Barahapokhari Baspani Batase Chhitapokhari Chhorambu Chipring Chisapani Chyandanda

Chyasmitar Damarkhu Shivalaya Dandagaun Devisthan Dharapani Dhitung Diktel Municipality Dikuwa Diplung Dipsung Dorpa Chiuridanda Dubekol Dumre Dharapani Durchhim Hanchaur Jyamire

Kaule Kharmi Kharpa Khartamchha Khidima Khotang Bazar Kubhinde, Laphyang Lamidanda Lichki Ramche Linkuwa Pokhari Magpa Mahadevasthan Mangaltar Mattim Birta Mauwabote Nerpa

Nirmalidada Nunthala Patheka Pauwasera Phaktang Rajapani Rakha Bangdel Rakha Dipsung Ratancha Majhagaun Ribdung Jaleshwari Ribdung Maheshwari Salle Santeshwar Chhitapokhari Sapteshwar Saunechaur Sawakatahare Simpani Solma Sungdel Suntale Woplukha Wopung

Places of Interest

• Halesi-Maratika Caves - A pilgrimage site for Hindus located in Halesi Tuwachung municipality.
• Barah Pokhari is a lake and a religious destination, as well as a part of trekking trail located in Barahapokhari rural municipality.
• Hill, mountains, rivers trekking and more

References

1. Household and population by districts, Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Nepal Archived 2013-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
2. "Brief Introduction of Khotang District". Retrieved 20 January 2020.
3. "खोटाङ जिल्लाको इतिहास" [History of Khotang District] (in Nepali). 8 December 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
4. "Brief introduction of Okhaldhunga". DCC Okhaldhunga. Retrieved 30 March 2020. Okhaldhunga along with Khotang and Solukhumbu were combined to form East No.3 area among the 32 districts of administrative division of Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa recently after the unification campaign of His Majesty the King Prithvi Narayan Shah. At that time the headquarter of East No.3 area was Okhaldhunga as of today.
5. "A Guide to Government in Nepal" (PDF). Retrieved 30 March 2020. In 1961, the country was demarcated into 14 administrative zones with each zone headed by a zone commissioner, a royal appointee whose function, among others, was to assist the palace secretariat in suppressing political opposition. In the districts, now increased in number to 75 from 35, district panchayats were established by amalgamating the former village development blocks, and village and nagar (town) panchayats were also established.
6. "Latitude and longitude of Khotang District". Retrieved 21 January 2020.
7. "संक्षिप्त परिचय" [Short Introduction] (in Nepali). Retrieved 21 January 2020.
8. The Map of Potential Vegetation of Nepal - a forestry/agroecological/biodiversity classification system (PDF), . Forest & Landscape Development and Environment Series 2-2005 and CFC-TIS Document Series No.110., 2005, ISBN 87-7903-210-9, retrieved November 22, 2013
9. 2011 Nepal Census, Social Characteristics Tables
10. "स्थानिय तह" (in Nepali). Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
11. "National Population and Housing Census 2011" (PDF). 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2014.

• "Districts of Nepal". Statoids.