Zones of Nepal

Until 2015, Nepal was divided into 14 administrative zones (anchal) and 77 districts (jillā). The 14 administrative zones were grouped into five development regions.

In 1962, Nepal reorganized into 14 administrative zones but, around 1995, zones fell into disuse, so the already existing development regions effectively became the primary subdivisions.

The administrative zones, by development regions and from east to west, were the following:

Administrative zones of Nepal

Region	Zone	Name for	Chief city	Population (2011)	Area    (km²)	Districts
Eastern	Mechi	Mechi River	Ilam	1,422,182	8,196	4
	Kosi	Kosi River	Biratnagar	2,335,047	9,669	6
	Sagarmatha	Sagarmatha (Mount Everest)	Rajbiraj	2,054,326	10,591	6
Central	Janakpur	Its capital	Janakpurdham	2,837,481	9,669	6
	Bagmati	Bagmati River	Kathmandu	3,843,596	9,428	8
	Narayani	Narayani (lower Gandaki) river	Birganj	2,975,908	8,313	5
Western	Gandaki	Gandaki River	Pokhara	1,549,857	12,275	6
	Lumbini	Lumbini, a pilgrimage site, birth place of Gautama Buddha	Butwal	2,834,612	8,975	6
	Dhawalagiri	Dhaulagiri mountain	Baglun	542,296	8,148	4
Mid-Western Region	Rapti	West Rapti River	Tulsipur	1,456,202	10,482	5
	Karnali	Karnali River	Jumla	388,713	21,351	5
	Bheri	Bheri River	Nepalgunj	1,701,767	10,545	5
Far-Western Region	Seti	Seti River	Dipayal-Silgadhi	1,575,003	12,550	5
	Mahakali	Mahakali River	Mahendranagar	977,514	6,989	4

Related pages

• Administrative divisions of Nepal
• Development Regions of Nepal
• Districts of Nepal
• Provinces of Nepal