If you are sitting a Koshi Province exam (Pradesh Lok Sewa, AHW, ANM or any Section C paper), questions on the province itself are almost guaranteed. They are also easy marks, because the facts do not change often. This page puts the 25 most useful facts in one place and groups them so you can remember them, not just read them.
Basic identity
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Old name | Province No. 1 |
| Named Koshi Province | 2079 Falgun 17 (1 March 2023), by the Province Assembly |
| Capital | Biratnagar (Morang) |
| Number of districts | 14 |
| Area | 25,905 sq km, about 17.6% of Nepal |
| Rank by area | 2nd largest province (after Karnali) |
| Population (Census 2078) | 49,61,412, about 17% of Nepal |
| Rank by population | 4th |
Political and administrative units
| Unit | Number |
|---|---|
| Federal (House of Representatives) constituencies | 28 |
| Province Assembly constituencies | 56 |
| Province Assembly members in total | 93 (56 directly elected + 37 proportional) |
| Local levels | 137, the most of any province |
| Metropolitan city | 1 (Biratnagar) |
| Sub-metropolitan cities | 2 (Itahari, Dharan) |
| Municipalities | 46 |
| Rural municipalities | 88 |
| Wards | 1,157 |
Memory tip: “1-2-46-88” adds up to 137. Say it as “one metro, two sub-metros, then the big numbers”. Itahari and Dharan are both in Sunsari, so Sunsari is the only district with two sub-metropolitan cities.
Land and nature
- Highest point: Sagarmatha (Mount Everest), 8,848.86 m, in Solukhumbu.
- Lowest point: Kechana Kalan in Jhapa, around 60 m above sea level. It is also the lowest point of Nepal.
- Largest district by area: Taplejung. Smallest: Tehrathum.
- Only Inner Madhesh (valley) district: Udayapur.
- Terai districts: Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari.
- Himalayan districts: Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu.
- Main river system: the Koshi (Saptakoshi), formed by the Sun Koshi, Arun and Tamor, which gives the province its name.
People
- Most populated district: Morang. Least populated: Tehrathum.
- Only four districts grew in population between the two censuses: Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari and Udayapur. The hill and mountain districts lost people, mainly through migration.
- Besides Nepali, the province has recommended Maithili and Limbu as additional official languages.
Common mistakes
- Writing “largest province”: Koshi is the second largest by area. Karnali is the largest.
- Confusing the largest district (Taplejung, by area) with the most populated district (Morang).
- Counting Udayapur as a Terai district. It is an Inner Madhesh (Bhitri Madhesh) district.
Practice questions
Which is the capital of Koshi Province?
- a) Itahari
- b) Dharan
- c) Biratnagar
- d) Dhankuta
Show answer
Answer: c. Biratnagar in Morang is the province capital and also its only metropolitan city.
How many local levels does Koshi Province have?
- a) 128
- b) 137
- c) 125
- d) 119
Show answer
Answer: b. 137: 1 metro, 2 sub-metros, 46 municipalities and 88 rural municipalities.
Which district of Koshi Province is the smallest by area?
- a) Tehrathum
- b) Bhojpur
- c) Dhankuta
- d) Okhaldhunga
Show answer
Answer: a. Tehrathum is the smallest by area and also the least populated.
Koshi Province ranks ___ in Nepal by area.
- a) 1st
- b) 2nd
- c) 3rd
- d) 4th
Show answer
Answer: b. Karnali is first; Koshi is second.
Which is the only Inner Madhesh district of Koshi Province?
- a) Sunsari
- b) Jhapa
- c) Udayapur
- d) Khotang
Show answer
Answer: c. Udayapur lies in the Inner Madhesh (valley) region.
Next step: learn the 14 districts and their headquarters, then try the full practice quizzes.