Koshi Province · Nepal · Purwanchal
Eastern Development Region पूर्वाञ्चल नेपाल — आजको कोशी प्रदेश
Map · Former Eastern Development Region, now Koshi Province
The Eastern Development Region (Nepali: पुर्वाञ्चल विकास क्षेत्र) was one of Nepal's five former development regions, sometimes called the Kirata region. It occupied the eastern end of the country, with its headquarters at Dhankuta.
The 2015 Constitution dissolved the development-region system and made its 14 districts into an autonomous federal province, temporarily called Province No. 1. On 1 March 2023, the province's assembly formally adopted a permanent name: Koshi Province.
As per the cabinet meeting held on 17 January 2018, the city of Biratnagar was declared the interim capital of the province. It was later declared the permanent capital on 6 May 2019, when two-thirds of the provincial assembly's MLAs voted in favour of Biratnagar.
Koshi Province is made up of 14 districts, grouped historically into three zones:
Koshi Province at a Glance
Selected Municipalities of Koshi Province
A searchable, sortable list of key municipalities across the province's 14 districts. Note: this is a representative selection of notable municipalities, not an exhaustive list of every local body — see the complete district-by-district ward count below for full totals.
| SN | Municipality Name | Province | District |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phungling Municipality | Koshi Province | Taplejung |
| 2 | Phidim Municipality | Koshi Province | Panchthar |
| 3 | Ilam Municipality | Koshi Province | Ilam |
| 4 | Deumai Municipality | Koshi Province | Ilam |
| 5 | Mai Municipality | Koshi Province | Ilam |
| 6 | Suryodaya Municipality | Koshi Province | Ilam |
| 7 | Mechinagar Municipality | Koshi Province | Jhapa |
| 8 | Damak Municipality | Koshi Province | Jhapa |
| 9 | Shadananda Municipality | Koshi Province | Bhojpur |
| 10 | Bhojpur Municipality | Koshi Province | Bhojpur |
| 11 | Panchkhapan Municipality | Koshi Province | Sankhuwasabha |
| 12 | Chainpur Municipality | Koshi Province | Sankhuwasabha |
| 13 | Dharmadevi Municipality | Koshi Province | Sankhuwasabha |
| 14 | Khandbari Municipality | Koshi Province | Sankhuwasabha |
| 15 | Myanglung Municipality | Koshi Province | Terhathum |
| 16 | Laligurans Municipality | Koshi Province | Terhathum |
| 17 | Pakhribas Municipality | Koshi Province | Dhankuta |
| 18 | Dhankuta Municipality | Koshi Province | Dhankuta |
| 19 | Mahalaxmi Municipality | Koshi Province | Dhankuta |
| 20 | Itahari Sub-Metropolitan City | Koshi Province | Sunsari |
| 21 | Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City | Koshi Province | Sunsari |
| 22 | Inaruwa Municipality | Koshi Province | Sunsari |
| 23 | Duhabi Municipality | Koshi Province | Sunsari |
| 24 | Ramdhuni Municipality | Koshi Province | Sunsari |
| 25 | Barahachhetra Municipality | Koshi Province | Sunsari |
| 26 | Biratnagar Metropolitan City | Koshi Province | Morang |
| 27 | Belbari Municipality | Koshi Province | Morang |
| 28 | Pathari Shanishchare Municipality | Koshi Province | Morang |
| 29 | Letang Municipality | Koshi Province | Morang |
| 30 | Rangeli Municipality | Koshi Province | Morang |
| 31 | Ratuwamai Municipality | Koshi Province | Morang |
| 32 | Sunawarshi Municipality | Koshi Province | Morang |
| 33 | Urlabari Municipality | Koshi Province | Morang |
| 34 | Sundar Haraicha Municipality | Koshi Province | Morang |
| 35 | Belaka Municipality | Koshi Province | Udayapur |
| 36 | Chaudandigadhi Municipality | Koshi Province | Udayapur |
| 37 | Triyuga Municipality | Koshi Province | Udayapur |
| 38 | Katari Municipality | Koshi Province | Udayapur |
| 39 | Solududhkunda Municipality | Koshi Province | Solukhumbu |
| 40 | Halesi Tuwachung Municipality | Koshi Province | Khotang |
| 41 | Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality | Koshi Province | Khotang |
| 42 | Siddhicharan Municipality | Koshi Province | Okhaldhunga |
Local Bodies & Ward Distribution — All 14 Districts
Completed and cross-checked against Nepal's 2017 local-level restructuring records. The original source table omitted Dhankuta and Bhojpur districts; both are included here with the totals recalculated accordingly.
Top Places to Visit in Eastern Nepal
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Eastern Development Region still called that today?
No. The Eastern Development Region was dissolved in 2015 and its territory became Province No. 1, which was formally renamed Koshi Province on 1 March 2023.
Why was Province No. 1 renamed Koshi Province?
The provincial assembly voted 82 to 4 in favour of "Koshi," named after the Koshi River, the largest in Nepal. It was the last of Nepal's seven provinces to be formally named. Some ethnic-identity groups opposed the choice and continue to advocate for an alternative name.
What is the capital of Koshi Province?
Biratnagar is the capital. It was declared the interim capital on 17 January 2018 and made permanent on 6 May 2019 by a two-thirds vote of the provincial assembly.
How many districts are in Koshi Province?
Koshi Province has 14 districts, ranging from Taplejung and Panchthar in the high Himalaya to Jhapa and Sunsari in the Terai plains.
How big is Koshi Province, and what's its population?
The province covers 25,905 square kilometres — about 17.5% of Nepal's total area — with a population of approximately 5 million people as of the 2021 census.
What was the Eastern Development Region composed of before 2015?
It was composed of 16 districts organised into three zones — Mechi, Koshi, and Sagarmatha — with its headquarters at Dhankuta, established in 1972 under King Mahendra.
From Everest's slopes to the Koshi River's plains — eastern Nepal's story keeps being rewritten, and this guide keeps up with it.
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