Ramechhap District (Nepali: रामेछाप जिल्लाListen), a part of Bagmati Province, is a district of Nepal. The district, also known as Wallo Kirat Ramechhap, has its district headquarters in Manthali and covers an area of 1,546 km2 (597 sq mi). In 2011, the district had a population of 202,646[1] and population density of 137.4 per km2 (53.1 per sq mi). It has 11 post offices, with the District Post Office bearing the postal code 45400.

Ramechhap District
रामेछाप
Panch Pokhari at Ramechhap
Panch Pokhari at Ramechhap
Location of district in province
Location of district in province
Country Nepal
ProvinceBagmati Province
Administrative headquartersManthali
Government
 • TypeCoordination committee
 • BodyDCC, Ramechhap
Area
 • Total
1,546 km2 (597 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
202,646
 • Density130/km2 (340/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+05:45 (NPT)
Main Language(s)Nepali, Magar, Sunuwar, Tamang, Newari and Haayu
Official Language(s)Nepali
Websitewww.ddcramechhap.gov.np

According to EHRP Nepal,[2] the district is made up of eight local municipalities:

Ramechhap District has the highest population of the endangered native group the Kusunda and the lowest population growth rate in Nepal.[3]


Etymology

edit

The district was named after Ramechhap village. The word Ramechhap comes from two Nepali words, Ram (person's name) and chhap (mark). According to folklore, the village of Ramechhap was once occupied by the Tamang people. A Tamang member of the village, named Ram, was granted the role of mukhtiyari (village leader) by royal decree. Consequently, land ownership and other legal activities were authorized in the village by the stamp (chhap) of Ram.

According to another legend, the Tamang people used to rear their domesticated animals such as buffalo, goats, etc. in an open meadow in the district. The word ra means 'goat', mey means 'ox', and chhawa means their offspring; the meadow of the ra-mey-chhawa ultimately became "Ramechhap".[4]

Geography and climate

edit
Climate Zone[5] Elevation Range % of Area
Upper Tropical 300 to 1,000 meters
1,000 to 3,300 ft.
18.0%
Subtropical 1,000 to 2,000 meters
3,300 to 6,600 ft.
42.1%
Temperate 2,000 to 3,000 meters
6,400 to 9,800 ft.
21.0%
Subalpine 3,000 to 4,000 meters
9,800 to 13,100 ft.
 6.7%
Alpine 4,000 to 5,000 meters
13,100 to 16,400 ft.
 3.6%
Nival above 5,000 meters  7.3%

Demographics

edit
Historical population
Census yearPop.±% p.a.
1981 161,445—    
1991 188,064+1.54%
2001 212,408+1.22%
2011 202,646−0.47%
2021 170,620−1.71%
Source: Citypopulation[6]

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Ramechhap District had a population of 202,646.

As their first language, 59.4% spoke Nepali, 18.3% Tamang, 6.9% Newari, 5.2% Magar, 5.1% Sherpa, 3.7% Sunuwar, 2.1% Majhi, 1.6% Sherpa, 1.0% Thangmi, 0.5% Yolmo, 0.2% Vayu, 0.2% Maithili, 0.2% Pahari and 0.1% other languages.[7]

Ethnicity/caste: 26.8% Chhetri, 19.2% Tamang, 14.5% Newar, 11.2% Magar, 4.8% Hill Brahmin, 4.2% Sunuwar, 3.2% Kami, 3.1% Sarki, 3.0% Majhi, 2.3% Damai/Dholi, 2.0% Sherpa, 1.6% Gharti/Bhujel, 1.0% Thami, 0.8% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 0.5% Yolmo, 0.4% Hayu, 0.4% Pahari, 0.2% other Dalit, 0.1% Badi, 0.1% Gurung and 0.2% others.[8]

Religion: 71.9% were Hindu, 24.7% Buddhist, 1.6% Christian, 1.4% Prakriti and 0.3% others.[9]

Literacy: 62.0% could read and write, 3.7% could only read and 34.2% could neither read nor write.[10]

Old Village Development Committees (VDCs)

edit
 
Map of the VDCs in Ramechhap District

Newly formed local administrative bodies

edit
Name Nepali Population (2011) Area (km2) Density (Population/km2)
Manthali Municipality मन्थली नगरपालिका 45,416 100.7 451
Ramechhap Municipality रामेछाप नगरपालिका 28,612 202.45[11] 141
Umakunda Rural Municipality उमाकुँण्ड गाउँपालिका 17,601 452 39
Khandadevi Rural Municipality खाँडादेभी गाउँपालिका 25,761 150.7 170.9
Doramba Rural Municipality दोरम्वा गाउँपालिका 22,738 140.88 161.4
Gokulganga Rural Municipality गोकुलगँगा गाउँपालिका 20,074 198.4 101.2
Likhutamakoshi Rural Municipality लिखु तामाकोशी गाउँपालिका 23,109 124.5 185.6
Sunapati Rural Municipality सुनापति गाउँपालिका 18,141 86.9 208.7

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "National Population and Housing Census 2011" (PDF). November 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 July 2013.
  2. ^ "EHRP Nepal: Ramechhap Inspection Dashboard". ehrpinspection.nra.gov.np. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  3. ^ District Profile of Ramechhap at Central Bureau of Statistics, Nepal website (in Nepali) Archived 2009-04-30 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Book: Ramechhap: Introduction, Publication: District Development Committee, Ramechhap, Language: Nepali
  5. ^ The Map of Potential Vegetation of Nepal (PDF), Forest & Landscape Denmark, 2005, ISBN 87-7903-210-9, archived (PDF) from the original on 8 Feb 2023, retrieved 22 Nov 2022
  6. ^ "NEPAL: Administrative Division". www.citypopulation.de.
  7. ^ NepalMap Language [1]
  8. ^ NepalMap Caste [2]
  9. ^ NepalMap Religion [3]
  10. ^ NepalMap Literacy [4]
  11. ^ "Brief Introduction - Ramechhap Municipality". Ramechhap Mun. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
edit

27°20′0″N 86°5′0″E / 27.33333°N 86.08333°E / 27.33333; 86.08333