Dhankuta District (Nepali: धनकुटा जिल्ला) () is one of 14 districts of Koshi Province of eastern Nepal. The district covers an area of 891 km2 (344 sq mi) and has a population (2011) of 163,412.[1] The hill town of Dhankuta serves as the district headquarters of Dhankuta District.
Dhankuta was a part of Limbuwan (pallo kirat) before unification of those parts into Kingdom of Nepal.
After 1816 there were 10 districts in Nepal and Dhankuta-chainpur district was one of them. All land from east of Dudhkosi river to the Mechi river was one district Dhankuta-chainpur.[2]
From 1885 to 1962 Nepal remained divided into 32 districts and there were six districts in eastern-hill region: East No. 1, East No. 2, East No. 3, East No. 4, Ilam and Dhankuta. Dhankuta was center of these districts. That time also dhankuta was a large (by area) district. Current Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum, Taplejung, Panchthar and Dhankuta districts were Incorporated under one district. The total area of the former Dhankuta district was 3,448 square miles (8,930 km2).[2][3]
In 1962, Nepal divided into 75 districts and 16 districts of eastern Nepal grouped to form Eastern Development Region and Dhankuta became the headquarter of it.[4][5]
Dhankuta is a mid-hill district of eastern hill region of Nepal. It is situated between 26°53' to 27°19' north latitude and 87°8' to 88°33' east longitude. Total area of the district is 888.7 square kilometres (343.1 sq mi) and it is located at 243 metres (9,600 in) to 629 metres (24,800 in) of elevation above sea level.[6]
The vegetation zones in the district range from sub-tropical Sal forest along the Tamor and Arun rivers, and cooler temperate forests on some of the high ridges that mark the watershed between the two catchments. The altitude ranges from around 300m to 2500m. The majority of the population are involved in agriculture and crops include maize, rice and millet. Important cash crops include citrus fruits, cauliflower, cabbage, ginger, and in recent years, tea. A well-preserved forest (Rani Ban – Queen's Forest) spreads along a ridge line on the northwest side of the village, with well-developed mature stands of rhododendron and sallo (pine) trees.
At the time of the 2021 Nepal census, Dhankuta District had a population of 150,599. It has a literacy rate of 73.9% and a sex ratio of 1040 females per 1000 males. 27,351 (19.41%) lived in municipalities.[9]
Ethnicity/caste of Dhankuta district (2021)[10]
Ethnicity/caste: 19.93% of the population were Chhetri, 19.70% Rai, 13.85% Limbu, 10.35% Magar, 6.56% Tamang, 4.48% Newar, 4.09% Bahun, 3.65% Kami, 3.56% Athpahariya, 2.88% Yakkha, 2.14% Damai, 1.42% Sarki, 1.39% Gurung and 1.08% Bhujel.[10]
Religion: 49.56% were Hindu, 34.74% Kirati, 13.11% Buddhist and 2.47% Christian.[11]
Languages of Dhankuta district (2021)[12]