Banke District ( , a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. The district, located in midwestern Nepal with Nepalganj as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 385,840 in 2001 and 491,313 in 2011. There are three main cities in the Banke District: Nepalganj, Kohalpur and Khajura Bajaar.
Geography and Climate
Banke is bordered on the west by Bardiya district. Rapti zone's Salyan and Dang Deukhuri Districts border to the north and east. To the south lies Uttar Pradesh, India, a country in Asia; specifically Shravasti and Bahraich districts of Awadh. East of Nepalganj the international border follows the southern edge of the Dudhwa Range of the Siwaliks.
Most of the district is drained by the Rapti, except the district's western edge is drained by the Babai. Rapti and Babai cross into Uttar Pradesh, a state in India, Nepal's neighboring country and eventually join the Karnali, whose name has changed to Ghaghara.
Demographics
At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Banke District had a population of 491,313.
As first language, 39.0% spoke Nepali, 24.0% Awadhi, 18.7% Urdu, 14.4% Tharu, 1.0% Maithili, 0.9% Magar, 0.7% Hindi, 0.4% Newar, 0.3% Doteli, 0.1% Bhojpuri, 0.1% Gurung, 0.1% Tamang and 0.1% other languages.
Ethnicity/caste: 19.2% were Musalman, 15.8% Tharu, 14.5% Chhetri, 6.5% Hill Brahmin, 5.7% Magar, 4.7% Kami, 4.7% Yadav, 3.6% Thakuri, 2.2% Kurmi, 1.9% Chamar/Harijan/Ram, 1.5% other Dalit, 1.5% Damai/Dholi, 1.3% Newar, 1.1% Dhobi, 1.0% Kathabaniyan, 1.0% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 1.0% other Terai, 0.9% Dusadh/Pasawan/Pasi, 0.9% Hajam/Thakur, 0.9% Kori, 0.8% Terai Brahmin, 0.8% Gurung, 0.8% Teli, 0.7% Kanu, 0.6% Kayastha, 0.5% Halwai, 0.4% Badhaee, 0.4% Kahar, 0.4% Sarki, 0.3% Gaderi/Bhedihar, 0.3% Koiri/Kushwaha, 0.3% Kumal, 0.3% Kumhar, 0.3% Mallaha, 0.3% Marwadi, 0.2% Bengali, 0.2% Chidimar, 0.2% Kalwar, 0.2% Kewat, 0.2% Lohar, 0.2% Sonar, 0.2% Tamang, 0.1% Badi, 0.1% Baraee, 0.1% Gaine, 0.1% Lodh, 0.1% Mali, 0.1% Musahar, 0.1% Pattharkatta/Kushwadiya, 0.1% Rai, 0.1% Rajbanshi, 0.1% Rajput and 0.1% others.
Religion: 78.4% were Hindu, 19.0% Muslim, 1.3% Christian, 1.1% Buddhist and 0.1% others.
Literacy: 61.9% could read and write, 2.6% could only read and 35.4% could neither read nor write.
Sub- Metropolitan City, Municipality and Rural Municipalities
There are one Sub-metropolitan city, one Municipality and six Rural Municipalities in Banke District. Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City Kohalpur Municipality Rapti-Sonari Rural Municipality Narainapur Rural Municipality Duduwa Rural Municipality Janaki Rural Municipality Khajura Rural Municipality Baijanath Rural Municipality