Sankhuwasabha District
# Sankhuwasabha District

Sankhuwasabha District (Nepali: सङ्खुवासभा जिल्ला Listen (help·info)) is one of 14 districts of Koshi Province of eastern Nepal. The district's area is 3,480 $km^2$ with a population of 159,203 in 2001 and 158,742 in 2011. The administrative center is Khandbari.

Bordering districts are Bhojpur, Tehrathum, Dhankuta, Solukhumbu and Taplejung in Koshi Province. Tingri County of Shigatse Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China borders to the north.

## Geography and climate

| Climate Zone | Elevation Range | % of Area |
| - | - | - |
| Lower Tropical | below 300 meters (1,000 ft) | 0.4% |
| Upper Tropical | 300 to 1,000 meters 1,000 to 3,300 ft. | 10.0% |
| Subtropical | 1,000 to 2,000 meters 3,300 to 6,600 ft. | 24.8% |
| Temperate | 2,000 to 3,000 meters 6,400 to 9,800 ft. | 23.3% |
| Subalpine | 3,000 to 4,000 meters 9,800 to 13,100 ft. | 12.8% |
| Alpine | 4,000 to 5,000 meters 13,100 to 16,400 ft. | 8.4% |
| Nival | above 5,000 meters | 20.4% |

The Arun River enters from Tibet at an elevation of about 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) and flows south across the district, forming one of the world's deepest valleys relative to 8,481 meter Makalu to the west and 8,586 meter Kangchenjunga to the east.

## Demographics

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Sankhuwasabha District had a population of 158,742.

Language in Sankhuwasabha District (2011) :

| Language | Language | Percent | Percent |
| - | - | - | - |
| Nepali | Nepali | 46.1% | 46.1% |
| Tamang | Tamang | 8.9% | 8.9% |
| Sherpa | Sherpa | 8% | 8% |
| Kulung | Kulung | 6.6% | 6.6% |
| Limbu | Limbu | 5% | 5% |
| Yakkha | Yakkha | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Yamphu | Yamphu | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Gurung | Gurung | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Magar | Magar | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Others | Others | 12.8% | 12.8% |

As their first language, 46.1% spoke Nepali, 8.8% Tamang, 8.0% Sherpa, 6.6% Kulung, 5.0% Limbu, 4.3% Yakkha, 3.2% Yamphu, 2.9% Gurung, 2.3% Magar, 2.2% Rai, 1.9% Newar, 1.8% Lohorung, 1.6% Mewahang, 1.1% Khaling, 0.9% Chamling, 0.6% Thulung, 0.4% Lhomi, 0.3% Maithili, 0.2% Bantawa, 0.2% Nachhiring, 0.1% Bahing, 0.1% Bhujel, 0.1% Dumi, 0.1% Jerung, 0.1% Koi, 0.1% Sampang, 0.1% Sindhi and 0.5% other languages.

Ethnicity/caste: 18.3% were Chhetri, 10.7% Rai, 10.5% Tamang, 6.2% Kulung, 5.8% Sherpa, 5.5% Limbu, 5.4% Gurung, 5.3% Hill Brahmin, 4.8% Kami, 4.7% Newar, 4.5% Yakkha, 3.3% Magar, 2.7% Yamphu, 2.2% Bhote, 2.2% Damai/Dholi, 1.4% Mewahang Bala, 1.3% Sarki, 0.7% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 0.6% Kumal, 0.6% Lohorung, 0.5% Gharti/Bhujel, 0.5% Lhomi, 0.4% Thulung, 0.3% Khaling, 0.2% Chamling, 0.1% Kayastha, 0.1% Majhi, 0.1% Marwadi, 0.1% Nachhiring, 0.1% Thakuri and 0.5% others.

Religion in Sankhuwasabha District (2011) :

| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| - | - | - | - |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 12.7% | 12.7% |
| Kiratism | Kiratism | 58.8% | 58.8% |
| Buddhism | Buddhism | 27.6% | 27.6% |
| Others | Others | 0.9% | 0.9% |

Religion: 42.7% were Hindu, 28.8% Kirati, 26.6% Buddhist, 1.5% Christian, 0.1% Prakriti and 0.3% others.

Literacy: 69.3% could read and write, 2.8% could only read, and 27.8% could neither read nor write.

## Divisions

Sankhuwasabha District is divided into the following subdivisions:

| Local Body | Nepali | Type | Population (2021) |
| - | - | - | - |
| Bhotkhola | भोटखोला | Rural municipality | 6,438 |
| Chainpur | चैनपुर | Municipality | 26,799 |
| Chichila | चिचिला | Rural municipality | 6,477 |
| Dharmadevi | धर्मदेवी | Municipality | 16,053 |
| Khandbari | खाँदबारी | Municipality | 35,565 |
| Madi | मादी | Municipality | 13,273 |
| Makalu | मकालु | Rural municipality | 13,424 |
| Panchkhapan | पाँचखपन | Municipality | 16,348 |
| Savapokhari | सभापोखरी | Rural municipality | 9,970 |
| Silichong | सिलीचोङ | Rural municipality | 10,296 |
