CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT REGION

The Central Development Region consists of 3 zones and 19 districts. Kathmandu is its regional headquarters. The area of Central Development Region is 27,410 square kilometer. Central Development Region is more developed than the others.

Physical environment: The Central Development Region has the terai in the south, the hills in the mountains in the north. Central Development Region has three mountain peaks higher than 7000 meter. They are Ganesh (7163meter) Langtang (7205 meter) and Gauri Shankhar (7134 meter). The river Sunkoshi originates from Langtang Himal and flows towards the east and joins with Koshi. Bagmati, the holy river flows towards the plains of terai in the south towards the Kathmandu valley. The other important rivers are Trishuli and Narayani. River Trishuli is famous for rafting. The Kathmandu valley is the most important valley with three important valleys like Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.

The rivers of the central development region are suitable for producing hydro-electricity. Chiwan and Hetauda are other two important valleys which lie in the inner terai. Langtang and Chitwan National Parks, Shivapuja Watershed and Wildlife Reserve and Parsa Wildlife Reserved are located in Central Development Region.

Socio-Economic environment: There is high density of population in the terai and valleys while hills have moderate and mountains have thin density of population. People belonging to different castes and ethnic groups live in the central development region. Mountain region is inhabited by Sherpas and Bhutias. Tamang, Magar, Gurung, Brahmin, Chettri, etc lives in the hills and Tharu, Marwaris, Muslims, Danuwar, Jirel, etc live in the terai. The Kathmandu valley is mostly inhabited by Newars. In the hills of Makawanpur district, a tribe called Chepang is found having their typical language and culture.

Mostly of the people are engaged in agriculture and animal rearing. The people living in the Kathmandu valley and other commercial cities are engaged in trade and business. There are ordinary houses in the hills with thatched roofs while there are modern cemented houses in the cities. There are many industries and factories. Birgunj is the important trade centre of the region. Other important industrial and commercial areas are Simara, Janakpur, Chitwan, Hetauda, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Banepa, Jaleswar, Kathmandu, etc. Central Development Region has some important highways like Kodari, Tribhuwan, Prithvi, B.P Koirala, etc. The only international airport of the country, Tribhuwan International Airport is in Kathmandu.