Achham District


Achham is a district located in Sudurpashchim province and one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. It is one of the nine districts of the province. The district, with Mangalsen as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,692 km and has a population of 257,477.

Etymology

There are many cultural meaning about the naming of the district but one interesting folklore is that:

History

Madan Singh Thapa was the first king of Achham in the 5th century. Achham was a part of Doti Kingdom during medieval era. Nepal annexed Doti in 1790. It remained part of Doti District until 1961. On 13 April 1961, Achham district carved out from Doti District and declared a separate district

Geography and Climate

Achham covers an area of and located at Latitude: 280°46’ North to 290°23' North and Longitude: 810°32 East to 810°35' East. 90% area of Achham is mid-hill and 10% is high-hill. The maximum elevation of the district is and minimum elevation is from the sea level. The district is surrounded by Bajura District in the North, Doti District in the West, Dailekh District in the East and Surkhet District in the South.

Rivers

The district has 31 rivers in total, the main being the Karnali, Seti, Budhiganga, Ekdi khola, Kailash Khola, Lungreligad, Pravaligad, Kashagad, Saranigad, Ardoligad, Talrawa and Barlegad.
Climhiate ZoneElevation Range% of Area
Upper Tropical300 to 1,000 meters
1,000 to 3,300 ft.		27.4%
Subtropical1,000 to 2,000 meters
3,300 to 6,600 ft.		58.3%
Temperate2,000 to 3,000 meters
6,400 to 9,800 fters
9,800 to 13,100 ft.		 1.0%

Demographics

At the time of the 2021 Nepal census, Achham District had a population of 228,852. 10.96% of the population is under 5 years of age. It has a literacy rate of 72.64% and a sex ratio of 1173 females per 1000 males. 99,568 lived in municipalities.
Khas people make up a majority of the population with 99% of the population. Chhetris make up 55% of the population, while Khas Dalits make up 29% of the population. Hill Janjatis, mainly Magars, are 1% of the population.
At the time of the 2021 census, 57.43% of the population spoke Nepali and 40.44% Achhami as their first language. In 2011, 66.4% of the population spoke Nepali as their first language.

Administration

The district is administered by District Coordination Committee, District Administration Office and District Court as follows:
AdministrationName of unitsHead
LegislativeDistrict Coordination Committee
ExecutiveDistrict Administration OfficeMr. Bhojraj Shreshtha
JudicialDistrict CourtMr. Navin Kumar Joshi

Administrative Divisions

Accham is divided into total of ten local level bodies, of which four are urban and six are rural.
#NameNepaliTypePopulation Area
1Mangalsenमङ्गलसेनmunicipality32331220.14
2Kamalbazarकमलबजारmunicipality23738120.78
3Sanfebagarसाँफेबगरmunicipality33788166.71
4Panchadewal Binayakपञ्चदेवलmunicipality27485147.75
5Ramaroshanरामारोशनrural municipality25,166173.33
6Chaurpatiचौरपाटीrural municipality25,149182.16
7Turmakhandतुर्माखाँदrural municipality24,940232.07
8Mellekhमेल्लेखrural municipality24,670134.78
9Dhakariढँकारीrural municipality21,562227.88
10Bannigadi Jayagadबान्नीगडीजैगडrural municipality17,35958.26

Transportation

Achham is one of the remotest districts of Nepal. It is accessible by automobile from Kathmandu and Nepalgunj via a paved road that runs along the western border of Nepal from Dhangadhi. The unpaved road of Mid-Hill Highway through Dailakh district also traverses to Mangalsen by crossing Karnali at Rakam.
Mangalsen, the district headquarters, is an eight-hour walk and a 2.5 hour drive from Sanphebagar – a town in Achham sporting a non-functional domestic airport. A bridge crosses the Budhiganga River in Sanphebagar allowing access during high water, a second bridge over the Kailash River. During 2009/2010, the government of Nepal has constructed a paved road connecting Sanphebagar to Mangalsen. The district is served by two hospitals, the government district hospital in Mangalsen and one recently opened in Bayalpata named Bayalpata Hospital that is a collaboration between the government and the non-profit organization Nyaya Health.

Education

71% of men aged five and above are literate in Achham compared to 75% at the national level, only 43% of such women in the district can read and write.

FM radio and newspapers

Achham Besd six FM radio and three newspapers are running now.

Newspapers

  • Ramaroshan Daily
  • Khaptad News daily
  • ''Miracle weekly''

    FM Radio

  • Ramaroshan
  • Janapriya
  • Society
  • Achham
  • Panchadewol
  • Paribartan
  • Redio Bannigadhi 93.4
  • Sanfebagar Fm