Birgunj
Birgunj
वीरगञ्ज Gateway of Nepal | |
|---|---|
| Birgunj Metropolitan City | |
Ghadiarwa Pokhari Ghantaghar Shankharacharya Gate Decoration on chaat Palace of Birgunj Main Building of ICP Birgunj Customs Office | |
| Nickname: Commercial Capital of Nepal | |
| Coordinates: 27°0′N 84°52′E / 27.000°N 84.867°E | |
| Country | Nepal |
| Province | Madhesh |
| District | Parsa |
| Founded | 1897 |
| Founded by | Bir Shamsher JBR |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Rajesh Man Singh (JSP) |
| • Deputy Mayor | Imtiyaz Alam (NC) |
| • Chief Administrative Officer | Laxmi Prasad Paudel |
| Area | |
• Total | 75.24 km2 (29.05 sq mi) |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 19 km (12 mi) |
| • Width | 4 km (2 mi) |
| Elevation | 92 m (302 ft) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 268,273 |
| • Rank | 5th largest |
| • Density | 3,600/km2 (9,200/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Birgunj |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Nepali |
| • Native | Bhojpuri |
| Time zone | UTC+5:45 (NST) |
| Postal code | 44300, 44301 |
| Area code | 51 |
| Website | birgunjmun |
Birgunj (Nepali: वीरगञ्ज) is a metropolitan city in Parsa District in Madhes Pradesh in southern Nepal. It lies 135 km (84 mi) south of the capital Kathmandu, attached in the north to Raxaul on the border of the Indian state of Bihar. As an entry point to Nepal from Patna, Birgunj is known as the "Gateway of Nepal". It is also called the "Commercial Capital of Nepal". The town has significant economic importance for Nepal as most of the trade with India is via Birgunj and the Indian town of Raxaul. The Tribhuvan Highway links Birgunj to Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.
Birgunj was one of the first three municipalities formed during the rule of Prime Minister Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana. It was declared a Metropolitan City on 22 May 2017 along with Biratnagar and Pokhara. Birgunj is one of the largest cities in Nepal and the largest in Madhesh Province. Birgunj is the fifth most populated metropolis of the nation.