Sankhuwasabha District

Sankhuwasabha District (सङ्खुवासभा जिल्ला ) is one of 14 districts of Koshi Province of eastern Nepal. The district's area is 3,480 km2 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. 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. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Sankhuwasabha District had a population of 158,742. 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: 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.