The one Metropolitan city in Province No. 1.

The one Metropolitan city in Province No. 1.
Name:- Biratnagar (विराटनगर),
District:- Morang District,
Geocode:- 11214
Population:- 214,663

Biratnagar is a metropolitan city and interim capital of Province No. 1 of Nepal. According to the 2011 census, the city ranks fifth in population. It ranks second in population density after Kathmandu. Biratnagar is the industrial capital of Nepal and has a total area of 40.108 mi² (103.88 km²). Its geographical location is 26°28'60"N 87°16'60"E. The city is located in Morang District in the Kosi Zone of the eastern Terai region of Nepal. It lies 399 km east of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, and 6 km north of the border of the Indian state of Bihar. It lies in the Province No. 1, as per the new Constitution of Nepal 2015. It was declared as a Metropolitan city on 22nd of May, 2017 along with Birgunj. The city is upgraded to metropolis by adding Tankisinuwari and Jahada-3 making the total population to reach 240,000 from current population of 214,000.


History
The old name of Biratnagar was Gograha Bazaar. In 1914 AD, Colonel Jit Bahadur Khatri, the district governor, laid the foundations of modern Biratnagar by moving the hospital, post office, jail and the customs, land registry, forestry and auditor offices to Gograha Bazaar from Rangeli, the district capital of Morang at the time. Biratnagar got its present name in 1919 AD (around 1976 BS) from Keshar Shamsher Rana after objects of historical importance, believed to be of King Virata's time, were found in the place. The region is believed to be a part of the kingdom of Virata, mentioned in the Mahabharata. The ruins of the palace along with stone carved tools, idols, and household objects can be seen protected in the southern part of Biratnagar, close to the border. In Nepali birat means huge and nagar means city.

On March 4, 1947, the first anti-Rana movement on Nepali soil took place in Biratnagar in the form of the Biratnagar jute mill strike under the leadership of Girija Prasad Koirala along with Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala. This sparked a countrywide anti-Rana demonstration that eventually led to the abolishment of Rana rule in Nepal.

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