Bajura District, a part of Sudurpashchim Pradesh, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Martadi as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 108,781 in 2001 and 134,912 in 2011. The district has nine municipalities, 9 Ilakas and 1 constituency areas. The district is situated in Longitude between 81° 10′ 20″ to 81° 48′ 27″ East and Latitude 29° 16′ 21″ to 29° 56′ 56″ North. Geographically the district is divided in three distinct regions from north to south viz. Higher Himalayan Region, Higher Mountain and mid – Mountains. The Higher Himalayan region comprises Saipal Himalayan range; High Mountain region comprises Doha Lekh and Ghori Lekh. Similarly, Mid-Mountain range comprises different ranges of mountains e.g. Badimalika Temple. The District has started from 300m to 6400m in height. The annual rainfall is about 13,433 mm and temperatures vary from 0 °C to 40 °C. The livelihood of more than 80% of the district population depends on agriculture farming, mainly small scale livestock. Due to low level of agricultural production, the majority of the households face acute food shortages for a large part of the year. According to the National Census 2011, the total population of the district is 134,912 comprising 69,106 female and 65,806 male residing in 24,908 households. Bajura district has an average population density of around 62 people per square km. The average family size is 5.4. Life expectancy of the people is 58 years. The average literacy rate is about 32%. Bajura district has a multi ethnic composition with Chhetri, Kami, Thakuri, Brahman, Damai, SarkI and Sanyashi. The common language is Nepali followed by Bhote Sherpa and Tamang. Although accessibility to Bajura is very poor, this is improving rapidly. The Government strategy is mainly focused on the connection of VDC headquarters with all-weather motor able roads to SRN or District headquarters. Moreover, the DDC body of Bajura district has given higher priority on rural roads.
Geography and Climate
Demographics
At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Bajura District had a population of 134,912. Of these, 99.0% spoke Nepali and 0.5% Sherpa as their first language.
Administration
The district consists of nine municipalities, out of which four are urban municipalities and five are rural municipalities. These are as follows:
Prior to the restructuring of the district, Bajura District consisted of the following Village development committees:
Atichaur
Baddhu
Barhabise
Bichhiya
Bramhatola
Budhiganga
Chhatara
Dahakot
Dogadi
Gotri
Gudukhati
Jagannath
Jayabageshwari
Jugada
Kailashmandau
Kanda
Kolti
Kotila
Kuldeumadau
Manakot
Martadi
Pandusain
Rugin
Sappata
Tolidewal
Wai
Jukot
Health care
The small health centers in many VDCs are without Auxiliary Health Workers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives and Community Health Workers. Primary or normal treatment can be done in the district headquarters and also in Bayalpata Hospital of neighbouring district Accham while people seeking severe case have to travel a long distance to Kathmandu or other major cities or end up dying because of lack of treatment. Many people still believe in Dhami and Jhakri and do not always seek medicine or go to the hospital for the treatment. An NGO, PHASE Nepal provides many health care facilities and training programs to six VDCs: Kolti, Wai, Kotila, Pandusain, Rugin and Baddhu. Many people residing in these VDCs have benefited from the program. Currently PHASE Nepal is working on several projects in this district including community health and education, livelihood, hygiene, sanitation and diarrhoea mitigation programmes.
