Biratnagar

Biratnagar, city, south-eastern Nepal, situated in the low, fertile Terai (a marshy jungle between the Himalayan foothills and plains) of Nepal, about 240 km (150 mi) south-east of the capital Kathmandu. Biratnagar is located 16 km (10 mi) north of the border with the Indian state of Bihar, and lies 110 km (70 mi) south-west of the Indian town of Darjiling. It is Nepal’s second-most populous city and is an important road junction. The principal economic activities in Biratnagar revolve around cotton, sugar, and jute (although the production of jute is now in decline). The Biratnagar Jute Mills, built in 1936, were Nepal’s first major industrial centre and remain the country’s largest single employer. The nearby River Kosi hydroelectric power project provides power to eastern Nepal. There is also a fish-breeding and exporting centre that was set up with financial and technical help from the United States. The Royal Chitwan National park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, is nearby. Population (1991) 130,129.