Nepal is organised as a federal republic with multiple territorial layers for governance and service delivery. Under the current constitutional framework adopted in 2015, the country is divided into seven provinces which are further subdivided into districts and local units. This arrangement replaced the older Zones and Development Regions and established elected provincial and local bodies as part of Nepal’s transition to federalism. For more information about the country in general see Nepal.

General structure

  • Provinces: top subnational tier (seven provinces)
  • Districts: intermediate units that remain important for coordination
  • Local levels: municipalities and rural municipalities that deliver most local services

Provinces are political and administrative units with their own elected assemblies, executives, and limited legislative powers. They prepare provincial plans, manage certain public services and coordinate with the federal government. Districts continue to exist as recognized geographic and administrative entities; each district typically has a District Coordination Committee that helps link local bodies with the provincial government and supports inter‑municipal cooperation.

Local government is the level closest to citizens and is responsible for primary education, basic health services, local roads, drinking water, small infrastructure and local planning. The 2017 reorganisation created 753 local units that vary by size and urban status: metropolitan cities, sub‑metropolitan cities, municipalities, and rural municipalities. Metropolitan and sub‑metropolitan cities are urban centres with greater population and administrative capacity, while rural municipalities cover sparsely populated or agricultural areas.

The reform significantly changed administrative practice: it devolved powers and revenue sources to provinces and local units, introduced elected provincial governments, and eliminated the former Zone and Development Region system. While many district boundaries remained unchanged, a few were adjusted to reflect the new local units and provincial borders.

Key distinctions to note: provinces exercise legislative and budgetary authority within their constitutional remit; districts serve coordinative and administrative functions rather than direct governance over residents; and local units are primary providers of everyday public services. This three‑tier arrangement aims to bring decision‑making closer to communities while maintaining national cohesion and standards.