Rolpa, is a "hill" district in Lumbini Province of Nepal. Rolpa district covers an area of 1,879 km2 with population (2011) of 221,177. Rolpa town is the district's administrative center. The various grievances of Rolpa's population made the district ripe for revolt. It became a "Maoist Stronghold" of the Communist Party of Nepal. In May 2002 a major battle between Maoist guerrillas and the army was fought at Lisne Lekh near the Rolpa-Pyuthan border.

History

Before the 15th century, the region that is now Rolpa District was under the control of the Rukumkot Kingdom, ruled by the King of Rukum District. The area's political landscape changed when Tuthansen, the King of Salyankot, established a separate kingdom by annexing 18 villages from the Rukumkot Kingdom. This event marked the formation of the Gajulkot Kingdom. These villages were given to Tuthansen as part of a dowry arrangement by Jayant Berma, the then King of Rukumkot. The historical remnants of Gajulkot still exist in Rolpa District, serving as a testament to its rich history. During the Rana regime in Nepal, the region that constitutes present-day Rolpa was not a separate district. Instead, it was divided between two larger administrative units: Pyuthan District and Salyan District. This arrangement persisted until 1962, when the government undertook administrative reforms to streamline the district divisions across the country. It was during this time that Rolpa was officially recognized and established as an independent district, carved out from portions of Pyuthan and Salyan Districts. Rolpa's history is deeply intertwined with the broader regional politics of Nepal. Its establishment as a distinct district not only marked a reorganization of administrative boundaries but also paved the way for it to develop its own unique cultural and historical identity. The region holds significant historical value, with its ruins providing insight into the past kingdoms and territorial dynamics that shaped its early years. The influence of these historical shifts is still evident in Rolpa's cultural heritage and the collective memory of its people.

Administrative divisions

Rolpa district is divided into 10 local level bodies in which nine are rural municipalities and one is municipality:

Geography and climate

Rolpa is drained southward by the Madi Khola from a complex of 3,000 to 4,000 meter ridges about 50 kilometers south of the Dhaulagiri Himalaya. This mountainous barrier historically isolated Rolpa by encouraging travelers between India and Tibet to detour to follow easier routes to the east or west, while east–west travelers found easier routes to the north through Dhorpatan Valley, or to the south through Dang Valley or along the Mahabharat Range.

Demographics

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Rolpa District had a population of 224,506. As their first language, 86.1% spoke Nepali, 10.8% Magar, 2.6% Kham, 0.3% Gurung and 0.1% other languages. Ethnicity/caste: 43.4% were Magar, 33.9% Chhetri, 12.3% Kami, 3.6% Damai/Dholi, 2.3% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 1.1% Hill Brahmin, 0.9% Thakuri, 0.8% Sarki, 0.5% other Dalit, 0.5% Gurung, 0.2% Newar, 0.1% Badi, 0.1% Musalman and 0.2% others. Religion: 85.2% were Hindu, 11.7% Buddhist, 1.7% Christian, 0.7% Prakriti, 0.1% Muslim and 0.6% others. Literacy: 59.3% could read and write, 3.2% could only read and 37.5% could neither read nor write. ===Population by Census 1971-2021 ===

Historic, cultural, archeological sites

Health services

Rolpa is one of the most remote district in Nepal in terms of Health services some notable Health care centers being: