What you need to know
Biratnagar is a sub-metropolitan city and the second largest city of Nepal. According to the 2011 census, the city ranks fourth in population. But, The city ranks second is population density after kathmandu. Biratnagar is the industrial capital of Nepal and has a total area of 22.58 mi² (58.48 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 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.
Population: 204,949 (2011)
Area: 22.58 mi²
Currency
The Nepalese rupee is the official currency of Nepal. Nepalese rupee was introduced in 1932 and it replaced the Nepalese mohar at 2:1. Nepalese rupee is subdivided into 100 paisa. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Nepal Rastra Bank. The Nepalese rupee is currently pegged to the Indian rupee at 1.6:1.
Climate
Biratnagar’s climate is classified as warm and temperate. The summers here have a good deal of rainfall, while the winters have very little. The climate here is classified as Cwa by the Köppen-Geiger system. In Biratnagar, the average annual temperature is 24.3 °C. The rainfall here averages 1898 mm. The least amount of rainfall occurs in December. The average in this month is 4 mm. Most of the precipitation here falls in July, averaging 543 mm. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 28.9 °C. January is the coldest month, with temperatures averaging 16.2 °C.
Language
The main language is Nepali and Maithili (although the local dialect of Maithili differs from what is spoken further west). English is well understood by the educated mass.
Safety
Biratnagar is internationally known for its overwhelming friendliness and hospitality towards foreigners. However, there is still a low crime rate so use your common sense. Watch out for pick-pockets and bag-snatching. Travel by bus or air into the hills and mountains is statistically hundreds of times riskier than normal travel in Western Europe and the U.S. Stay away from strikes and demonstrations. They can turn violent. Get insurance that will cover medical evacuation by helicopter if you become seriously ill or injured while trekking. Inform your embassy or consulate about this insurance and contact them if you need evacuation.
Education
Biratnagar is the center of education in the Eastern Development Region of Nepal. Home to the Purbanchal University, Biratnagar has a number of good colleges and educational institutes including medical and engineering institutes.The medium of teaching is English in all the private schools, colleges and universities whereas Nepali is the medium of instruction in government schools up to secondary level.Along with this the quality of education of Biratnagar is improving at a rapid rate.
Getting Around
Rickshaws are a good option within the city, and walking is easy between most places. Expect to pay about 20 rupees km for a rickshaw depending on how many people you are or if you have a lot of cargo. There are no official taxi services, but taxis are easily available at the airport, near Mahendra chowk, and from major hotels. There are tampoo’s (auto-ricksaws) around the city which are often cheaper than other transportation options. Buses aren’t used frequently in the urban centre.
