Where exactly is Madhesh?
Eastern Terai, flat plains from 58m to 920m. Koshi Province east, Bagmati + Chitwan/Parsa forests north/west, Bihar south. Mahendra Highway east–west, Janakpur–Jaynagar railway to India, airports at Janakpur, Simara, Rajbiraj.
Mixed & young
Yadav 15%, Muslim 13%, Teli, Tharu, Kushwaha, Dhanuk, Musahar + hill Janajati & Khas. Hindu 84%, Islam 13%, Buddhist 2%.
Maithili heartland
Maithili ~42%, Bhojpuri ~19%, Bajjika ~18%, Nepali ~6%, Tharu, Urdu, Magahi, Tamang. Three official languages.
Birgunj leads
Birgunj (241k) > Janakpur (159k) > Kalaiya > Jitpur-Simara > Lahan > Rajbiraj > Chandrapur.
1 metro, 136 palikas
Birgunj metro, 3 sub-metros, 73 municipalities, 59 rural municipalities. Assembly: 107 seats in Janakpur.
The 8 districts, west to east
About 6.1 million people (2021 census) on 9,661 km² — Nepal's smallest, densest province at 633/km².
Dry port, Pathlaiya corridor, Parsa National Park edge. Nepal's trade door.
Simara airport, Jitpur-Simara industry, Gadhimai Temple.
Sugarcane belt, Gaur–Rajdevi, flood-prone Bagmati/Lalbakaiya rivers.
Tomato + sugarcane capital, Lalbandi–Barahathwa growth towns.
Jaleshwar Mahadev, Bardibas junction, Bardibas–Gaushala farms.
Capital Janakpur: Janaki Mandir, ponds, railway, Mithila art.
Lahan market town, Kamala river, Chhinnamasta nearby.
Planned city Rajbiraj, Chhinnamasta, Kankalini, Koshi Tappu east.