Jumla District: Human Settlements, Land Use, and Terrain

USAID/Nepal produced these two maps to aid the implementation of social programs created to improve living conditions and disaster preparedness in the remote Jumla district of Nepal by developing trails connecting villages and district headquarters. These maps were produced using topographic basemap data from the government of Nepal’s Survey Department and with available information from the mission and its partners. Analytical cartography tools and techniques were applied using ArcGIS to identify rural human settlements, trails, terrain, and land use.

Human Settlements and Land Use
The settlements in the Jumla district are scattered mainly on the slopes of mountains along river basins such as the Tila River. Most areas are at elevations below 2,700 meters, where cultivated lands make up about 12 percent of the district’s total land use. A significant portion of land cover is made up of grasslands and highland meadows often used for grazing Himalayan goat, sheep, and yak. These lands are abundant in medicinal herbs and have great potential for sustainable economic development.

Since Jumla is not yet connected by roads, villagers and animals are used to move food, supplies, and sick people between settlements along trails and footpaths. In emergency situations like drought, people must walk days to collect provisions. The trail along the Tila River (left, shown in orange/red), leading from one end of the district to the district headquarters in Khalanga, is only wide enough for several bicycles. A tractor, assembled after its parts were brought in by airplane, is used to transport goods to and from the airport and the district headquarters.

Human Settlements and Terrain
These maps helped USAID/Nepal identify trails and footpaths connecting villages and rural markets to upgrade them to animal tracks, which help alleviate the perpetual suffering of people carrying loads on their backs. This color-coded elevation map (right) shows the distribution of human settlements and the network of trails that people use for transport and communication on a rugged land surface in the Himalayas.

The elevation in the Jumla district ranges from a minimum of 2,040 meters to a maximum of 6,600 meters. About 60 percent of land is within the elevation range of 2,040 to 3,600 meters. Only 40 percent of the land is above 3,600 meters.

Courtesy of USAID/Nepal.