| Official Name: | Panchkhal |
| Native Name: | पाँचखाल |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Pushpin Map: | Nepal |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Nepal |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Nepal |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Bagmati Province |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kavrepalanchok District |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Mahesh Kharel |
| Leader Title1: | Deputy Mayor |
| Leader Name1: | Surya Maya Danuwar |
| Established Date: | 17 July 2011[1] |
| Population As Of: | 2022 |
| Population Total: | 42,011 |
| Population Density Km2: | 386.6/km2 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Timezone: | NST |
| Utc Offset: | +5:45 |
| Coordinates: | 27.65°N 122°W |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 45212[2] |
| Area Code: | 011 |
Panchkhal (ne|पाँचखाल) is a Municipality in Kavrepalanchok District in the Bagmati Province of central Nepal. Panchkhal has an area of 103 km2 and population density of 386.6/km2, according to the 2011 census.[3] Glacial strand retreat and fluvial incision led todevelop landscapes and evolve the area having arelief of about 122 to 750 m.[4] At the time of the 2011 Nepal census it had a population of 35340 in 8948 households combining of the previous VDCs that were merged.[5] Previous Aniakot, HokseBazar, Kharelthok, Koshidekha, Baluwa & Panchkhal VDCs was merged to form the agriculturally rich Panchkhal[6] Municipality with the motto of "पाँचखाल नगर, कृषि शहर (Panchkhal Municipal-Agriculture City)".
At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Panchkhal Municipality had a population of 39,788. Of these, 76.6% spoke Nepali, 20.9% Tamang, 11.6% Danuwar, 8.6% Newar, 0.3% Maithili, 0.2% Bhojpuri, 0.2% Rai, 0.1% Hindi, 0.1% Magar and 0.2% other languages as their first language.[7]
In terms of ethnicity/caste, 25.7% were Hill Brahmin, 21.8% Tamang, 13.3% Danuwar, 11.3% Newar, 9.1% Chhetri, 5.0% Sarki, 3.5% Kami, 2.1% Damai/Dholi, 1.6% Magar, 1.6% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 1.4% Gharti/Bhujel, 1.0% Thakuri, 0.6% Pahari, 0.3% other Dalit, 0.3% Limbu, 0.2% Kathabaniyan, 0.2% Rai, 0.2% Sunuwar, 0.1% Hajam/Thakur, 0.1% Kalwar, 0.1% Musalman, 0.1% Tharu and 0.4% others.[8]
In terms of religion, 83.4% were Hindu, 20.3% Buddhist, 3.4% Prakriti, 2.9% Christian, 0.1% Muslim and 0.3% others.[9]
In terms of literacy, 70.0% could read and write, 2.7% could only read and 27.2% could neither read nor write.[10]
Panchkhal has average temperatures of 24.9 °C and the average low is 11.66 °C throughout the year. Temperatures may rise up to 38 °C in the summer season and winters are generally dry with a record low temperature of -10 °C in 2008. Average rainfall is about 10.2 cm throughout the year. Rainfall is mostly monsoon-based (about 65% of the annual rainfall occurs during the monsoon months of June to August) and it decreases substantially (100 to 200 cm (39 to 79 in)) from eastern Nepal to western Nepal. In the winter season it rarely rains which creates harsh conditions for farmers who mainly depend on rain for irrigation.[11]
Panchkhal is near to one of the reputed tourist destination of the country, Dhulikhel and Panauti, and its natural environment and the culture and traditions of the people living here attracts tourists. Panchkhal shares some resorts with Dhulikhel.
A budget of Rs 1.2 billion has been estimated for the construction of SEZ in Panchkhal. The construction of infrastructure at the Panchkhal economic zone, touted as a major facility to promote trade with China. The government has already acquired 1,000 ropanis of land—600 ropanis from the Devisthan Padula Subarnashwori Community Forest and 400 ropanis from the Sikharpur Community Forest. The Industry Ministry has paid Rs200 million to the Ministry of Forest for the land. If the SEZ is brought into operation, more than 50 large factories can be operated there. It can also provide warehousing facilities for goods imported from China.[12]
The Nepal government has a plan to add oil depots in Panchkhal.[13]
Some of the schools in Panchkhal Municipality
Nepal Army Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre (BPOTC) is a training institute of Nepal which is dedicated for providing training to all Nepalese Army personnel participating in various UNPKO.[15]
The Nepalese Army established an ad hoc "Peace Keeping Training Camp" in 1986, which was subsequently restructured into a dedicated Training centre in 2001. It was renamed as Birendra Peace Operations Training Center with the motto "PEACE WITH HONOUR".[16]