Western Development Region
Nepal's tourism corridor with Pokhara as the Annapurna trekking gateway, moderate prosperity between wealthy Kathmandu and impoverished far west.
The Western Development Region occupies Nepal's middle ground—wealthier than the impoverished far west, poorer than the Kathmandu-dominated center. This 1970s planning zone now corresponds to Gandaki Province and portions of other administrative units. Pokhara, the region's largest city and Nepal's second tourism hub after Kathmandu, anchors the economy through adventure tourism: paragliding over Phewa Lake, trekking to Annapurna Base Camp, and gateway services for the Annapurna Circuit. The region receives substantial remittances, ranking among wealthier areas, though still below Kathmandu's concentration. Geography creates the region's tourism potential: the Annapurna range provides spectacular Himalayan scenery within accessible distances from Pokhara's airport. Agricultural productivity exceeds the far western regions, with rice cultivation in lower elevations and diverse crops on terraced hillsides. The region benefited from early road connections to Kathmandu and India, enabling trade that bypassed more isolated areas. Hydropower projects tap rivers flowing from Himalayan glaciers, contributing to Nepal's recent electricity production increases. By 2026, the Western Development Region's trajectory depends on whether adventure tourism continues its post-pandemic recovery, whether Pokhara's international airport (opened 2023) attracts direct flights, and whether the region can develop economic activities beyond tourism's seasonal patterns.