The district, with Gulariya as its headquarters, covers an area of 2,025 km2 (782 sq mi) and according to the 2001 census the population was 382,649[2] in 2011 it has 426,576.

Bardiya National Park covers 968 km2 (374 sq mi) occupies most of the northern half of the district.

The Karnali, one of Nepal's largest rivers, divided into multiple branches when it reaches the Terai.

[5] Later during the administration of Jang Bahadur Rana, it was returned to Nepal along with Banke, Kailali and Kanchanpur.

In the early twentieth century, Bardiya was still covered with forest and sparsely populated with indigenous tribal people called Tharu.

[8] Ethnicity/caste: 53.3% were Tharu, 11.3% Chhetri, 8.7% Hill Brahmin, 5.7% Kami, 2.9% Magar, 2.6% Muslims, 2.3% Thakuri, 1.9% Yadav, 1.8% Damai/Dholi, 1.1% Mallaha, 0.9% Lodh, 0.8% Chamar/Harijan/Ram, 0.7% Gurung, 0.7% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 0.6% Newar, 0.6% Sarki, 0.3% Dusadh/Pasawan/Pasi, 0.3% Kurmi, 0.3% Tamang, 0.3% other Terai, 0.2% Badi, 0.2% Terai Brahmin, 0.2% other Dalit, 0.2% Dhobi, 0.2% Hajam/Thakur, 0.2% Halwai, 0.2% Kathabaniyan, 0.2% Lohar, 0.2% Raji, 0.1% Bengali, 0.1% Gaine, 0.1% Kayastha, 0.1% Koiri/Kushwaha, 0.1% Kumal, 0.1% Rajbanshi, 0.1% Teli and 0.1% others.