This city is located in the Surkhet Valley at the northern Bank of Bheri River which separates it from Bheriganga municipality.

Of these, 85.2% spoke Nepali, 6.0% Magar, 5.8% Tharu, 0.6% Hindi, 0.6% Gurung, 0.5% Newar, 0.3% Belhare, 0.3% Maithili, 0.3% Urdu, 0.1% Bhojpuri, 0.1% Chantyal, 0.1% Raji and 0.1% Tamang as their first language.

[4] In terms of ethnicity/caste, 27.0% were Chhetri, 20.6% Hill Brahmin, 12.6% Magar, 11.2% Kami, 6.2% Thakuri, 6.1% Tharu, 4.2% Damai/Dholi, 2.8% Sarki, 2.5% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 1.6% Gurung, 1.6% Musalman, 1.1% Newar, 0.4% Badi, 0.4% Bhote, 0.3% Gaine, 0.2% Tamang, 0.1% Chhantyal, 0.1% Halwai, 0.1% Kathabaniyan, 0.1% Rai, 0.1% Raji, 0.1% other Terai and 0.1% others.

There is regular bus and taxi service to Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bharatpur, Dharan, Biratnagar and other parts of the country.

On top of this hillock is a ruin of a 12th-century stone temple, which shows that the people of the region practiced Hinduism along with Buddhism.

The carved stones and bronze statues reflect the images of Buddha, and many Hindu gods and goddesses including Saraswati and Ganesh.

[citation needed] Thousands of people come to the area for religious purposes as well as to experience the rejuvenating atmosphere of nature.

[citation needed] Important archaeological, cultural and religious exhibits can be found in the city museum, which preserves facts about the place.

[citation needed] 16 March 2016: The Department of Archaeology has started restoring a 12th-century temple at Kankre Bihar in Surkhet Valley.

Eight craftsmen from Bhaktapur have been commissioned to rebuild the temple in the area where the, after 18 years of excavation, have unearthed several statues and other art facts linked with Hindu and Buddhist religions.

Chandra Ranjitkar, the head craftsman, said they were trying to rebuild the temple in its original form with the materials that were discovered during the excavation.

Archaeologists have theorised that the temple was demolished sometime in the 16th century by the followers of Shankaracharya in a bid to stop the spread of Buddhism.

Different artistic sculptures from the Kankrevihar – the cucumber-shaped mountain part in the valley signifies the religious importance of the city.

Nepal Government appointed Dr. Padam Lal Devkota, an anthropology professor, as the Vice-Chancellor (the chief executive) of the Midwestern University on 8 August 2011.

Prior to this, a team of self-motivated and active educationists in Surkhet had been working hard for more than seventeen years to establish this university.

Collaborating with the existing political parties, building partnerships with adjacent districts, lobbying with the government, and fundraising campaigns had been a norm for this team built up by the people's bottom-up initiation and known in the region as the Preparation Committee of the Mid-Western University.

The land, property, human resource, and the students of the existing TU-affiliated campuses in the region are likely to come under this university to give it a life to begin with.

It is also hoped that this university will bring about a significant change of strategy over the education system of this geographically largest region of the country.

One of the most educationally backward regions, the area was also a sufferer and also an instigator of the 10-year civil war (1996–2006), which brought about major political changes nationwide.

[citation needed] Approximately 22 bighas of land has been allocated for the construction of the hospital at ward No.3 Kalagaun in Birendranagar.