Demographics of Nepal

Nepalese and people of Nepali/Nepalese origin

Top row: Buddha · King Tribhuvan · Araniko · Narayan Gopal · Rajesh Hamal Bottom row: Ram Bahadur Bomjon · Manisha Koirala · Khagendra Thapa Magar
Total population
27 million
Regions with significant populations
Nepal 29,519,114 India 4,100,000 Myanmar 400,000 Saudi Arabia 350,000 Malaysia 300,000 USA 110,616 Japan 100,000 Qatar 100,000 UAE 50,000 United Kingdom 50,000 China 20,348 Hong Kong 15,950 Bhutan 11,000 South Korea 10,000 Australia 7,000 Canada 3,780 Pakistan 1,000
Languages
Nepali language, English
Religion
Predominantly Hinduism and significantly Buddhism

The population of Nepal is estimated at 29,391,883 people in July 2011, with a population growth rate of 1.596% and a median age of 21.6 years. Female median age is estimated at 22.5 years, and male median age at 20.7 years. Only 4.4% of the population are estimated to be more than 65 years old, comprising 681,252 females and 597,628 males, whereas 61.1% of the population is between 15 and 64 years old, and 34.6% is estimated at younger than 14 years. Birth rate is estimated at 22.17 births/1,000 population with an infant mortality rate at 44.54 deaths per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth is estimated at 67.44 years for females and 64.94 years for males. Death rate is estimated at 681 deaths per 100,000 people. Net migration rate is estimated at 61 migrants per 100,000 people. According to the 2001 census, only 48.6% of the total population is literate, of which 62.7% are male and 34.9% are female.

The words "Nepali" and "Nepalis" are gaining widespread popularity in English usage as opposed to Nepalese, which is an Anglicized version.

Demographic history

Nepali or Nepalese are descendants of migrants from parts of earlier Greater Nepal, Tibet, India, and parts of Burma and Yunnan, along with native tribal populations.

Indo-Aryan and East Asian looking mixed people live in the hill region. The mountainous region is sparsely populated above 3,000 m (9,800 ft), but in central and western Nepal ethnic Tibetans inhabit even higher semi-arid valleys north of the Himalaya. Kathmandu Valley, in the middle hill region, constitutes a small fraction of the nation's area but is the most densely populated, with almost 5 percent of the nation's population. Nepali society is multilingual, multireligious and multiethnic.

Population growth

Nepalese woman with baby.

Early, nearly universal marriage particularly among Hindus drives Nepal's annual population growth rate in excess of two percent, causing population to double about every 30 years. This severely strains the country's underdeveloped economy and finite natural resources. Deforestation is widespread as ever-more marginal land is cleared for agriculture, trees are cut down for firewood and leaves are harvested for fodder. Deforestation promotes erosion in the hills, in turn causing alluvial buildup down on the Gangetic Plain that interferes with flood control structures.

Population in the hills greatly exceeds agricultural productivity so chronic food deficits drive resettlement into the Inner Terai to the detriment of indigenous Tharu people and eastward into Sikkim and Bhutan, where traditional practices of delayed marriage and diversion of significant population into monasteries and nunneries otherwise checked population growth. Seeing the demographic writing on the wall after a population census in 1988, Bhutan expelled some 100,000 ethnic Nepalese who became Bhutanese refugees in camps in southeastern Nepal. Overpopulation also drives export of manpower to India, the Middle East, Europe, Australia and North America in search of employment, the so-called Nepalese Diaspora.

Refugees comprise 107,803 people from Bhutan and 20,153 Tibetan people.

Most refugees live in seven camps established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Presence and activity of Tibetan refugees in Nepal also raise sporadic diplomatic conflicts with the People's Republic of China.

Vital statistics

UN estimates

Period	Live births per year	Deaths per year	Natural change per year	CBR1	CDR1	NC1	TFR1	IMR1
1950-1955	368 000	218 000	150 000	42.9	25.3	17.6	6.10	210.8
1955-1960	406 000	230 000	176 000	43.4	24.6	18.8	6.10	199.3
1960-1965	448 000	241 000	207 000	43.9	23.6	20.3	6.10	186.9
1965-1970	496 000	249 000	246 000	43.8	22.0	21.8	6.08	172.5
1970-1975	546 000	253 000	292 000	43.1	20.0	23.1	6.04	156.0
1975-1980	597 000	254 000	343 000	42.0	17.9	24.1	5.92	139.2
1980-1985	651 000	253 000	398 000	40.7	15.8	24.9	5.72	122.9
1985-1990	707 000	249 000	458 000	39.3	13.8	25.5	5.39	106.8
1990-1995	767 000	244 000	523 000	37.7	12.0	25.7	4.96	91.5
1995-2000	805 000	224 000	581 000	35.0	9.7	25.3	4.41	72.3
2000-2005	797 000	201 000	596 000	30.9	7.8	23.1	3.74	54.9
2005-2010	732 000	177 000	555 000	25.6	6.2	19.4	2.95	38.7
1 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births

Ethnic groups

Selected ethnic groups of Nepal;
Bhotia, Sherpa, Thakali, Gurung, Kiranti, Rai, Limbu, Newari, Pahari, Tamang

Elderly Limbu, Chong woman

Nepal's 2001 census enumerated 102 castes and ethnic groups.

Both Indo-Aryan and Mixed Indo-Mongoloid comprise 80% who consist of Chetri, Bahun, Newar, etc. While the Mongoloids including Magar, Gurung and Rai comprise 17% according to EBS Documentary 'World Travel with a Theme' made in 2010.

The following table is based on endogamous ethnicity, not language. References are according to the 2001 census.

Caste/ethnic group	Population	% of total
Khas - Chhetri (Kshatriya)	3,593,496	15.5
Khas - Bahun (Brahmin)	2,896,477	12.5
Magar	1,622,421	7.0
Tharu	1,533,879	6.6
Tamang	1,282,304	5.5
Newar	1,245,232	5.4
Muslim	971,056	4.2
Kami	895,954	3.9
Yadav	895,423	3.9
Rai	635,151	2.79
Gurung	686,000	2.39
Damai/Dholi	390,305	1.72
Limbu	359,379	1.58
Khas - Thakuri	334,120	1.47
Sarki	318,989	1.40
Teli	304,536	1.34
Chamar, Harijan, Ram	269,661	1.19
Koiri	251,274	1.11
Kurmi	212,842	0.94
Khas-Sanyasi	199,127	0.88
Dhanuk	188,150	0.83
Musahar	172,434	0.76
Dusad/Paswan/Pasi	158,525	0.70
Sherpa	154,622	0.68
Sunar	145,088	0.64
Kewat	136,953	0.60
Terai-Brahmin	134,496	0.59
Baniya	126,971	0.56
Gharti/Bhujel	117,568	0.52
Mallah	115,986	0.51
Kalwar	115,606	0.51
Kumal	99,389	0.44
Hajam/Thakur	98,169	0.43
Kanu	95,826	0.42
Rajbansi	95,812	0.42
Sunuwar	95,254	0.42
Sudhi	89,846	0.40
Lohar	82,637	0.36
Tatma	76,512	0.34
Khatwe	74,972	0.33
Dhobi	73,413	0.32
Majhi	72,614	0.32
Nuniya	66,873	0.29
Kumhar	54,413	0.24
Danuwar	53,229	0.23
Chepang	52,237	0.23
Haluwai	50,583	0.22
Rajput	48,454	0.21
Kayastha	46,071	0.20
Badhai	45,975	0.20
Marwadi	43,971	0.19
Santhal/Satar	42,698	0.19
Dhagar/Jhagar	41,764	0.18
Bantar	35,839	0.16
Barai	35,434	0.16
Kahar	34,531	0.15
Gangai	31,318	0.14
Lodha	24,738	0.11
Rajbhar	24,263	0.11
Thami	22,999	0.10
Dhimal	19,537	0.09
Bhote	19,261	0.08
Binga/Binda	18,720	0.08
Bhediyar/Gaderi	17,729	0.08
Nurang	17,522	0.08
Yakkha	17,003	0.07
Darai	14,859	0.07
Tajpuriya	13,250	0.06
Thakali	12,973	0.06
Chidimar	12,296	0.05
Pahari	11,505	0.05
Mali	11,390	0.05
Bangali	9,860	0.04
Chhantyal	9,814	0.04
Dom	8,931	0.04
Kamar	8,761	0.04
Bote	7,969	0.04
Brahmu/Baramu	7,383	0.03
Gaine/Gandarbha	5,887	0.03
Jirel	5,316	0.02
Adivasi/Janajati	5,259	0.02
Dura	5,169	0.02
Churaute	4,893	0.02
Badi	4,442	0.02
Meche	3,763	0.02
Lepcha	3,660	0.02
Halkhor	3,621	0.02
Punjabi/Sikh	3,054	0.01
Kisan	2,876	0.01
Raji	2,399	0.01
Byangsi	2,103	0.01
Hayu	1,821	0.01
Koche	1,429	0.01
Dhunia	1,231	0.01
Walung	1,148	0.01
Jain	1,015	0.00
Munda	660	0.00
Raute	658	0.00
Hyalmo	579	0.00
Pattharkatta/Kuswariya	552	0.00
Kusunda	164	0.00
Unspecified Khas Dalit	173,401	0.76
Caste/Ethnicity not stated	231,641	1.02
Total	22,736,934	100.00

Languages

Main article: Languages of Nepal

Nepal's diverse linguistic heritage evolved from four major language groups: Indo-Aryan, Tibeto-Burman, Mongolian, and various indigenous language isolates. According to the 2001 national census, 92 different living languages are spoken in Nepal (a 93rd category was "unidentified"). The major languages of Nepal (percent spoken as mother tongue) are Nepali (48%)(2011 est.), Maithili (12%), Bhojpuri (5%), Tharu (3%), Tamang (2%), Gurung (1.5%), Newari/Nepal Bhasa (1%), Magar (1%), Awadhi (1%), Rai (1%), Limbu (1%) and Bajjika (1%). The remaining 81 languages are each spoken as mother tongue by less than one percent of the population.

Derived from Khas bhasa, Nepali is considered to be a member of Indo-European languae and is written in Devanagari script. Nepali was the language of the country's unifiers in the late 18th century and became the official, national language that serves as the lingua franca among Nepalese of different ethnolinguistic groups. Hindi—along with regional dialects Awadhi, Bhojpuri and Maithili—is spoken in the southern Terai Region. Other than those, most of the Nepali can also understand and speak Neighbouring country's language . Many Nepali in government and business uses English as well.

Other languages, particularly in the Inner Terai, hill and mountain regions are remnants of the country's pre-unification history of dozens of political entities isolated by mountains and gorges. These languages typically are limited to an area spanning about one day's walk. Beyond that distance dialects and languages lose mutual intelligibility.

Religion

Further information: Religion in Nepal

Hinduism 80.2%, Buddhism 10.7%, Islam 4.2%, Yuma Samyo or Yumaism 3.6% other 1.2% (2006). Religion is important in Nepal; the Kathmandu Valley alone has more than 2,700 religious shrines. The constitution of Nepal describes the country as a "Hindu kingdom", although it does not establish Hinduism as the state religion. Nepal's constitution continues long-standing legal provisions prohibiting discrimination against other religions (but also proselytization). The king was deified as the earthly manifestation of the Hindu god Vishnu. Then on May 19, 2006, the government facing a constitutional crisis, the House of Representatives which had been just reformed, having been previously dissolved, declared Nepal a "secular state".

The 2001 census identified 80.6% of the population as Hindu and 10.7% as Buddhist (although many people labeled Hindu or Buddhist often practice a syncretic blend of Hinduism, Buddhism, or animist traditions). 4.2% of the population is Muslim and 3.6% of the population follows the indigenous Kirant Mundhum religion. Christianity is practiced by less than 0.5% of the population. [1]

Buddhist and Hindu shrines and festivals are respected and celebrated by most Nepalese. Certain animist practices of old indigenous religions survive.

Ethnic and regional equity

Pahari Hill Hindus of the Khas tribe (Bahun and Chhetri castes) and the Newar ethnicity dominated the civil service, the judiciary and upper ranks of the army throughout the Shah regime (1768–2008). Nepali was the national language and Sanskrit became a required school subject. Children who spoke Nepali natively and who were exposed to Sanskrit had much better chances of passing the national examinations at the end of high school, which meant they had better employment prospects and could continue into higher education. Children who natively spoke local languages of the Terai and Hills, or Tibetan dialects prevailing in the high mountains were at a considerable disadvantage. This history of exclusion coupled with poor prospects for improvement created grievances that encouraged many in ethnic communities such as Madhesi and Tharu in the Terai and Kham Magar in the mid-western hills to support the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and various other armed Maoist opposition groups such as the JTMM during and after the Nepalese Civil War. The negotiated end to this war forced King Gyanendra to abdicate in 2008. Issues of ethnic and regional equity have tended to dominate the agenda of the new republican government and continue to be divisive.

Nepali in the U.K.

Main article: Nepali British

According to latest figure from Office for National Statistics estimates that 35,000 Nepali-born people are currently resident in the UK .

Nepali in Hong Kong

Main article: South Asians in Hong Kong

Nepali people in Hong Kong are mainly the children of ex-Gurkhas born in Hong Kong during their parents' service with the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas, which was based in Hong Kong from the 1970s until the handover. Large groups can be found in Shek Kong, Yuen Long District, of the main bases of the British army. Many ex-Gurkhas remained in Hong Kong after the end of their service under the sponsorship of their Hong Kong-born children, who held right of abode.

Nepalis of middle age or older generations in Hong Kong are predominantly found in security, while those of younger generations are predominantly found in the business industry.

Nepali overseas

Country	Articles	Overseas Nepali Population
India	Nepali Indian	4,100,000
Myanmar	Burmese Gurkha	400,000
Saudi Arabia	Nepalis in Saudi Arabia	350,000
Malaysia	Nepalese people in Malaysia	300,000
United States	Nepalese American	110,616
Bhutan	Lhotshampa	110,000
Qatar	Nepalis in Qatar	100,000
Japan	Nepalis in Japan	100,000
United Arab Emirates	Nepalis in the United Arab Emirates	50,000
United Kingdom	Nepalis in the United Kingdom	35,000
Iraq		30,000
China	Nepalis in China	21,000
Continental Europe		20,000
Hong Kong	Nepalis in Hong Kong	16,000
Australia	Nepalese Australian	10,000
South Korea	Nepalis in South Korea	100,000
Canada	Nepalese Canadian	6,000
Total Overseas Nepal Population		~5,643,000

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook document "2003 edition".

External links

• Nepal Encyclopedia Ethnicity Page
• CIA Fact Book
• Nepal information Site