Nepal People - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Population

30,899,443 (2023 est.)

Nationality

noun: Nepali (singular and plural)

adjective: Nepali

Ethnic groups

Chhettri 16.5%, Brahman-Hill 11.3%, Magar 6.9%, Tharu 6.2%, Tamang 5.6%, Bishwokarma 5%, Musalman 4.9%, Newar 4.6%, Yadav 4.2%, Rai 2.2%, Pariyar 1.9%, Gurung 1.9%, Thakuri 1.7%, Mijar 1.6%, Teli 1.5%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.4%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 20% (2021 est.)

note: 141 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2021 national census

Languages

Nepali (official) 44.9%, Maithali 11.1%, Bhojpuri 6.2%, Tharu 5.9%, Tamang 4.9%, Bajjika 3.9%, Avadhi 3%, Nepalbhasha (Newari) 3%, Magar Dhut 2.8%, Doteli 1.7%, Urdu 1.4%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.2%, Gurung 1.1%, other 8.9%; note - 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2021 national census; many in government and business also speak English (2021 est.)

major-language sample(s):
विश्व तथ्य पुस्तक,आधारभूत जानकारीको लागि अपरिहार्य स्रोत (Nepali)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Nepali audio sample:

Religions

Hindu 81.2%, Buddhist 8.2%, Muslim 5.1%, Kirat 3.2%, Christian 1.8%, other 0.5% (2021 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.32% (male 4,175,742/female 3,956,153)

15-64 years: 67.52% (male 10,016,748/female 10,846,101)

65 years and over: 6.16% (2023 est.) (male 930,510/female 974,189)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 54.9

youth dependency ratio: 45.5

elderly dependency ratio: 9.4

potential support ratio: 10.7 (2021 est.)

Median age

total: 25.3 years

male: 23.9 years

female: 26.9 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

0.74% (2023 est.)

Birth rate

17.26 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate

-4.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low

Urbanization

urban population: 21.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

Major urban areas - population

1.571 million KATHMANDU (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.4 years (2016 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Maternal mortality ratio

174 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 24.55 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 25.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.67 years

male: 71.95 years

female: 73.44 years (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.88 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.91 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

46.7% (2019)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 92.7% of population

rural: 94.4% of population

total: 94.1% of population

unimproved: urban: 7.3% of population

rural: 5.6% of population

total: 5.9% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

5.2% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density

0.85 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

0.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 95.1% of population

rural: 85.7% of population

total: 87.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 4.9% of population

rural: 14.3% of population

total: 12.3% of population (2020 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 30.4% (2020 est.)

male: 47.9% (2020 est.)

female: 12.8% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

24.4% (2019)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

74.6% (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 7.9%

women married by age 18: 32.8%

men married by age 18: 9% (2019 est.)

Education expenditures

4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 71.2%

male: 81%

female: 63.3% (2021)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2020)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 9.5%

male: 10.6%

female: 8.6% (2021 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Nepal on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Nepal 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Nepal 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.