Nepal People - 2024

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)

2023 population pyramid:

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: 27.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 26 years

female: 28.1 years

Population growth rate

0.74% (2023 est.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Net migration rate

-4.3 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.)

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

male: 25.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 72 years

female: 73.4 years

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

18.7% (2022)

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)