The current population of Nepal is 29,164,578 as per the 2021 census. The population growth rate is 0.92% per year.
In the 2011 census, Nepal's population was approximately 26 million people with a population growth rate of 1.35% and a median age of 21.6 years.
In 2016, the female median age was approximately 25 years old and the male median age was approximately 22 years old. Only 4.4% of the population is estimated to be more than 65 years old, comprising 681,252 females and 597,628 males. 61% of the population is between 15 and 64 years old, and 34.6% is younger than 14 years.
In 2011, the birth rate is estimated to be 22.17 births per 1,000 people with an infant mortality rate of 46 deaths per 1,000 live births. Compared to the infant mortality rate in 2006 of 48 deaths per 1000 live births, the 2011 IMR is a slight decrease within that 5-year period. Infant mortality rate in Nepal is higher in rural regions at 44 deaths per 1000 live births, whereas in urban regions the IMR is lower at 40 deaths per 1000 live births. This difference is due to a lack of delivery assistance services in rural communities compared to their urban counterparts who have better access to hospitals and neonatal clinics.
Life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 67.44 years for females and 64.94 years for males. The mortality rate is estimated to be 681 deaths per 100,000 people.
Net migration rate is estimated to be 61 migrants per 100,000 people.
According to the 2000 census, 65.9% of the total population is literate.
Population growth
The population of Nepal has been steadily rising in recent decades. In the June 2001 census, there was a population of about 23 million in Nepal. The population increased by 5 million from the preceding 1991 census; the growth rate is 2.3%. The current population is roughly 30 million which contributes to an increase of about 3 million people every 5 years.
Sixty caste and linguistic subgroups have formed throughout time with the waves of migration from Tibet and India. There was a moderate amount of immigration early in Nepal's history, then the population essentially remained the same without any significant fluctuations for over one hundred years. Natural disasters and the following government resettlement programs in the 1950s led to a spike in internal migration from the hills to the Terai region. In the 1980s the Western Chitwan Valley became a major transportation hub for all of Nepal. Along with this major change came a dramatic increase in government services, business expansion, and growing employment, especially in the agricultural industry. The valley's population grew rapidly through both in-migration and natural increase.
Vital statistics
UN estimates
+UN estimatesYearNos. in yearRates per 1000TotalfertilityrateInfantmortalityrateper 1000Lifeexpectancy(years) Live births Deaths Naturalchange Crudebirthrate Crudedeathrate Naturalchange1950 395,000 218,000 177,00047.126.021.16.00226.737.681951 404,000 222,000 181,00047.025.921.16.02226.037.751952 411,000 226,000 185,00046.925.821.16.03225.437.841953 418,000 231,000 187,00046.725.820.96.04225.037.871954 424,000 235,000 189,00046.425.720.76.04224.637.901955 428,000 238,000 190,00046.125.620.56.03224.037.981956 433,000 241,000 192,00045.825.520.36.02223.238.051957 438,000 244,000 194,00045.425.320.16.01222.238.141958 444,000 248,000 196,00045.225.220.06.00221.138.191959 449,000 250,000 199,00044.925.019.95.99219.438.411960 458,000 253,000 206,00045.124.920.26.03217.138.561961 468,000 255,000 213,00045.124.620.56.06214.438.861962 476,000 258,000 218,00045.024.420.66.08211.239.151963 483,000 260,000 223,00044.824.120.76.07207.539.451964 492,000 260,000 231,00044.723.721.06.07203.139.991965 498,000 261,000 237,00044.323.321.16.03198.740.451966 505,000 262,000 243,00044.022.921.26.00194.240.871967 513,000 263,000 251,00043.822.421.45.98189.741.401968 523,000 264,000 259,00043.722.121.65.97185.541.801969 529,000 264,000 265,00043.321.621.75.91181.142.331970 537,000 265,000 272,00043.021.221.85.88177.142.831971 546,000 265,000 280,00042.720.821.95.84172.943.311972 551,000 267,000 284,00042.220.421.85.78169.143.691973 554,000 268,000 287,00041.620.121.55.69165.544.041974 568,000 269,000 299,00041.719.722.05.74161.944.461975 579,000 269,000 310,00041.619.322.35.75158.245.041976 592,000 270,000 322,00041.619.022.65.75154.645.541977 601,000 271,000 330,00041.318.622.75.73150.946.011978 614,000 270,000 344,00041.218.123.15.72147.046.681979 625,000 270,000 355,00041.017.723.35.69142.947.271980 632,000 269,000 363,00040.517.223.35.64139.047.891981 645,000 269,000 375,00040.416.923.55.60135.448.391982 658,000 269,000 388,00040.216.523.75.58130.948.941983 672,000 270,000 401,00040.116.124.05.56126.849.431984 686,000 268,000 418,00040.015.624.45.54122.750.231985 695,000 266,000 429,00039.615.224.45.47118.650.881986 706,000 264,000 441,00039.314.724.65.42114.351.541987 717,000 259,000 457,00039.014.124.95.36110.252.481988 726,000 258,000 469,00038.713.725.05.31105.753.071989 735,000 251,000 484,00038.313.125.35.25101.054.131990 748,000 248,000 499,00038.112.725.55.2196.554.831991 757,000 244,000 513,00037.612.125.55.1492.155.711992 768,000 239,000 529,00037.111.625.65.0487.656.711993 791,000 236,000 555,00037.111.126.15.0083.857.621994 795,000 230,000 565,00036.410.525.94.9179.458.551995 797,000 226,000 571,00035.610.125.54.7975.659.321996 787,000 222,000 565,00034.59.724.74.6072.159.981997 773,000 216,000 557,00033.29.323.94.3968.360.771998 768,000 210,000 558,00032.38.823.54.2465.261.551999 760,000 207,000 553,00031.48.522.84.0861.862.112000 754,000 204,000 550,00030.68.322.33.9458.762.612001 739,000 199,000 540,00029.57.921.63.7655.863.342002 724,000 202,000 522,00028.58.020.53.5953.263.262003 719,000 196,000 523,00027.97.620.33.4650.564.202004 707,000 192,000 515,00027.17.419.73.3148.164.822005 687,000 188,000 499,00026.07.118.93.1446.065.462006 666,000 187,000 479,00025.07.018.02.9744.165.872007 650,000 185,000 465,00024.26.917.32.8642.266.332008 637,000 188,000 449,00023.66.916.62.7440.166.422009 625,000 187,000 438,00023.06.916.12.6338.366.762010 617,000 191,000 426,00022.67.015.62.5436.766.812011 614,000 189,000 425,00022.46.915.52.4635.167.312012 615,000 192,000 423,00022.37.015.42.4233.767.472013 613,000 190,000 423,00022.26.915.42.3632.267.972014 614,000 193,000 421,00022.27.015.22.3230.668.092015 611,000 204,000 407,00022.17.414.72.2729.667.462016 607,000 193,000 414,00021.86.914.82.2327.768.782017 603,000 197,000 407,00021.47.014.42.1726.668.912018 600,000 201,000 399,00021.17.114.12.1225.568.982019 602,000 198,000 404,00020.67.013.62.0824.569.562020 603,000 210,000 392,00020.27.312.92.0523.869.252021 610,000 232,000 377,00019.77.811.92.0322.868.452022 583,699 204,694 379,00519.66.912.82.002023 574,297 205,841 368,45619.36.912.41.982024 562,232 206,740 355,49219.07.012.01.962025 551,647 207,032 344,61518.67.011.61.942026 18.37.011.31.92 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
Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects, 2022
Structure of the population
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 12 849 041 13 645 463 26 494 504 100 0–4 1 314 957 1 253 006 2 567 963 9.69 5–9 1 635 176 1 569 683 3 204 859 12.10 10–14 1 764 630 1 710 794 3 475 424 13.12 15–19 1 443 191 1 488 789 2 931 980 11.07 20–24 1 043 981 1 314 090 2 358 071 8.90 25–29 917 243 1 162 111 2 079 354 7.85 30–34 770 577 964 728 1 735 305 6.55 35–39 740 200 864 119 1 604 319 6.06 40–44 660 290 725 831 1 386 121 5.23 45–49 575 101 597 858 1 172 959 4.43 50–54 505 864 499 612 1 005 476 3.80 55–59 412 892 405 371 818 263 3.09 60–64 368 451 388 376 756 827 2.86 65–69 277 782 276 667 554 449 2.09 70–74 199 610 195 543 395 153 1.49 75–79 117 358 117 777 235 135 0.89 80–84 62 787 65 990 128 777 0.49 85–89 25 810 26 716 52 526 0.20 90–94 8 940 11 395 20 335 0.08 95+ 4 201 7 007 11 208 0.04Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 4 714 763 4 533 483 9 248 246 34.91 15–64 7 437 790 8 410 885 15 848 675 59.82 65+ 696 488 701 095 1 397 583 5.27
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 13 784 009 14 647 486 28 431 494 100 0–4 1 525 630 1 424 537 2 950 167 10.38 5–9 1 368 495 1 305 783 2 674 278 9.41 10–14 1 564 080 1 498 784 3 062 865 10.77 15–19 1 680 525 1 636 790 3 317 315 11.67 20–24 1 476 611 1 545 309 3 021 919 10.63 25–29 1 033 222 1 307 709 2 340 931 8.23 30–34 860 512 1 138 303 1 998 816 7.03 35–39 771 970 968 815 1 740 784 6.12 40–44 691 192 830 797 1 521 989 5.35 45–49 632 128 701 958 1 334 086 4.69 50–54 552 834 587 346 1 140 179 4.01 55–59 462 675 468 275 930 950 3.27 60–64 382 738 387 360 770 098 2.71 65–69 303 255 324 567 627 821 2.21 70–74 231 131 251 818 482 949 1.70 75–79 162 123 177 791 339 914 1.20 80+ 84 889 91 543 176 432 0.62Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 4 458 205 4 229 104 8 687 309 30.56 15–64 8 544 406 9 572 663 18 117 069 63.72 65+ 781 398 845 719 1 627 117 5.72
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 14 734 201 15 643 853 30 378 055 100 0–4 1 575 174 1 459 441 3 034 615 9.99 5–9 1 515 051 1 414 346 2 929 396 9.64 10–14 1 364 270 1 301 906 2 666 176 8.78 15–19 1 549 116 1 493 723 3 042 838 10.02 20–24 1 646 148 1 627 247 3 273 395 10.78 25–29 1 437 092 1 531 252 2 968 344 9.77 30–34 1 002 200 1 293 007 2 295 206 7.56 35–39 835 668 1 124 125 1 959 793 6.45 40–44 749 759 954 458 1 704 217 5.61 45–49 668 244 814 481 1 482 726 4.88 50–54 604 753 682 332 1 287 085 4.24 55–59 518 686 563 320 1 082 006 3.56 60–64 420 366 439 121 859 487 2.83 65-69 330 597 348 942 679 539 2.24 70-74 241 518 272 499 514 018 1.69 75-79 160 174 186 318 346 493 1.14 80+ 115 385 137 335 252 721 0.83Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 4 454 495 4 175 693 8 630 188 28.41 15–64 9 432 032 10 523 066 19 955 098 65.69 65+ 847 674 945 094 1 792 768 5.90
Life expectancy
PeriodLife expectancy inyearsPeriodLife expectancy inyears1950–195534.01985–199052.11955–196034.61990–199556.41960–196536.21995–200060.51965–197039.12000–200564.01970–197542.02005–201066.71975–198044.92010–201568.91980–198548.3 Source: UN World Population Prospects
Demographic and health survey Total fertility rate (TFR) (wanted fertility rate) and crude birth rate (CBR):
Year Total Urban Rural CBR TFR CBR TFR CBR TFR 1996 37 4.64 (2.9) 27 2.85 (1.9) 38 4.83 (3.1) 2001 33.5 4.1 (2.5) 20.6 2.1 (1.4) 34.9 4.4 (2.6) 2006 28.4 3.1 (2.0) 21.9 2.1 (1.4) 29.5 3.3 (2.1) 2011 24.3 2.6 (1.8) 16.6 1.6 (1.2) 25.5 2.8 (1.8) 2016 22.4 2.3 (1.7) 19.9 2.0 (1.5) 26.3 2.9 (2.1) 2022 20.0 2.1 (1.7) 19.3 2.0 (1.6) 21.4 2.4 (1.8)
The following demographic statistics are from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
Median birth intervals (median number of months since preceding birth) Total: 36.2 Rural: 35.9 Urban: 40.3 (2011)
Median age at first birth Median age: 20.1 (2011)
Fertility rate – past trend and present Years 1925192619271928192919301931193219331934Total fertility rate in Nepal6.156.146.146.136.126.126.116.116.106.09 Years 1935193619371938193919401941194219431944Total fertility rate in Nepal6.096.086.076.076.066.066.056.046.046.03 Years 19451946194719481949Total fertility rate in Nepal6.026.026.016.006.00 Total fertility rate: 4.6 children born/woman (1996) Total fertility rate: 4.1 children born/woman (2001) Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (2006)
Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman Rural fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman Urban fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (2011)
Ideal family size – mean ideal number of children Overall (female/male): 2.1 / 2.3 Currently married (female/male): 2.2 / 2.3 Urban (female/male): 1.9 / 2.0