Demographics of Nepal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Nepal
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.[2] The words "Nepali" and "Nepalis" are gaining widespread popularity in English usage as opposed to Nepalese, which is an Anglicized version.

Contents
[hide]

1 Demographic history 2 Population growth 3 Ethnic groups 4 Languages 5 Religion 6 Ethnic and regional equity 7 Nepali in the U.K. 8 Nepali in Hong Kong 9 Nepali overseas 10 References 11 External links

[edit]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. Among the earliest inhabitants were the Madheshi of the Terai who migrated to the hills. Ultimately, Newar of Kathmandu seems in today's

form. Mithila history and history of Kapilvastu justify that the older settlers of Nepal were of Terai origin. Before 3000 years Gawala entered Kathmandu Valley and then after lot of Terai origin people from Tirhut and Gangetic region entered in hilly area. Most of the Brahmin entered in hill area in the medieval period following the Muslim invasion in Plain India and Khasa (Chhetri) people were migrated from Kashmir through Karnali region. Most of the Mongoloid people came from Tibet and Mongolia.[citation
needed]

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. [edit]Population

growth

Nepalese woan 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 evermore 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 alluvialbuildup 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 intoSikkim 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.[2] 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. [edit]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.[3]

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[2]

Khas - Bahun (Brahmin)

2,896,477

12.5[2]

Magar

1,622,421

7.0[2]

Tharu

1,533,879

6.6[2]

Tamang

1,282,304

5.5[2]

Newar

1,245,232

5.4[2]

Muslim

971,056

4.2[2]

Kami

895,954

3.9[2]

Yadav

895,423

3.9[2]

Rai

635,151

2.79

Gurung

686,000

2.39

Caste/ethnic group

Population

% of total

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

Caste/ethnic group

Population

% of total

Kewat

136,953

0.60

Terai-Brahmin

134,496

0.59

Baniya

126,971

0.56

Gharti/Bhujel[4][5]

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

Caste/ethnic group

Population

% of total

Tatma

76,512

0.34

Khatwe[6][7]

74,972

0.33

Dhobi

73,413

0.32

Majhi[8][9]

72,614

0.32

Nuniya[10]

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

Caste/ethnic group

Population

% of total

Santhal/Satar

42,698

0.19

Dhagar/Jhagar[11]

41,764

0.18

Bantar[12]

35,839

0.16

Barai

35,434

0.16

Kahar

34,531

0.15

Gangai[13][14]

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

Caste/ethnic group

Population

% of total

Nurang

17,522

0.08

Yakkha

17,003

0.07

Darai[15][16]

14,859

0.07

Tajpuriya[17][18]

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[19][20]

7,969

0.04

Caste/ethnic group

Population

% of total

Brahmu/Baramu[21][22]

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[23][24]

4,893

0.02

Badi

4,442

0.02

Meche[25][26]

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

Caste/ethnic group

Population

% of total

Byangsi[27][28]

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[29][30]

579

0.00

Pattharkatta/Kuswariya[31][32]

552

0.00

Kusunda

164

0.00

Unspecified Khas Dalit

173,401

0.76

Caste/Ethnicity not stated

231,641

1.02

Caste/ethnic group

Population

% of total

Total [edit]Languages

22,736,934

100.00

Main article: Languages of Nepal Nepal's diverse linguistic heritage evolved from four major language groups: Indo-Aryan, TibetoBurman, 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 (69%)(2011 est.), Maithili (7%), 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. Hindialong with regional dialects Awadhi, Bhojpuri and Maithiliis 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. [edit]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. [edit]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 andTharu 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.[33][34][35][36][37][38] [edit]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 .[39] [edit]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'sBrigade 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. [edit]Nepali

overseas
Articles Overseas Nepali Population

Country

India

Nepali Indian

4,100,000

Myanmar

400,000

Saudi Arabia

350,000

Malaysia

300,000

United States

Nepalese American

110,616

Bhutan

110,000

Qatar

100,000

Japan

100,000

UAE

50,000

UK

Nepalis in the United Kingdom 35,000[39]

Iraq

30,000[40]

China

21,000

Continental Europe

20,000

Hong Kong

Hong Kong

16,000

Australia

Austro-Nepalese

10,000

South Korea

100,000

Canada

6,000

Total Overseas Nepal Population

~5,643,000

[show]v d e

Nepalese over Seas

[edit]References

1. ^ International Nepal Fellowship - Nepali diaspora 2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k CIA (2011) The World Factbook : Nepal. 3. ^ Government of Nepal. Central Bureau of Statistics.. Statistical Year Book of Nepal, 2009. Kathmandu. 4. ^ "Nationalities of Nepal, #36: Bhujels/Ghartis". Friedrich-Ebert-Stifting (FES). Retrieved 2011-04-06. 5. ^ Lewis, M. Paul (2009). "Bhujel, a language of Nepal". Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Dallas: SIL
International. Retrieved 2011-04-06.

6. ^ Anon. (April, 2006), Social Inclusion: What really achieved?, Kishore, Nepal: Centre for Professional
Journalism Studies, Nepal

7. ^ Jha, Shrawan Kumar (1997), "The Khatbe of North Bihar, an Anthropological Perspective", Scheduled
Castes Today (Makhan Jha, ed.), New Delhi: M D Publications, pp. 161 ff.

8. ^ "#40: Majhis". FES, op. cit.. 9. ^ Lewis, op. cit.. "Majhi, a language of Nepal". 10. ^ "Call to uplift ethnic Nunia community". The Rising Nepal (Kathmandu: Gorkhapatra). June 13. Retrieved
April 8, 2011.

11. ^ "#12: Jhangads". FES, op. cit.. 12. ^ "Bantar Community in Nepal". BlogSpot: Mahesh Paudyal Prarambha. Retrieved 2011-04-07. 13. ^ "People-in-Country Profile: Gangai of India". Joshua Project. Retrieved 2011-04-06. 14. ^ "#5: Gangais". FES, op. cit.. 15. ^ Lewis, op. cit.. "Darai, a language of Nepal". 16. ^ "#24: Darais". FES, op. cit..

17. ^ "People-in-Country Profile: Tajpuriya of Nepal". Joshua Project. Retrieved April 8, 2011. 18. ^ "#16: Tajpurias". FES, op. cit.. 19. ^ "#34: Botes". FES, op. cit.. 20. ^ Lewis, op. cit.. "Bote-Majhi, a language of Nepal". 21. ^ "#32: Baramos". FES, op. cit.. 22. ^ Lewis, op. cit.. "Baraamu, a language of Nepal". 23. ^ Sharma, Sudhindra. "How the crescent fares in Nepal". Himal, May 1995. Retrieved April 7, 2011. 24. ^ Siddique, Muhammad (2001). "Muslim Population in the Kingdom of Nepal: Some Outstanding
Features". Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs21 (2). Retrieved April 7, 2011.

25. ^ "#43: Meches". FES, op. cit.. 26. ^ Lewis, op. cit.. "Bodo, a language of India". 27. ^ "#35: Byasis". FES, op. cit.. 28. ^ Lewis, op. cit.. "Byangsi, a language of India". 29. ^ "#61: Hyolmos". FES, op. cit.. 30. ^ Lewis, op. cit.. "Helabu Sherpa, a language of Nepal". 31. ^ "#3: Kushbadias". FES, op. cit.. 32. ^ National Coalition Against Racism. "Janajati: Kushbadia". Retrieved April 8, 2011. 33. ^ Upreti, Bhuwan Chandra (2008). Maoists in Nepal: from insurgency to political mainstream. Gyan
Publishing House. pp. 1423.ISBN 8178356872.

34. ^ (PDF) OCHA Nepal Situation Overview. Issue 12. OCHA. April 2007. Retrieved 2011-05-07. 35. ^ (PDF) OCHA Nepal Situation Overview. Issue 16. OCHA. JulyAugust 2007. Retrieved 2011-05-07. 36. ^ (PDF) OCHA Nepal Situation Overview. Issue 30. OCHA. JuneJuly 2008. Retrieved 2011-05-07. 37. ^ Sharma, Hari (2010-11-18). "Body of murder victim found in Gulmi". Gulmi: The Himalayan Times online.
Retrieved 2011-05-07.

38. ^ Hatlebakk, Magnus (2007). "Economic and social structures that may explain the recent conflicts in the
Terai of Nepal" (PDF). Kathmandu: Norwegian Embassy. Retrieved 2011-05-08.

39. ^ a b "Population by Country of birth and nationality Jan10-Dec10". Office for National Statistics. September
2011. Retrieved 17 September 2010.

40. ^ Nepal government lifts Iraq working ban