Page last updated on February 11, 2013
Nationality:
noun: Nepali (singular and plural)
adjective:
Nepali
Ethnic groups:
Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)
Languages:
Nepali (official) 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)
note:
many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)
Religions:
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)
Population:
29,890,686 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
[see also: Population country ranks ]
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.5% (male 5,108,258/female 4,918,259)
[see also: Age structure 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-24 years:
22.5% (male 3,350,311/female 3,362,958)
25-54 years:
34.1% (male 4,786,214/female 5,417,777)
55-64 years:
5.4% (male 792,775/female 835,048)
65 years and over:
4.4% (male 613,905/female 705,181) (2012 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.1 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male:
21.2 years
female:
22.9 years (2012 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.768% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]
Birth rate:
21.85 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]
Death rate:
6.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]
Net migration rate:
2.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]
Urbanization:
urban population: 19% of total population (2010)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization:
4.7% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major cities - population:
KATHMANDU (capital) 990,000 (2009)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.87 male(s)/female
total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
170 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 60
[see also: Maternal mortality rate country ranks ]
Infant mortality rate:
total: 43.13 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 52
male:
43.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
43.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.51 years
country comparison to the world: 162
male:
65.26 years
female:
67.82 years (2012 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.41 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]
Health expenditures:
5.8% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 116
[see also: Health expenditures country ranks ]
Physicians density:
0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
[see also: Physicians density country ranks ]
Hospital bed density:
5 beds/1,000 population (2006)
[see also: Hospital bed density country ranks ]
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 51% of population
rural: 27% of population
total: 31% of population
unimproved:
