Population growth in Nepal is lowest in 80 years: Reports

In recent decades, Nepal’s population has grown at the slowest rate in over eight decades, largely because of outward migration by Nepalis seeking jobs and studying abroad, media reports said Wednesday. Among the preliminary results of the National Census 2021, released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), is that Nepal has a lower growth rate of its population than the global average, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

‘Nepal’s population has reached 29,192,480. The main reason behind the slowest growth in population appears to be outward migration of Nepalis for jobs and studies,’ Hem Raj Regmi, the deputy director-general of the bureau, was quoted as saying in the report. The national statistical agency revealed preliminary data from the national census conducted in November that showed Nepal’s average annual population grew by 0.93 percent. The population growth is lowest in 80 years, the bureau said.’The average population growth rate in the last census, in 2011, was 1.35 percent. Nepal’s population was 26,494,504 during the 2011 census,’ Regmi said.

The data shows that 2,169,478 Nepalis live abroad. 81.28 % are male. According to Regmi, the population growth rate in Nepal is less than the average growth rate of the population globally. The global average annual growth rate is 1.01 percent, according to World Bank data. According to him, the final census report will be released within six to seven months.

The data shows that the female population was 14,901,169, and the male population was 14,291,311. Since 1911, Nepal has conducted a national census every 10 years. CBS director general Nebin Lal Shrestha said they have conducted population censuses in Lipulek, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura as well, and the details are awaited, my Republica portal reported.

Amid a border dispute with India, the Nepalese Cabinet endorsed a new political map in May last year showing Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura as Nepali territory. Kathmandu was warned by India that such ‘artificial enlargement’ of territorial claims would not be acceptable. India had also published a new map showing the areas as its territories in November 2019.