Census puts country’s population at 26.5 million

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Nepal’s population stands at 26494504 (26.494 million) according to the report of the census taken last year.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai made public the Census Report 2011 prepared by the Department of Statistics on Monday. The census report has put the population growth at 1.35 percent. The report shows female population rising to 51.5 percent while the male population is 48.5 percent.

Population density (average number of population per square kilometer) at the national level is 180 compared to 157 in 2001. The highest population density is found in Kathmandu district (4,416 person per square km) and lowest (3 person per square km) in Manang district. Likewise, the urban population (population residing in 58 municipalities) constitutes 17 percent (4,523,820) of the total population compared to 13.94 percent (3,227,879).

Similarly, total number of households in the country is 5,427,302 with 5,423,297 individual households and 4,005 institutional households (Barracks, Hostels, Monasteries etc).

According to the report, there are 125 caste/ethnic groups reported in the census 2011. Chhetri is the largest caste/ethnic groups having 16.6% (4,398,053) of the total population followed by Brahman-Hill (12.2 percent ; 3,226,903), Magar (7.1percent ; 1,887,733), Tharu (6.6percent ; 1,737,470), Tamang (5.8 percent ; 1,539,830), Newar (5.0 percent ; 1,321,933), Kami (4.8 percent ; 1,258,554), Musalman (4.4 percent ; 1,164,255), Yadav (4.0 percent ; 1,054,458) and Rai (2.3 percent ; 620,004).

The overall literacy rate (for population aged 5 years and above) has increased from 54.1 percent in 2001 to 65.9 percent in 2011. Male literacy rate is 75.1percent compared to female literacy rate of 57.4 percent. The highest literacy rate is reported in Kathmandu district (86.3 percent) and lowest in Rautahat (41.7percent).

Download :  National Census Report 2011