The 2001 Nepal census () was the 10th national census of Nepal. It was conducted by Central Bureau of Statistics. According to the census, the population of Nepal in 2001 was 23,151,423.National Report 2001 -> Introduction Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics

Working with Nepal's Village Development Committees at the district level, data was recorded from all the main towns and villages of each district of Nepal. The data included statistics on population size, households, sex and age distribution, place of birth, residence characteristics, literacy, marital status, religion, language spoken, caste/ethnic group, economically active population, education, number of children, employment status, and occupation.

Enumeration challenges During the 2001 Nepal census, the field enumeration was significantly disrupted by political instability and the ongoing Maoist insurgency (Nepalese Civil War), resulting in incomplete data collection in many parts of the country. Due to the Maoist insurgency, the census staff were unable to carry out enumeration in 957 wards (including two urban wards) across 12 districts, leading to gaps in the official household and population counts. In 83 Village Development Committees (VDCs), complete enumeration was not possible and 747 wards were entirely affected, while additional wards in other VDCs and municipalities were partially impacted. In particularly hard-hit districts such as Salyan and Kalikot, even the basic household listing was interrupted. The population figures for affected areas were estimated based on partial listings and demographic estimation procedures rather than full enumeration.

Key findings The key findings of 2001 census are as follows: Total population23,151,423Intercensal change 4,660,326 Intercensal change percentage25.20%Annual growth rate 2.25%Population density (per km2)157.3Male population11,563,921Female population11,587,502Gender ratio99.8Literacy rate54.1% Out of the total population figure, 22,738,934 represents the enumerated population, while 414,489 represents the estimated population from areas where enumeration was affected.

Population distribution +Population by ecological region (2001)Ecological regionPopulationPercentage (%)Sex ratioAnnual growth rate (%)Density (per km2)Mountain1,687,8597.398.391.5732.57Hill10,251,11144.395.841.97167.11Terai11,212,45348.4103.772.62329.59Nepal23,151,42310099.802.25157.30 +Population by development region (2001)Development regionPopulationPercentage (%)Sex ratioAnnual growth rate (%)Density (per km2)Eastern5,344,47623.091001.84187.82Central8,031,62934.691052.61293.02Western4,571,01319.74931.92155.49Mid-Western3,012,97513.01992.2671.10Far-Western2,191,3309.47982.70112.15Nepal23,151,4231001002.25157.30

Population by district +Population by districtS.NEco-Development RegionDistrictPopulationSex ratioAnnual growth rate (%)Density (per km2)1Eastern MountainTaplejung134,698971.15372Sankhuwasabha159,203961.15463Solukhumbu107,686981.02334Eastern HillPanchthar202,056961.431635Ilam282,8061012.101666Dhankuta166,479971.291877Tehrathum113,111940.951678Bhojpur203,018930.211359Okhaldhunga156,702931.1714610Khotang231,385950.6914511Udayapur287,6891002.6313912Eastern TaraiJhapa688,109991.4842813Morang843,2201012.2345514Sunsari625,6331023.0049815Saptari570,2821042.0341816Siraha572,3991062.1748217Central MountainDolakha204,229961.659318Sindhupalchok305,857991.5912019Rasuwa44,7311091.972920Central HillSindhuli279,821992.2311221Ramechhap212,408901.2213722Kavrepalanchok385,672961.7327623Lalitpur337,7851042.7387724Bhaktapur225,4611042.651,89525Kathmandu1,081,8451144.712,73926Nuwakot288,478981.6225727Dhading338,658961.9717628Makwanpur392,6041032.2216229Central TeraiDhanusa671,3641092.1156930Mahottari553,4811082.2955231Sarlahi635,7011072.5550532Rautahat545,1321072.7548433Bara559,1351072.9647034Parsa497,2191102.8936735Chitwan472,048992.8621336Western MountainManang9,5871115.81437Mustang14,9811200.47438Western HillGorkha288,134871.328039Lamjung177,149891.4210540Tanahun315,237871.6220441Syangja317,320830.7827342Kaski380,527952.6218943Myagdi114,447871.295044Parbat157,826860.9531945Baglung268,937851.4615146Gulmi296,654821.0825847Palpa268,558871.2819648Arghakhanchi208,391861.4217549Western TeraiNawalparasi562,870982.5526050Rupandehi708,4191043.0552151Kapilvastu481,9761062.6027752Mid-Western MountainDolpa29,545991.67453Jumla89,4271051.633554Kalikot105,5801021.736155Mugu43,9371031.891256Humla40,5951071.66757Mid-Western HillPyuthan212,484861.9116258Rolpa210,004941.5611259Rukum188,4381031.926560Salyan213,5001001.6114661Surkhet288,527982.4511862Dailekh225,201961.8415063Jajarkot134,8681031.686064Mid-Western TeraiDang462,380982.6615665Banke385,8401063.0116566Bardiya382,6491012.7618967Far-Western MountainBajura108,781981.675068Bajhang167,026931.834969Darchula121,996961.825370Far-Western HillAchham231,285891.5413871Doti207,0661002.1410272Dadeldhura126,162941.878273Baitadi234,418941.5515474Far-Western TeraiKailali616,6971033.8919175Kanchanpur377,8991033.82235Nepal23,151,4231002.25157

Population by caste/ethnicity +Population by caste/ethnicity (2001)S.N.Caste/ethnicityPopulation (enumerated figures only)Percentage (%)1Kshetri/Chhetri3,593,49615.802Brahmin-Hill (Bahun)2,896,47712.743Magar1,622,4217.144Tharu1,533,8796.755Tamang1,282,3045.646Newar1,245,2325.487Muslim971,0564.278Kami895,9543.949Yadav895,4233.9410Rai635,1512.7911Gurung543,5712.3912Damai/Dholi390,3051.7213Limbu359,3791.5814Thakuri334,1201.4715Sarki318,9891.4016Teli304,5361.3417Chamar/Harijan/Ram269,6611.1918Koiri251,2741.1119Kurmi212,8420.9420Sanyasi199,1270.8821Dhanuk188,1500.8322Musahar172,4340.7623Dushad/Paswan/Pasi158,5250.7024Sherpa154,6220.6825Sonar145,0880.6426Kewat136,9530.6027Brahmin-Terai134,4960.5928Baniya126,9710.5629Gharti/Bhujel117,5680.5230Mallaha115,9680.5131Kalwar115,6060.5132Kumal99,3890.4433Hajam/Thakur98,1690.4334Kanu95,8260.4235Rajbanshi95,8120.4236Sunuwar95,5240.4237Sudhi89,8460.4038Lohar82,3670.3639Tatma76,5120.3440Khatwe74,9720.3341Dhobi73,4130.3242Majhi72,6140.3243Nuniya66,8730.2944Kumhar54,4130.2445Danuwar53,2290.2346Chepang(Praja)52,2370.2347Halwai50,5850.2248Rajput48,4540.2149Kayastha46,0710.2050Badahi45,9750.2051Marwadi43,9710.1952Santhal/Satar42,6980.1953Dhagar/Jhangar41,7640.1854Bantar35,8390.1655Barae35,4340.1656Kahar34,5310.1557Gangai31,3180.1458Lodha24,7380.1159Rajbhar24,2630.1160Thami22,9990.1061Dhimal19,5370.0962Bhote19,2610.0863Bind/Binda18,7200.0864Bhediya/Gaderi17,7290.0865Nurang17,5220.0866Yakkha17,0030.0767Darai14,5890.0768Tajpuriya13,2500.0669Thakali12,9730.0670Chidimar12,2960.0571Pahari11,5050.0572Mali11,3900.0573Bengali9,8600.0474Chhantel9,8140.0475Dom8,9310.0476Kamar8,7610.0477Bote7,9690.0478Brahmu/Baramu7,3830.0379Gaine5,8870.0380Jirel5,3160.0281Adibasi/Janajati5,2590.0282Dura5,1690.0283Churaute4,8930.0284Badi4,4420.0285Meche3,7630.0286Lepcha3,6600.0287Halkhor3,6210.0288Punjabi/Sikh3,0540.0189Kisan2,8760.0190Raji2,3990.0191Byansi2,1030.0192Hayu1,8210.0193Koche1,4290.0194Dhuniya1,2310.0195Walung1,1480.0196Jain1,0150.0097Munda6600.0098Raute6580.0099Hyalmo5790.00100Patharkatta/Kushwadiya5520.00101Kusunda1640.00102Dalit-unidentified173,4010.76103Caste/ethnicity-unidentified231,6411.02Total22,736,934100

Population by language +Languages by number of native speakers (2001)S.N.LanguageNumber of speakers (enumerated figures only)Percentage (%)1Nepali11,053,25548.612Maithili2,797,58212.303Bhojpuri1,712,5367.534Tharu (Dagaura/Rana)1,331,5465.865Tamang1,179,1455.196Newar825,4583.637Magar770,1163.398Awadhi560,7442.479Bantawa371,0561.6310Gurung338,9251.4911Limbu333,6331.4712Bajjika237,9471.0513Urdu174,8400.7714Rajbanshi129,8290.5715Sherpa129,7710.5716Hindi105,7650.4717Chamling44,0930.1918Santhali40,2600.1819Chepang36,8070.1620Danuwar31,8490.1421Jhangar/Dhangar28,6150.1322Sunuwar26,6110.1223Bengali/Bangla23,6020.1024Marwari (Rajsthani)22,6370.1025Majhi21,8410.1026Thami18,9910.0827Kulung18,6860.0828Dhimal17,3080.0829Angika15,8920.0730Yakkha14,6480.0631Thulung14,0340.0632Sangpang10,8100.0533Bhujel/ khawas10,7330.0534Darai10,2100.0435Khaling9,2880.0436Kumal6,5330.0337Thakali6,4410.0338Chhantyal/Chhantel5,9120.0339Nepali Sign Language5,7430.0340Tibetan5,2770.0241Dumi5,2710.0242Jirel4,9190.0243Wambule/Umbule4,4710.0244Puma4,3100.0245Yholmo3,9860.0246Nachhiring3,5530.0247Dura3,3970.0148Meche3,3010.0149Pahari2,9950.0150Lepcha/Lapche2,8260.0151Bote2,8230.0152Bahing2,7650.0153Koi/Koyu2,6410.0154Raji2,4130.0155Hayu1,7430.0156Byangshi1,7340.0157Yamphu/ Yamphe1,7220.0158Ghale1,6490.0159Khariya1,5750.0160Chhiling1,3140.0161Lohorung1,2070.0162Punjabi1,1650.0163Chinese1,1010.0064English1,0370.0065Mewahang9040.0066Sanskrit8230.0067Kaike7940.0068Raute5180.0069Kisan4890.0070Churauti4080.0071Baram/ Maramu3420.0072Tilung3100.0073Jero/ Jerung2710.0074Dungmali2210.0075Oriya1590.0076Lingkhim970.0077Kusunda870.0078Sindhi720.0079Koche720.0080Hariyanvi330.0081Magahi300.0082Sam230.0083Kurmali130.0084Kagate100.0085Dzonkha90.0086Kuki90.0087Chhintang80.0088Mizo80.0089Nagamese60.0090Lhomi40.0091Assamese30.0092Sadhani20.0093Unknown Language168,3400.74Total22,736,934100

+Languages by number of second-language speakers (2001)S.NLanguageNumber of speakers (enumerated figures only)Percentage (%)1Nepali5,722,15125.172Maithili115,8770.513Bantawa71,7130.324Bhojpuri64,7240.285Tharu64,2740.286Magar49,3780.227Tamang46,0780.208Limbu35,2720.169Newar34,4310.1510Gurung29,6550.1311Awadhi23,5770.1012Bajjika7,6120.03Others632,4432.78No second language15,828,96569.62Not reported10,7840.05Total22,736,934100

See also

Census in Nepal 1991 Nepal census 2011 Nepal census 2021 Nepal census

Notes

References