Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Nepal
Nepal: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 58.2% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Nepal, 2003–2022
Source: Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of people at risk.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 58.2% for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.2% on the previous year and down 27.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Nepal peaked at 85.6% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 58.2%, in 2022.
That places Nepal 20th out of 134 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 84.6% | — |
| 2004 | 82.5% | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 80.8% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 85.5% | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 85.6% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 81.5% | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 82.0% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 83.7% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 80.4% | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 85.2% | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 79.7% | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 74.1% | -7.0% |
| 2017 | 76.3% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 73.8% | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 70.0% | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 64.8% | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 61.4% | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 58.2% | -5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 83.4% | 80.8% | 85.6% | 6 |
| 2010s | 78.4% | 70.0% | 85.2% | 9 |
| 2020s | 61.5% | 58.2% | 64.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More population data for Nepal
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.0333 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6271 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 37,401 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8872 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8575 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Population density 222.05 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.41 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Nepal?
- Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Nepal was 58.2% in 2022, according to Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 85.6% in 2008.
- What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.2% in 2022.
- How does Nepal rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- Nepal ranks 20th out of 134 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.