Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Nepal
Nepal: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 19.84 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
19.84 million people
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
43rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
19.84 million people
in 2025
All-time low
229,156 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Nepal, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Nepal is 19.84 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Nepal peaked at 19.84 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 229,156 people, in 1950.
Nepal ranks 43rd of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Nepal, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 229,156 people | — |
| 1951 | 240,846 people | +5.1% |
| 1952 | 252,797 people | +5.0% |
| 1953 | 265,789 people | +5.1% |
| 1954 | 278,802 people | +4.9% |
| 1955 | 291,844 people | +4.7% |
| 1956 | 304,834 people | +4.5% |
| 1957 | 317,734 people | +4.2% |
| 1958 | 330,412 people | +4.0% |
| 1959 | 343,025 people | +3.8% |
| 1960 | 355,786 people | +3.7% |
| 1961 | 368,569 people | +3.6% |
| 1962 | 380,944 people | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 392,698 people | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 404,193 people | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 415,838 people | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 427,891 people | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 440,736 people | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 454,803 people | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 470,437 people | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 488,150 people | +3.8% |
| 1971 | 508,428 people | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 563,028 people | +10.7% |
| 1973 | 676,054 people | +20.1% |
| 1974 | 838,867 people | +24.1% |
| 1975 | 1.04 million people | +24.2% |
| 1976 | 1.28 million people | +22.4% |
| 1977 | 1.53 million people | +19.8% |
| 1978 | 1.79 million people | +17.0% |
| 1979 | 2.04 million people | +14.2% |
| 1980 | 2.27 million people | +11.3% |
| 1981 | 2.46 million people | +8.5% |
| 1982 | 2.63 million people | +6.5% |
| 1983 | 2.78 million people | +5.8% |
| 1984 | 2.92 million people | +5.2% |
| 1985 | 3.06 million people | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 3.20 million people | +4.5% |
| 1987 | 3.34 million people | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 3.49 million people | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 3.66 million people | +4.8% |
| 1990 | 3.86 million people | +5.4% |
| 1991 | 4.09 million people | +6.0% |
| 1992 | 4.36 million people | +6.7% |
| 1993 | 4.67 million people | +7.0% |
| 1994 | 5.00 million people | +7.1% |
| 1995 | 5.36 million people | +7.3% |
| 1996 | 5.75 million people | +7.3% |
| 1997 | 6.17 million people | +7.3% |
| 1998 | 6.63 million people | +7.4% |
| 1999 | 7.12 million people | +7.4% |
| 2000 | 7.63 million people | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 8.18 million people | +7.2% |
| 2002 | 8.87 million people | +8.4% |
| 2003 | 9.77 million people | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 10.83 million people | +10.8% |
| 2005 | 11.97 million people | +10.6% |
| 2006 | 13.15 million people | +9.8% |
| 2007 | 14.30 million people | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 15.36 million people | +7.4% |
| 2009 | 16.27 million people | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 16.96 million people | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 17.34 million people | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 17.53 million people | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 17.69 million people | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 17.87 million people | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 18.07 million people | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 18.25 million people | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 18.37 million people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 18.48 million people | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 18.75 million people | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 19.15 million people | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 19.50 million people | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 19.70 million people | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 19.76 million people | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 19.80 million people | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 19.84 million people | +0.2% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 19.84 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.62 million people, 3.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 19.84 million people is above the median for South Asia, which is 12.30 million people, 1.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 285,524 people | 229,156 people | 343,025 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 411,190 people | 355,786 people | 470,437 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.07 million people | 488,150 people | 2.04 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.98 million people | 2.27 million people | 3.66 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.30 million people | 3.86 million people | 7.12 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.63 million people | 7.63 million people | 16.27 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.93 million people | 16.96 million people | 18.75 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.62 million people | 19.15 million people | 19.84 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More population data for Nepal
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6271 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.41 million people (2100)
- Population density 222.05 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8575 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8872 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Nepal?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Nepal was 19.84 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 19.84 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 229,156 people in 1950.
- How does Nepal rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Nepal ranks 43rd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.