PEOPLE
Perched
on the southern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains, the Kingdom
of Nepal is as ethnically diverse as its terrain of fertile plains,
broad valleys, and the highest mountain peaks in the world. The
Nepalese are descendants of three major migrations from India,
Tibet, and central Asia.
Among
the earliest inhabitants were the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley
and aboriginal Tharus in the southern Terai region. The ancestors
of the Brahman and Chetri caste groups came from India, while
other ethnic groups trace their origins to central Asia and Tibet,
including the Gurungs and Magars in the west, Rais and Limbus
in the east, and Sherpas and Bhotias in the north.
The Terai, a part of the Ganges Basin with 20% of Nepal's land, is the country's breadbasket. Much of the population is physically and culturally similar to the Indo-Aryan people of northern India. People of Indo-Aryan and Mongoloid origin live in the hill regions. The mountainous highlands are sparsely populated. The Kathmandu Valley, in the middle hill region, constitutes a small fraction of the nation's area but is the most densely populated, with over 7% of the population.
Religion is important in Nepal; the Kathmandu Valley alone has more than 2,700 religious shrines. According to the 2001 census, Nepal is about 81% Hindu. Buddhists account for about 11% of the population. The interim constitution promulgated on January 15, 2007 declared the country a "secular state." Buddhist and Hindu shrines and festivals are respected and celebrated by many. The government celebrates most Hindu and some Buddhist holidays. Nepal also has small Muslim and Christian minorities. Certain animistic practices of old indigenous religions also survive.
Nepali is the official language, although over 100 regional and indigenous languages are spoken throughout the country. Derived from Sanskrit, Nepali is similar to Hindi and is spoken by about 90% of the population (although often as a second or third language). Many Nepalese in government and business also speak Hindi and English.
Nationality: Noun--Nepali (sing.) or Nepalese (plural). Adjective--Nepalese or Nepali.
Population (2007 estimate): 29 million.
Annual growth rate (2007 estimate): 2.132%.
Population breakdown/distribution: Rural (86%); female (50%); in the southern Terai region (49%); in the hills (44%); in the mountains (7%).
Ethnic groups (caste and ethnicity are often used interchangeably): Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others.
Religions: Hinduism (81%), Buddhism (11%), Islam (4%), and others (4%).
Languages: Nepali and more than 12 others.
Education: Years compulsory--0. Attendance--primary 80.4%, secondary 20%. Literacy--49% (63% male, 35% female).
Health: Infant mortality rate (2007 estimate)--63.7 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy (2007 estimate)--61.9 years for males and 65.5 years for females.
Work force: Agriculture--71%; industry--3%; services--11%; other--1%.
