Population of Nepal

As of May 2026, the population of Nepal is 31.9 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 326 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 1.04%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 21.8 years in 2016 to 25.6 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 71.6 years and population density is 216.8 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of Nepal peaked in 1992, reaching around 2.96% annually, but has since declined to approximately 1.02% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 698.8 thousand in 2020 to nearly 326.01 thousand in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In Nepal, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 65.9 years in 2006 to 71.6 years in 2026, representing an increase of almost 6 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in Nepal

Nepal has several cities considered medium-sized by their number of inhabitants, but there are also some large ones. The most populous city is Kathmandu, Bagmati Province, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 1.4 million inhabitants. It is followed by Pokhara, Gandaki Pradesh with 600.1 thousand and Bharatpur, Bagmati Province with 369.4 thousand.

These are the 20 most populous cities in Nepal: