Population of Nepal

Population - July 2026 29,629,410 #52 worldwide Bandera of Nepal
Annual Growth 42,667 #103 worldwide
Median Age 25.7 years #164 worldwide
Life Expectancy 71.2 years #168 worldwide
Density 201.3 p/km² #74 worldwide

As of July 2026, the population of Nepal is 29.6 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 43 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 0.04%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 21.5 years in 2016 to 25.7 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 71.2 years and population density is 201.3 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of Nepal peaked in 1992, reaching around 3% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.14% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 617.13 thousand in 1992 to nearly 42.67 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 71.2 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 5 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:

# City Population
1 Kathmandu, Bagmati Province 1,442,271
2 Pokhara, Gandaki Pradesh 600,051
3 Bharatpur, Bagmati Province 369,377
4 Pātan, Bagmati Province 299,283
5 Birgañj, Madhesh 268,273
6 Biratnagar, Koshi 244,750
7 Dhangaḍhi̇̄, Sudurpashchim Pradesh 204,788
8 Hetauda, Bagmati Province 195,951
9 Janakpur, Madhesh 195,438
10 Butwāl, Lumbini Province 195,054
# City Population
11 Dharān, Koshi 173,096
12 Nepalgunj, Lumbini Province 166,258
13 Birendranagar, Karnali Pradesh 154,886
14 Madhyapur Thimi, Bagmati Province 119,955
15 Lahān, Madhesh 102,955
16 Bhimdatta, Sudurpashchim Pradesh 88,381
17 Triyuga, Koshi 71,405
18 Inaruwa, Koshi 70,093
19 Rājbirāj, Madhesh 69,803
20 Banepā, Bagmati Province 67,629