350px|alt=|thumb|upright=1.4|Historical population of Nepal
thumb|right|221x221px|Population of Nepali (1960–2010 Nepal Census)
The current population of Nepal is 29,164,578 as per the 2021 census. The population growth rate is 0.92% per year.
In the 2011 census, Nepal's population was approximately 26 million people with a population growth rate of 1.35% and a median age of 21.6 years.
In 2016, the female median age was approximately 25 years old and the male median age was approximately 22 years old. Only 4.4% of the population is estimated to be more than 65 years old, comprising 681,252 females and 597,628 males. 61% of the population is between 15 and 64 years old, and 34.6% is younger than 14 years.
In 2011, the birth rate is estimated to be 22.17 births per 1,000 people with an infant mortality rate of 46 deaths per 1,000 live births. Compared to the infant mortality rate in 2006 of 48 deaths per 1000 live births, the 2011 IMR is a slight decrease within that 5-year period. Infant mortality rate in Nepal is higher in rural regions at 44 deaths per 1000 live births, whereas in urban regions the IMR is lower at 40 deaths per 1000 live births. This difference is due to a lack of delivery assistance services in rural communities compared to their urban counterparts who have better access to hospitals and neonatal clinics.
Life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 67.44 years for females and 64.94 years for males. The mortality rate is estimated to be 681 deaths per 100,000 people.
Net migration rate is estimated to be 61 migrants per 100,000 people.
According to the 2000 census, 65.9% of the total population is literate.
Population growth
The population of Nepal has been steadily rising in recent decades. In the June 2001 census, there was a population of about 23 million in Nepal. The population increased by 5 million from the preceding 1991 census; the growth rate is 2.3%. There was a moderate amount of immigration early in Nepal's history, then the population essentially remained the same without any significant fluctuations for over one hundred years.
Structure of the population
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80" |Age group
! width="80" |Male
! width="80" |Female
! width="80" |Total
! width="80" |%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 12 849 041
| align="right" | 13 645 463
| align="right" | 26 494 504
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 1 314 957
| align="right" | 1 253 006
| align="right" | 2 567 963
| align="right" | 9.69
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 1 635 176
| align="right" | 1 569 683
| align="right" | 3 204 859
| align="right" | 12.10
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 1 764 630
| align="right" | 1 710 794
| align="right" | 3 475 424
| align="right" | 13.12
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 1 443 191
| align="right" | 1 488 789
| align="right" | 2 931 980
| align="right" | 11.07
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 1 043 981
| align="right" | 1 314 090
| align="right" | 2 358 071
| align="right" | 8.90
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 917 243
| align="right" | 1 162 111
| align="right" | 2 079 354
| align="right" | 7.85
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 770 577
| align="right" | 964 728
| align="right" | 1 735 305
| align="right" | 6.55
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 740 200
| align="right" | 864 119
| align="right" | 1 604 319
| align="right" | 6.06
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 660 290
| align="right" | 725 831
| align="right" | 1 386 121
| align="right" | 5.23
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 575 101
| align="right" | 597 858
| align="right" | 1 172 959
| align="right" | 4.43
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 505 864
| align="right" | 499 612
| align="right" | 1 005 476
| align="right" | 3.80
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 412 892
| align="right" | 405 371
| align="right" | 818 263
| align="right" | 3.09
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 368 451
| align="right" | 388 376
| align="right" | 756 827
| align="right" | 2.86
|-
| align="right" | 65–69
| align="right" | 277 782
| align="right" | 276 667
| align="right" | 554 449
| align="right" | 2.09
|-
| align="right" | 70–74
| align="right" | 199 610
| align="right" | 195 543
| align="right" | 395 153
| align="right" | 1.49
|-
| align="right" | 75–79
| align="right" | 117 358
| align="right" | 117 777
| align="right" | 235 135
| align="right" | 0.89
|-
| align="right" | 80–84
| align="right" | 62 787
| align="right" | 65 990
| align="right" | 128 777
| align="right" | 0.49
|-
| align="right" | 85–89
| align="right" | 25 810
| align="right" | 26 716
| align="right" | 52 526
| align="right" | 0.20
|-
| align="right" | 90–94
| align="right" | 8 940
| align="right" | 11 395
| align="right" | 20 335
| align="right" | 0.08
|-
| align="right" | 95+
| align="right" | 4 201
| align="right" | 7 007
| align="right" | 11 208
| align="right" | 0.04
|-
! width="50"|Age group
! width="80" |Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 4 714 763
| align="right" | 4 533 483
| align="right" | 9 248 246
| align="right" | 34.91
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 7 437 790
| align="right" | 8 410 885
| align="right" | 15 848 675
| align="right" | 59.82
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 696 488
| align="right" | 701 095
| align="right" | 1 397 583
| align="right" | 5.27
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 13 784 009
| align="right" | 14 647 486
| align="right" | 28 431 494
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 1 525 630
| align="right" | 1 424 537
| align="right" | 2 950 167
| align="right" | 10.38
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 1 368 495
| align="right" | 1 305 783
| align="right" | 2 674 278
| align="right" | 9.41
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 1 564 080
| align="right" | 1 498 784
| align="right" | 3 062 865
| align="right" | 10.77
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 1 680 525
| align="right" | 1 636 790
| align="right" | 3 317 315
| align="right" | 11.67
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 1 476 611
| align="right" | 1 545 309
| align="right" | 3 021 919
| align="right" | 10.63
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 1 033 222
| align="right" | 1 307 709
| align="right" | 2 340 931
| align="right" | 8.23
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 860 512
| align="right" | 1 138 303
| align="right" | 1 998 816
| align="right" | 7.03
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 771 970
| align="right" | 968 815
| align="right" | 1 740 784
| align="right" | 6.12
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 691 192
| align="right" | 830 797
| align="right" | 1 521 989
| align="right" | 5.35
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 632 128
| align="right" | 701 958
| align="right" | 1 334 086
| align="right" | 4.69
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 552 834
| align="right" | 587 346
| align="right" | 1 140 179
| align="right" | 4.01
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 462 675
| align="right" | 468 275
| align="right" | 930 950
| align="right" | 3.27
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 382 738
| align="right" | 387 360
| align="right" | 770 098
| align="right" | 2.71
|-
| align="right" | 65–69
| align="right" | 303 255
| align="right" | 324 567
| align="right" | 627 821
| align="right" | 2.21
|-
| align="right" | 70–74
| align="right" | 231 131
| align="right" | 251 818
| align="right" | 482 949
| align="right" | 1.70
|-
| align="right" | 75–79
| align="right" | 162 123
| align="right" | 177 791
| align="right" | 339 914
| align="right" | 1.20
|-
| align="right" | 80+
| align="right" | 84 889
| align="right" | 91 543
| align="right" | 176 432
| align="right" | 0.62
|-
! width="50"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 4 458 205
| align="right" | 4 229 104
| align="right" | 8 687 309
| align="right" | 30.56
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 8 544 406
| align="right" | 9 572 663
| align="right" | 18 117 069
| align="right" | 63.72
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 781 398
| align="right" | 845 719
| align="right" | 1 627 117
| align="right" | 5.72
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 14 734 201
| align="right" | 15 643 853
| align="right" | 30 378 055
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 1 575 174
| align="right" | 1 459 441
| align="right" | 3 034 615
| align="right" | 9.99
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 1 515 051
| align="right" | 1 414 346
| align="right" | 2 929 396
| align="right" | 9.64
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 1 364 270
| align="right" | 1 301 906
| align="right" | 2 666 176
| align="right" | 8.78
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 1 549 116
| align="right" | 1 493 723
| align="right" | 3 042 838
| align="right" | 10.02
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 1 646 148
| align="right" | 1 627 247
| align="right" | 3 273 395
| align="right" | 10.78
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 1 437 092
| align="right" | 1 531 252
| align="right" | 2 968 344
| align="right" | 9.77
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 1 002 200
| align="right" | 1 293 007
| align="right" | 2 295 206
| align="right" | 7.56
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 835 668
| align="right" | 1 124 125
| align="right" | 1 959 793
| align="right" | 6.45
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 749 759
| align="right" | 954 458
| align="right" | 1 704 217
| align="right" | 5.61
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 668 244
| align="right" | 814 481
| align="right" | 1 482 726
| align="right" | 4.88
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 604 753
| align="right" | 682 332
| align="right" | 1 287 085
| align="right" | 4.24
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 518 686
| align="right" | 563 320
| align="right" | 1 082 006
| align="right" | 3.56
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 420 366
| align="right" | 439 121
| align="right" | 859 487
| align="right" | 2.83
|-
| align="right" | 65-69
| align="right" | 330 597
| align="right" | 348 942
| align="right" | 679 539
| align="right" | 2.24
|-
| align="right" | 70-74
| align="right" | 241 518
| align="right" | 272 499
| align="right" | 514 018
| align="right" | 1.69
|-
| align="right" | 75-79
| align="right" | 160 174
| align="right" | 186 318
| align="right" | 346 493
| align="right" | 1.14
|-
| align="right" | 80+
| align="right" | 115 385
| align="right" | 137 335
| align="right" | 252 721
| align="right" | 0.83
|-
! width="50"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 4 454 495
| align="right" | 4 175 693
| align="right" | 8 630 188
| align="right" | 28.41
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 9 432 032
| align="right" | 10 523 066
| align="right" | 19 955 098
| align="right" | 65.69
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 847 674
| align="right" | 945 094
| align="right" | 1 792 768
| align="right" | 5.90
|-
|}
Life expectancy
thumb|350px|Historical development of life expectancy in Nepal
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Period
!Life expectancy in<br />years
!Period
!Life expectancy in<br />years
|-
|1950–1955
|34.0
|1985–1990
|52.1
|-
|1955–1960
|34.6
|1990–1995
|56.4
|-
|1960–1965
|36.2
|1995–2000
|60.5
|-
|1965–1970
|39.1
|2000–2005
|64.0
|-
|1970–1975
|42.0
|2005–2010
|66.7
|-
|1975–1980
|44.9
|2010–2015
|68.9
|-
|1980–1985
|48.3
|
|
|}
Source: UN World Population Prospects
Demographic and Health Survey
Total fertility rate (TFR) (wanted fertility rate) and crude birth rate (CBR):
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|-
! rowspan=2| Year
! colspan=2| Total
! colspan=2| Urban
! colspan=2| Rural
|-
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 1996
| 37
| 4.64 (2.9)
| 27
| 2.85 (1.9)
| 38
| 4.83 (3.1)
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 2001
| 33.5
| 4.1 (2.5)
| 20.6
| 2.1 (1.4)
| 34.9
| 4.4 (2.6)
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 2006
| 28.4
| 3.1 (2.0)
| 21.9
| 2.1 (1.4)
| 29.5
| 3.3 (2.1)
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 2011
| 24.3
| 2.6 (1.8)
| 16.6
| 1.6 (1.2)
| 25.5
| 2.8 (1.8)
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 2016
| 22.4
| 2.3 (1.7)
| 19.9
| 2.0 (1.5)
| 26.3
| 2.9 (2.1)
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 2022
| 20.0
| 2.1 (1.7)
| 19.3
| 2.0 (1.6)
| 21.4
| 2.4 (1.8)
|}
The following demographic statistics are from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).
Median birth intervals (median number of months since preceding birth)
:Total: 36.2
:Rural: 35.9
:Urban: 40.3 (2011)
Median age at first birth
:Median age: 20.1 (2011)
Fertility rate – past trend and present
:Total fertility rate: 4.6 children born/woman (1996)
:Total fertility rate: 4.1 children born/woman (2001)
:Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (2006)
:Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman
:Rural fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman
:Urban fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (2011)
Ideal family size – mean ideal number of children
:Overall (female/male): 2.1 / 2.3
:Currently married (female/male): 2.2 / 2.3
:Urban (female/male): 1.9 / 2.0
:Rural (female/male): 2.2 / 2.3 (2011)
Ideal family size by gender and age group
:Below is a table of the ideal family size by gender and age for 2011.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Age
! Women
! Men
|-
| 15–19
| 1.9
| 2.2
|-
| 20–24
| 1.9
| 2.1
|-
| 25–29
| 2.1
| 2.1
|-
| 30–34
| 2.2
| 2.3
|-
| 35–39
| 2.3
| 2.4
|-
| 40–44
| 2.5
| 2.4
|-
| 45–49
| 2.6
| 2.6
|}
Height of peoples
center|thumb|300x300px|Average Height of Men in every Province of Nepal
center|thumb|300x300px|Average Height of Women in every Province of Nepal