// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the 1971 Nepal census say to the other? Let's count on each other.

1971 Nepal Census
1971 Nepal Census
← 1961 1971 1981 →
	Map of Nepal (1971)
General information
Country	Nepal
Authority	Central Bureau of Statistics
Website	www.cbs.gov.np
Results
Total population	11,555,983 (22.77%)
Most populous Zone	Bagmati (1,496,971)
Least populous Zone	Karnali (188,012))

The 1971 Nepal census was the 7th national census of Nepal. It was conducted by Central Bureau of Statistics. It was the first census to be conducted after the division of Nepal into 14 zones and 75 districts in 1962. It was also the first census to use computer for data processing. According to the census the total population of Nepal was 11,555,983.^[1]

This census was followed by the 1981 Nepal census.

Key findings

The key findings of 1971 census are as follows:^[1]^[2]

Total population	11,555,983
Intercensal change	2,142,987
Intercensal change percentage	22.77%
Annual growth rate	2.05%
Population density (per km²)	78.5
Male population	5,817,203
Female population	5,738,780
Gender ratio	101.4
Literacy rate	13.9%

Population distribution

Population by ecological region (1971)^[1]^[3]
Ecological region	Population	Percentage (%)	Density (per km²)
Mountain	1,138,610	9.9	22
Hill	6,071,407	52.5	99
Terai	4,345,966	37.6	128
Nepal	11,555,983	100	79

Poulation by zone (1971)^[4]
S.N	Zone	Population	Percentage (%)	Density (per km²)
1	Mechi	617,760	5.35	86
2	Koshi	866,260	7.50	106
3	Sagarmatha	1,313,480	11.37	104
4	Janakpur	1,265,755	10.95	138
5	Bagmati	1,496,971	12.95	140
6	Narayani	1,103,027	9.55	132
7	Gandaki	1,023,110	8.85	84
8	Dhaulagiri	276,729	2.39	18
9	Lumbini	1,165,701	10.10	130
10	Rapti	705,813	6.11	72
11	Bheri	575,071	4.98	55
12	Karnali	188,012	1.63	14
13	Seti	597,124	5.17	48
14	Mahakali	361,170	3.13	53
Nepal		11,555,983	100	79

In 1972, Nepal was divided into four development regions by grouping zones. Population figures for those development regions are as follows:^[5]

Development region	Population	Percentage (%)	Density (per km²)
Eastern	2,797,500	24.21	100
Central	3,865,753	33.45	137
Western	2,465,540	21.34	68
Far Western^[a]	2,427,190	21.00	46
Nepal	11,555,983	100	79

Population by district

Population by district (1971)^[4]^[6]
S.N	Zone	District	Population	Density (per km²)
1	Mechi	Taplejung	84,715	28
2		Panchthar	145,809	121
3		Ilam	139,538	91
4		Jhapa	247,698	172
5	Koshi	Sankhuwasabha	114,313	36
6		Tehrathum	119,307	135
7		Dhankuta	107,649	120
8		Morang	301,557	154
9		Sunsari	223,434	188
10	Sagarmatha	Solukhumbu	105,324	28
11		Bhojpur^[b]	194,506	97
12		Khotang	163,297	146
13		Okhaldhunga	122,862	112
14		Udayapur	112,622	50
15		Saptari	312,565	226
16		Siraha	302,304	287
17	Janakpur	Dolakha	130,022	65
18		Ramechhap	157,349	98
19		Sindhuli	147,409	63
20		Dhanusha	330,601	291
21		Mahottari	324,831	274
22		Sarlahi	175,543	197
23	Bagmati	Sindhupalchok	206,384	81
24		Rasuwa	17,517	14
25		Nuwakot	172,718	143
26		Dhading	236,276	75
27		Kavrepalanchok	245,165	168
28		Kathmandu	353,756	647
29		Lalitpur	154,998	393
30		Bhaktapur	110,157	831
31	Narayani	Makwanpur	163,766	73
32		Chitwan	183,644	73
33		Rautahat	320,093	293
34		Bara	233,401	185
35		Parsa	202,123	160
36	Gandaki	Manang	7,436	4
37		Gorkha	178,265	69
38		Lamjung	140,226	65
39		Kaski	151,749	118
40		Parbat^[c]	118,689	95
41		Tanahun	158,139	106
42		Syangja	268,606	208
43	Lumbini	Palpa	212,633	90
44		Gulmi	227,746	181
45		Arghakhanchi	130,212	95
46		Nawalparasi	146,548	118
47		Rupandehi	243,346	205
48		Kapilvastu	205,216	133
49	Dhaulagiri	Mustang	26,944	8
50		Dolpa^[d]	19,110	2
51		Myagdi	57,946	38
52		Baglung	172,729	78
53	Rapti	Rukum	96,243	52
54		Rolpa	162,955	96
55		Salyan	141,457	75
56		Pyuthan	137,338	99
57		Dang	167,820	56
58	Karnali	Humla	29,524	5
59		Mugu	25,718	8
60		Tibrikot^[e]	10,017	7
61		Jumla	122,753	43
62	Bheri	Jajarkot	86,564	39
63		Dailekh	156,072	95
64		Surkhet	104,933	33
65		Banke	125,709	67
66		Bardiya	101,793	65
67	Seti	Bajura	61,342	29
68		Bajhang	108,623	38
69		Achham	132,212	57
70		Doti	166,070	100
71		Kailali	128,877	45
72	Mahakali	Darchula	68,868	38
73		Baitadi	128,696	72
74		Dadeldhura	94,743	61
75		Kanchanpur	68,863	43
Nepal			11,555,983	79

Population by language

Languages by number of native speakers (1971)^[6]^[3]^[5]
S.N.	Language	Number of speakers	Percentage (%)
1	Nepali	6,060,758	52.45
2	Maithili	1,327,242	11.49
3	Bhojpuri	806,480	6.98
4	Tharu	495,881	4.29
5	Tamang	555,056	4.80
6	Newar	454,979	3.94
7	Awadhi	316,950	2.74
8	Magar	288,383	2.50
9	Rai, Kirat	232,264	2.01
10	Gurung	171,609	1.49
11	Limbu	170,787	1.48
12	Bhote, Sherpa	79,218	0.69
13	Rajbanshi	55,124	0.48
14	Satar	20,660	0.18
15	Sunuwar	20,380	0.18
16	Danuwar	9,959	0.09
17	Santhali	3,193	0.03
Local district languages		394,374	3.41
Other languages		92,686	0.80
Total		11,555,983	100

Notes

↑ In 1980, Mid Western Development Region was carved out of Far Western Development Region, making total number of development regions 5.
↑ Moved to Koshi Zone in 1975
↑ Moved to Dhaulagiri Zone in 1975
↑ Moved to Karnali Zone in 1975
↑ In 1975, Tibrikot District was merged with Jumla District. At the same time new district of Kalikot was carved out of western part of Jumla District, thus keeping the total number of districts 75.

References

1 2 3 POPULATION MONOGRAPH OF NEPAL VOLUME I (Population Dynamics) (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 2014. ISBN 978-9937-2-8971-9.
↑ नेपालमा जनगणना [Census in Nepal] (PDF) (in Nepali). National Statistics Office (NSO), Nepal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-07-14.
1 2 Population Monograph of Nepal 2003 (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 2003. Archived from the original on 2026-02-21.
1 2 STATISTICAL POCKET BOOK NEPAL 1974 (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 1974. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2026-02-05.
1 2 THE ANALYSIS OF THE POPULATION STATISTICS OF NEPAL (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 1977.
1 2 "National Population Census 1971, Statistical Tables" (ZIP (HTML tables)). National Statistics Office (NSO), Nepal.

This Nepalese history-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

[6] In 1980, Mid Western Development Region was carved out of Far Western Development Region, making total number of development regions 5.

[8] Moved to Koshi Zone in 1975

[9] Moved to Dhaulagiri Zone in 1975

[10] Moved to Karnali Zone in 1975

[11] In 1975, Tibrikot District was merged with Jumla District. At the same time new district of Kalikot was carved out of western part of Jumla District, thus keeping the total number of districts 75.

[:1-1] 1 2 3 POPULATION MONOGRAPH OF NEPAL VOLUME I (Population Dynamics) (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 2014. ISBN 978-9937-2-8971-9.

[2] नेपालमा जनगणना [Census in Nepal] (PDF) (in Nepali). National Statistics Office (NSO), Nepal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-07-14.

[:0-3] 1 2 Population Monograph of Nepal 2003 (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 2003. Archived from the original on 2026-02-21.

[:3-4] 1 2 STATISTICAL POCKET BOOK NEPAL 1974 (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 1974. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2026-02-05.

[:2-5] 1 2 THE ANALYSIS OF THE POPULATION STATISTICS OF NEPAL (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 1977.

[:4-7] 1 2 "National Population Census 1971, Statistical Tables" (ZIP (HTML tables)). National Statistics Office (NSO), Nepal.

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v t e Census in Nepal
Rana period	1911 1920 1930 1941–42
Modern censuses	1952−54 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2021

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