Urban population growth (annual %) in Nepal
Nepal: Urban population growth (annual %) was 0.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Nepal, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population growth in Nepal stood at 0.2%.
That represents a change of up 16.0% on the previous year and down 80.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Nepal peaked at 21.7% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2024.
Nepal ranks 172nd of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth (annual %) in Nepal, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.5% | — |
| 1962 | 3.3% | -6.4% |
| 1963 | 3.0% | -8.0% |
| 1964 | 2.9% | -5.1% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 2.9% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 3.0% | +3.5% |
| 1968 | 3.1% | +6.2% |
| 1969 | 3.4% | +7.6% |
| 1970 | 3.7% | +9.4% |
| 1971 | 4.1% | +10.1% |
| 1972 | 10.2% | +150.6% |
| 1973 | 18.3% | +79.3% |
| 1974 | 21.6% | +17.9% |
| 1975 | 21.7% | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | -7.0% |
| 1977 | 18.1% | -10.5% |
| 1978 | 15.7% | -13.0% |
| 1979 | 13.2% | -15.7% |
| 1980 | 10.7% | -18.9% |
| 1981 | 8.1% | -24.2% |
| 1982 | 6.3% | -22.1% |
| 1983 | 5.6% | -10.9% |
| 1984 | 5.1% | -9.7% |
| 1985 | 4.7% | -8.2% |
| 1986 | 4.4% | -5.3% |
| 1987 | 4.3% | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 4.4% | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 4.7% | +7.6% |
| 1990 | 5.2% | +11.0% |
| 1991 | 5.8% | +11.1% |
| 1992 | 6.5% | +11.5% |
| 1993 | 6.8% | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 6.8% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 7.0% | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 7.0% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 7.1% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 7.1% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 7.1% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 7.0% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 7.0% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 8.1% | +16.1% |
| 2003 | 9.7% | +19.3% |
| 2004 | 10.2% | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 10.1% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 9.4% | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 8.4% | -10.8% |
| 2008 | 7.1% | -14.6% |
| 2009 | 5.7% | -19.8% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | -27.6% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | -45.9% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | -52.3% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | -11.7% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 1.1% | +17.7% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | -13.1% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | -35.7% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +142.3% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | +44.9% |
| 2021 | 1.8% | -14.5% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | -41.8% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | -71.6% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | -33.8% |
| 2025 | 0.2% | +16.0% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 0.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.7%, 8% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 0.2% is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.7%, 14% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in Nepal changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +150.6% | 4.1% | 10.2% |
| 2019 | +142.3% | 0.6% | 1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 14.7% | 3.7% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.8% | 4.3% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.6% | 5.2% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.3% | 5.7% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 0.6% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9% | 0.2% | 2.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 169 French Polynesia 0.3% compare
- 170 Greenland 0.3% compare
- 171 Curacao 0.2% compare
- 173 Antigua and Barbuda 0.2% compare
- 174 Saint Lucia 0.2% compare
- 175 Bulgaria 0.2% compare
More climate change data for Nepal
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 14.93 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 23,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,890 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 19,588 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14.68 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 699.59 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,853 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,263 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 4,590 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 4.76 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Nepal?
- Urban population growth in Nepal was 0.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 21.7% in 1975.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2024.
- How does Nepal rank for urban population growth?
- Nepal ranks 172nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 80.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.