1981 Nepal census

1981 Nepal Census
←  1971 1981 1991  →
General information
Country	Nepal
Authority	Central Bureau of Statistics
Website	www.cbs.gov.np
Results
Total population	15,022,839 (30.00%)
Most populous Development Region	Central (4,909,357) [1]
Least populous Development Region	Far-Western (1,320,089) [1]

The 1981 Nepal census was the 8th national census of Nepal. The census was conducted by Central Bureau of Statistics. According to the census the total population of Nepal was 15,022,839. ^[1]

This census was followed by the 1991 Nepal census.

Key findings

The key findings of 1981 census are as follows: ^{[1] [2]}

Total population	15,022,839
Intercensal change	3,466,856
Intercensal change percentage	30.00%
Annual growth rate	2.62%
Population density (per km2)	102.1
Male population	7,695,336
Female population	7,327,503
Gender ratio	105.0
Literacy rate	23.3%

Population distribution

Population by ecological region (1981) ^{[1] [3]}

Ecological region	Population	Percentage (%)	Sex ratio	Annual growth rate (%)	Population density (per km2)
Mountain	1,302,896	8.7	104.71	1.35	25.14
Hill	7,163,115	47.7	102.14	1.65	116.76
Terai	6,556,828	43.6	108.33	4.11	192.71
Nepal	15,022,839	100	105.02	2.62	102.07

Population by development region (1981) ^{[1] [3] [4]}

Development region	Population	Percentage (%)	Sex ratio	Population density (per km2)
Eastern	3,708,923	24.69	105	130.32
Central	4,909,357	32.68	107	179.10
Western	3,128,859	20.83	103	106.43
Mid-Western	1,955,611	13.02	103	46.14
Far-Western	1,320,089	8.78	105	67.56
Nepal	15,022,839	100	105	102.07

Population by zone (1981) ^[4]

S.N	Development region	Zone	Population	Sex ratio	Density (per km2)
1	Eastern	Mechi	932,625	107	113.79
2		Koshi	1,423,624	106	147.24
3		Sagarmatha	1,352,674	104	127.72
4	Central	Janakpur	1,688,115	105	174.59
5		Bagmati	1,782,439	109	189.06
6		Narayani	1,438,803	107	173.08
7	Western	Gandaki	1,107,569	97	90.23
8		Dhaulagiri	453,462	102	55.65
9		Lumbini	1,567,828	107	174.69
10	Mid-Western	Rapti	876,723	100	83.64
11		Bheri	836,402	106	79.32
12		Karnali	242,486	108	11.36
13	Far-Western	Seti	794,911	102	63.34
14		Mahakali	525,178	110	75.14
Nepal			15,022,839	105	102.07

Population by district

Population by district (1981) ^{[4] [3]}

S.N	Zone	District	Population	Sex ratio	Density (per km2)
1	Mechi	Taplejung	120,780	101	33.10
2		Panchthar	153,746	99	123.67
3		Ilam	178,356	107	104.73
4		Jhapa	479,743	111	298.72
5	Koshi	Sankhuwasabha	129,414	102	37.18
6		Tehrathum	92,454	98	136.16
7		Dhankuta	129,781	104	145.65
8		Bhojpur	192,689	102	127.86
9		Morang	534,692	108	288.24
10		Sunsari	344,594	107	274.14
11	Sagarmatha	Solukhumbu	88,245	102	26.64
12		Khotang	212,571	101	133.61
13		Okhaldhunga	137,640	96	128.15
14		Udayapur	159,805	105	77.46
15		Saptari	379,055	105	278.10
16		Siraha	375,358	108	315.95
17	Janakpur	Dolakha	150,576	99	68.72
18		Ramechhap	161,445	93	104.43
19		Sindhuli	183,705	103	73.74
20		Dhanusha	432,569	108	366.58
21		Mahottari	361,054	107	360.33
22		Sarlahi	398,766	107	316.73
23	Bagmati	Sindhupalchok	232,326	112	91.39
24		Kavrepalanchok	307,150	103	220.02
25		Rasuwa	30,241	108	19.58
26		Nuwakot	202,976	106	181.06
27		Dhading	243,401	105	126.37
28		Kathmandu	422,237	117	1068.95
29		Lalitpur	184,341	113	478.80
30		Bhaktapur	159,767	105	1342.58
31	Narayani	Makwanpur	243,411	106	100.33
32		Chitwan	259,571	106	117.03
33		Rautahat	332,526	108	295.32
34		Bara	318,957	107	268.03
35		Parsa	284,338	106	210.15
36	Gandaki	Manang	7,021	102	3.13
37		Gorkha	231,294	98	64.07
38		Lamjung	152,720	90	90.26
39		Kaski	221,272	102	109.70
40		Tanahun	223,438	103	144.52
41		Syangja	271,824	91	233.52
42	Dhaulagiri	Mustang	12,930	112	3.62
43		Myagdi	96,904	115	42.19
44		Parbat	128,400	94	259.91
45		Baglung	215,228	99	120.64
46	Lumbini	Palpa	214,442	103	156.18
47		Gulmi	238,113	94	207.23
48		Arghakhanchi	157,304	122	131.85
49		Nawalparasi	308,828	106	142.84
50		Rupandehi	379,096	108	278.74
51		Kapilvastu	270,045	113	155.37
52	Rapti	Rukum	132,432	103	46.03
53		Rolpa	168,166	96	89.49
54		Salyan	152,063	100	104.01
55		Pyuthan	157,669	96	120.45
56		Dang	266,393	104	90.15
57	Bheri	Jajarkot	99,312	109	44.53
58		Dailekh	166,527	100	110.87
59		Surkhet	166,196	101	67.81
60		Banke	205,323	109	87.86
61		Bardiya	199,044	109	98.29
62	Karnali	Humla	20,303	109	3.59
63		Dolpa	22,043	108	2.79
64		Mugu	43,705	108	12.36
65		Kalikot	87,638	106	50.34
66		Jumla	68,797	109	27.18
67	Seti	Bajura	74,649	102	34.11
68		Bajhang	124,010	101	36.24
69		Achham	185,212	94	110.24
70		Doti	153,135	96	75.62
71		Kailali	257,905	112	79.72
72	Mahakali	Darchula	90,218	105	38.85
73		Baitadi	179,136	103	117.93
74		Dadeldhura	86,853	106	56.47
75		Kanchanpur	168,971	123	104.95
Nepal			15,022,839	105	102.07

Population by language

Languages by number of native speakers (1981) ^[5]

S.N.	Language	Number of speakers	Percentage (%)
1	Nepali	8,767,361	58.36
2	Maithili	1,668,309	11.11
3	Bhojpuri	1,142,805	7.61
4	Tharu	545,685	3.63
5	Tamang	522,416	3.48
6	Newar	448,746	2.99
7	Awadhi	234,343	1.56
8	Rai, Kirat	221,353	1.47
9	Magar	212,681	1.42
10	Gurung	174,464	1.16
11	Limbu	129,234	0.86
12	Bhote, Sherpa	73,589	0.49
13	Rajbansi	59,383	0.40
14	Satar	22,403	0.15
15	Danuwar	13,522	0.09
16	Sunuwar	10,650	0.07
17	Santhali	5,804	0.04
18	Thakali	5,289	0.04
Other		7,64,802	5.09
Total		15,022,839	100

See also

• Nepal portal

• Census in Nepal
• 1971 Nepal census
• 1991 Nepal census

References

1. 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.
3. "CHAPTER II POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AND GROWTH". Population Monograph of Nepal 1995 (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 1995. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-06-14.
4. STATISTICAL POCKET BOOK NEPAL 1984 (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 1984.
5. Population Monograph of Nepal 2003. Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 2003. Archived from the original on 2026-02-21.