Kathmandu Population 2024

Kathmandu's 2024 population is now estimated at 1,621,642In 1950, the population of Kathmandu was 104,479Kathmandu has grown by 50,632 in the last year, which represents a 3.22% annual change.These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Kathmandu, which typically includes Kathmandu's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.

Kathmandu is the largest municipality and the capital of Nepal. It's also the only city in the country with the Mahanagar (Metropolitan City) municipal status.

Kathmandu makes up the core of the largest urban agglomeration in the city in the Kathmandu Valley, which also includes Kirtipur, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Madhyapur Thimi, and smaller regions. Informally, the city is called KTM or the tri-city.

Kathmandu accounts for 1/12 of Nepal's total population, and it's the main gateway to the country's tourism industry. The city has a history going back more than 2,000 years.

City Size and Population Density

The city proper has a population density of 20,288 people per square kilometer (52,550 residents per square mile). This great population density is made possible by the rather small surface area the city has available, which comes to a total of approximately 50 square kilometers (19 square miles).

Kathmandu Demographics

Kathmandu is a very ethnically and culturally diverse city. The Newar are the largest ethnic group at 30% of the population, followed by the Matwali at 25% -- which includes the Tamang, Gurung, Sunuwar, Magars, and others -- the Khas Brahmins at 20%, and the Chettris at 18.5% of the population. The Tamangs were initially from the surrounding hills of the region. Many hill ethnic groups from Terai (the marshy forests and grasslands on the outer foothills of the Himalaya) have also migrated to the area.

Hinduism and Buddhism are the two primary religions in the city. Nepal remains the only official Hindu state in the world.

Nepali is the most commonly spoken language, as well as Nepal Bhasa and English. Hindi is also spoken and understood by most of the educated population.

The Nepal Earthquake

In April 2015, Kathmandu was devastated by the Nepal or Gorkha earthquake. This 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed more than 9,000 and injured over 23,000. It triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest that killed 19, which was the deadliest day of the mountain's history. The earthquake destroyed many landmarks and centuries-old structures in the region, including parts of the Kathmandu Durbar Square, the Changu Narayan Temple, and the Swayambhunath Stupa. The Swayambhunath or Monkey Temple is one of the oldest religious sites in the country. While it's considered a Buddhist temple, it's revered by Hindus and Buddhists alike.

Disaster experts knew the earthquake's damage to the area was coming. The valley is located on a fault line, and the city has an annual growth rate of 6.5% combined with one of the highest urban densities on earth and 1.5 million people living in the valley. Rampant code violations and haphazard urbanization in the region have been blamed for the high death toll.

Country
Nepal
Growth Rate
3.22%

Kathmandu Population 2024

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Growth
1950104,479
1951105,1970.69%718
1952105,9200.69%723
1953106,7350.77%815
1954108,4301.59%1,695
1955110,1511.59%1,721
1956111,9011.59%1,750
1957113,6751.59%1,774
1958115,4791.59%1,804
1959117,3121.59%1,833
1960119,1771.59%1,865
1961121,0841.6%1,907
1962123,7452.2%2,661
1963126,4642.2%2,719
1964129,2472.2%2,783
1965132,0832.19%2,836
1966134,9852.2%2,902
1967137,9512.2%2,966
1968140,9872.2%3,036
1969144,0812.19%3,094
1970147,2472.2%3,166
1971150,5682.26%3,321
1972157,4604.58%6,892
1973164,6474.56%7,187
1974172,1734.57%7,526
1975180,0434.57%7,870
1976188,2844.58%8,241
1977196,8784.56%8,594
1978205,8784.57%9,000
1979215,2884.57%9,410
1980225,1434.58%9,855
1981235,4984.6%10,355
1982249,6356%14,137
1983264,6216%14,986
1984280,5296.01%15,908
1985297,3465.99%16,817
1986315,1966%17,850
1987334,1176%18,921
1988354,2036.01%20,086
1989375,4365.99%21,233
1990397,9736%22,537
1991421,7435.97%23,770
1992441,9254.79%20,182
1993463,0124.77%21,087
1994485,1374.78%22,125
1995508,3194.78%23,182
1996532,6444.79%24,325
1997558,0604.77%25,416
1998584,7274.78%26,667
1999612,6684.78%27,941
2000641,9864.79%29,318
2001672,5114.75%30,525
2002700,0274.09%27,516
2003728,6694.09%28,642
2004758,5244.1%29,855
2005789,5164.09%30,992
2006821,8204.09%32,304
2007855,4454.09%33,625
2008890,4954.1%35,050
2009926,8794.09%36,384
2010964,8024.09%37,923
20111,004,2784.09%39,476
20121,045,3684.09%41,090
20131,088,1424.09%42,774
20141,132,6644.09%44,522
20151,179,0094.09%46,345
20161,227,2494.09%48,240
20171,277,4634.09%50,214
20181,329,7324.09%52,269
20191,376,1083.49%46,376
20201,423,5153.45%47,407
20211,471,8673.4%48,352
20221,521,0573.34%49,190
20231,571,0103.28%49,953
20241,621,6423.22%50,632
20251,672,9033.16%51,261
20261,724,8003.1%51,897
20271,777,3683.05%52,568
20281,830,6083%53,240
20291,884,5202.95%53,912
20301,939,0772.9%54,557
20311,994,2482.85%55,171
20322,049,9922.8%55,744
20332,106,2962.75%56,304
20342,163,1242.7%56,828
20352,220,4362.65%57,312
showing: 86 rows

Kathmandu Population Data (Urban Area)

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Other Cities in Nepal

  1. Open Nepal - Population of Kathmandu Metropolitan City according to age group and gender - 2011
  2. Central Bureau of Statistics - Kathmandu National Population Census 2011

Sources