Islam (Nepali: नेपाली मुसलमान) is the third largest religion in Nepal.[1] According to the 2021 Nepal census, approximately 1.483 million Muslims, comprising 5.09% of the population, live in Nepal.[2]
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नेपाली मुसलमान | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| 1,483,060[3] (5.09% of the country's population)  [4] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Nepal | |
| Languages | |
| Nepali • Awadhi • Bhojpuri • Maithili • Urdu • Hindi | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Kashmiri Muslims, Bihari Muslims, Madheshi people,[5] Gorkhali Muslims |
Nepalese Muslims (Nepali: नेपाली मुसलमान; Nepali Musalman) are Nepalis who follow Islam. Their ancestors arrived in Nepal from different parts of South Asia, Central Asia and Tibet during different epochs, and have since lived amidst the numerically dominant Hindus and Buddhists. About 80% of the Muslim community live in the Terai region, while the other 20% are found mainly in the city of Kathmandu and Gorkha and the western hills. The community numbers 971,056, about 3.8% of the total population of Nepal. Districts with large Muslim population include Sarlahi (9.9%), Rautahat (17.2%), Bara (11.9%), and Parsa (17.3%) and Banke (16%) in the western Terai and Siraha (7%) and Sunsari (10%) and Saptari (10%) Gorkha (13%) hill.[6]
Demographics
According to the 2021 Nepal census, there are around 1.483 million Muslims in Nepal. Almost all of them live in Terai Region.[7] Districts with large Muslim concentrations are: Rautahat, Banke, Kapilvastu, Parsa, Mahottari, Bara, and Sunsari. There are only 21,866 Muslims in the capital city of Kathmandu (1.25% of the total population).
Ahmadis maintain a small presence in Nepal.[8]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1952/54 | 209,718 | — |
| 1961 | 280,507 | +33.8% |
| 1971 | 351,301 | +25.2% |
| 1981 | 399,607 | +13.8% |
| 1991 | 652,735 | +63.3% |
| 2001 | 972,359 | +49.0% |
| 2011 | 1,162,370 | +19.5% |
| 2021 | 1,483,060 | +27.6% |
| Source: Nepal Censuses | ||
The Muslim population was 1,483,060 as per Nepal 2021 Official census which make up 5.09% of Nepal's population. The Muslim population increased from 4.39% in 2011 to 5.09% in 2021.[11]
Decadal percentage of Muslims in Nepal[12]
| Year | Percent | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 1952/54 | 2.54% | - |
| 1961 | 2.98% | +0.44% |
| 1971 | 3.04% | +0.06% |
| 1981 | 2.66% | -0.38% |
| 1991 | 3.53% | +0.87% |
| 2001 | 4.20% | +0.67% |
| 2011 | 4.39% | +0.19% |
| 2021 | 5.09% | +0.70% |
| Year | Population | % |
|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 2.2 million | 5.5% |
| 2040 | 2.7 million | 6% |
| 2050 | 3.2 million | 6.6% |
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in Nepal. By 2050 Pew Research Center have estimated that Nepal will have 3.34 million Muslims and will constitute roughly around 7% of the country's population,[14] thus surpassing Buddhism which is currently the 2nd largest Religion in Nepal as of 2021 Nepal census reports.[15]
See also
References
External links
- Haque, Md. Mozammil. "Islam in Nepal". Wordpress. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
- Sharma, Sudhindra (May 1995). "How the crescent fares in Nepal". Himal. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
- Sijapati, Megan Adamson. Islamic Revival in Nepal: Religion and a New Nation. New York and London, Routledge Press, 2011. South Asia edition, Delhi 2013.
- Siddique, Muhammad (2001). "Muslim Population in the Kingdom of Nepal: Some Outstanding Features" (PDF). Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. 21 (2): 333–345. doi:10.1080/1360200120092897. S2CID 143442959. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2011.