1961 Nepal census

1961 Nepal Census

1961

General information
CountryNepal
AuthorityCentral Bureau of Statistics
Websitewww.cbs.gov.np
Results
Total population9,412,996 (14.01%)

The 1961 Nepal census was the 6th national census of Nepal. It was the first census conducted by Central Bureau of Statistics after its establishment in 1958. According to the census the total population of Nepal was 9,412,996.[1]

This census was followed by the 1971 Nepal census.

Key findings

The key findings of 1961 census are as follows:[1][2]

Total population 9,412,996
Intercensal change 1,156,371
Intercensal change percentage 14.01%
Annual growth rate 1.64%
Population density (per km2) 64.0
Male population 4,636,033
Female population 4,776,963
Gender ratio 97.0
Literacy rate 8.9%

Population distribution

Population by ecological region (1961)[1]
Ecological region Population Percentage (%)
Mountain & Hill 5,991,297 63.6
Terai[a] 3,421,699 36.4
Nepal 9,412,996 100
Population by region (1961)[3]
Region Population Percentage (%)
Eastern Hills 1,886,722 20.04
Eastern Inner Terai 193,666 2.06
Eastern Terai 2,213,282 23.51
Kathmandu Valley 459,990 4.89
Central Inner Terai 244,236 2.59
Western Hills 1,946,502 20.68
Western Inner Terai 98,607 1.05
Western Terai 400,357 4.25
Far Western Hills 1,698,083 18.04
Far Western Terai 271,551 2.88
Nepal 9,412,996 100

Population by district

Population by district (1961)[3][2]
S.N Region District name District name in Nepali Population
1 Eastern Hills Kabhrepalanchok काभ्रेपलाञ्चोक 216,440
2 Sindhupalchok सिन्धुपाल्चोक 186,492
3 Dolakha दोलखा 132,112
4 Chisankhu (Ramechhap) चिसङ्खु (रामेछाप) 123,357
5 Chisankhu (Okhaldhunga) चिसङ्खु (ओखलढुङ्गा) 164,429
6 Majhkirat माझकिरात 128,404
7 Bhojpur भोजपुर 252,660
8 Chhathum छथूम 135,351
9 Tehrathum तेह्रथूम 422,952
10 Ilam इलाम 124,525
11 Eastern Inner Terai Udayapur उदयपुर 89,429
12 Sindhuligadhi सिन्धुलीगढी 104,237
13 Eastern Terai Jhapa झापा 119,700
14 Biratnagar विराटनगर 325,645
15 Hanumannagar हनुमाननगर 299,869
16 Siraha सिराहा 210,532
17 Mahottari महोत्तरी 488,218
18 Sarlahi सर्लाही 162,979
19 Rautahat रौतहट 218,661
20 Bara बारा 250,054
21 Parsa पर्सा 137,624
22 Kathmandu Valley Kathmandu काठमाडौँ 224,867
23 Lalitpur ललितपुर 145,301
24 Bhaktapur भक्तपुर 89,822
25 Central Inner Terai Chisapanigadhi चिसापानीगढी 158,530
26 Chitawan चितवन 67,882
27 Nawalpur नवलपुर 17,824
28 Western Hills Nuwakot नुवाकोट 162,981
29 Dhading धादिङ 203,039
30 Gorkha गोरखा 151,264
31 Tanahun तनहुँ 127,642
32 Lamjung लम्जुङ 130,935
33 Kaski कास्की 127,515
34 Syangja स्याङ्जा 339,634
35 Baglung बाग्लुङ 228,769
36 Gulmi गुल्मी 301,730
37 Palpa पाल्पा 172,993
38 Western Inner Terai Dang दाङ 55,858
39 Deukhuri देउखुरी 42,749
40 Western Terai Palhi पाल्ही 96,227
41 Majhkhanda माझखण्ड 141,627
42 Khajahani खजहनी 125,036
43 Shivaraj शिवराज 37,467
44 Far Western Hills Pyuthan प्यूठान 212,481
45 Salyan सल्यान 415,524
46 Jumla जुम्ला 184,505
47 Dailekh दैलेख 208,745
48 Achham अछाम 152,520
49 Doti डोटी 282,637
50 Baitadi बैतडी 158,962
51 Dadeldhura डडेल्धुरा 82,709
52 Far Western Terai Banke बाँके 95,148
53 Bardiya बर्दिया 67,731
54 Kailali कैलाली 89,795
55 Kanchanpur कञ्चनपुर 18,877
Nepal नेपाल 9,412,996

Population by language

Languages by number of native speakers (1961)[4]
S.N. Language Number of speakers Percentage (%)
1 Nepali 4,796,528 50.96
2 Maithili 1,130,401 12.01
3 Bhojpuri 577,357 6.13
4 Tamang 518,812 5.51
5 Awadhi 447,090 4.75
6 Tharu 406,907 4.32
7 Newar 377,727 4.01
8 Magar 254,675 2.71
9 Rai, Kirat 239,749 2.54
10 Gurung 157,778 1.68
11 Limbu 138,705 1.47
12 Bhote, Sherpa 84,229 0.89
13 Morang dialects[b] 83,986 0.89
14 Rajbanshi 55,803 0.59
15 Satar 18,840 0.20
16 Sunuwar 13,362 0.14
17 Danuwar 11,624 0.12
18 Santhali 10,645 0.11
19 Bengali 9,915 0.11
20 Chepang 9,247 0.10
21 Jhangar 9,140 0.10
22 Thami 9,049 0.10
23 Dhimal 8,188 0.09
24 Marwadi 6,716 0.07
25 Majhi 5,895 0.06
26 Thakali 4,134 0.04
27 Pahari 3,002 0.03
28 Hindi 2,867 0.03
29 Jirel 2,757 0.03
30 Urdu 2,650 0.03
31 Kumal 1,724 0.02
32 Darai 1,645 0.02
33 Lepcha/Lapche 1,272 0.01
34 Meche 938 0.01
35 Raji 801 0.01
36 Odiya 782 0.01
Others 1,627 0.02
Not stated 6,432 0.07
Total 9,412,996 100

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Including Inner Terai
  2. ^ Dehati (Rural Terai) dialect spoken in Biratnagar and Jhapa. Included in Maithili in later censuses.

References

  1. ^ a b c POPULATION MONOGRAPH OF NEPAL VOLUME I (Population Dynamics) (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal. 2014. ISBN 978-9937-2-8971-9.
  2. ^ a b नेपालमा जनगणना [Census in Nepal] (PDF) (in Nepali). National Statistics Office (NSO), Nepal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-07-14.
  3. ^ a b Central Bureau of Statistics. "Population Census of Nepal 1961, Part I: TABLE 1- SELECTED SUMMARY STATISTICS FOR DISTRICTS & REGIONS" (ZIP (HTML census tables)). National Statistics Office. Government of Nepal. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
  4. ^ Central Bureau of Statistics. "Population Census of Nepal 1961, Part II: Table No. 8 – Mother-tongues of population present by district and region" (ZIP (HTML census tables)). National Statistics Office. Government of Nepal. Retrieved 2026-02-10.