Nepal — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Nepal, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Nepal was -0.11% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 2.82% in 1992. The lowest was -0.15% in 2024 (about 1.3× the latest value).
Nepal ranks 179 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 82%. The median for South Asia is 0.65%, so Nepal sits below it. It peaked in 1992 and has fallen 104% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 120%. Within South Asia it ranks 5 of 6 economies; Sri Lanka (-0.73%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 385% in 2019. That is 118% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 135th of 216 in 1961 → 112th of 216 in 1970 → 95th of 216 in 1980 → 82nd of 216 in 1990 → 82nd of 217 in 2000 → 140th of 217 in 2010 → 58th of 217 in 2020 → 179th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -0.11% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | -0.15% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | -0.07% | -0.9 pp |
| 2022 | 0.81% | -0.9 pp |
| 2021 | 1.74% | -0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 1.93% | +0.7 pp |
| 2019 | 1.18% | +0.9 pp |
| 2018 | 0.24% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 0.2% | -0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 0.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 0.55% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 0.3% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 0.26% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 0.45% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 0.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 0.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 0.75% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 0.84% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 0.97% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 1.12% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 1.27% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 1.41% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 1.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 1.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 1.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 1.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 1.97% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 2.08% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 2.21% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 2.4% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 2.51% | -0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 2.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 2.82% | +0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 2.59% | +0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 2.42% | +0.2 pp |
| 1989 | 2.22% | +0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 2.1% | -0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 2.12% | -0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 2.21% | -0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 2.27% | -0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 2.35% | -0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 2.37% | +0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 2.33% | -0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 2.35% | -0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 2.36% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 2.34% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 2.32% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 2.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 2.19% | -0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 2.2% | +0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 2.18% | +0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 2.18% | +0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 2.17% | -0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 2.18% | -0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 2.19% | +0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 2.17% | +0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 2.15% | +0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 2.12% | +0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 2.08% | +0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 2.05% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 2% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 1.96% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 1.95% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 1.91% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Nepal’s Population growth in 1962?
1.95% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Nepal’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -105.8% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: -0.11%; 2024: -0.15%; 2023: -0.07%; 2022: 0.81%; 2021: 1.74%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.