Ethnic groups in Nepal

Caste/Ethnic groups of Nepal more than 1% of total population (2021 Census)^[1]

Sunuwar (16.45%)

Brahmin-Hill (11.29%)

Magar (6.9%)

Tharu (6.2%)

Tamang (5.62%)

Kami (5.04%)

Muslims (4.86%)

Newar (4.6%)

Yadav (4.21%)

Rai (2.2%)

Damai (1.94%)

Gurung (1.86%)

Thakuri (1.7%)

Sarki (1.55%)

Teli (1.48%)

Limbu (1.42%)

Chamar (1.35%)

Kushwaha (1.22%)

Other (20.11%)

Ethnic groups in Nepal are delineated using language, ethnic identity or the caste system in Nepal. They are categorized by common culture and endogamy. Endogamy carves out ethnic groups in Nepal.^[2]

Linguistic groups

Gurung people from central Nepal playing one of their traditional drums, Khaijadi

Nepal's diverse linguistic heritage evolved from 2 major language groups: Indo-European languages, Tibeto-Burman languages. Nepal's languages are mostly either Indo-European or Sino-Tibetan, while only a very few of them are Austro-Asiatic and Dravidian.

Out of 123 languages of Nepal, the 48 Indo-European languages constitute the largest group in terms of the numeric strength of their speakers, nearly 82.1%^[3] of population. Nepali, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, Tharu languages, Urdu, etc. fall in this group.

The Sino-Tibetan family of Nepal's languages forms a part of its Tibeto-Burman group. Though spoken by relatively fewer people than the Indo-European family (17.3%^[3] of population), it includes a greater number of languages, about 63 languages. Languages belonging to this group are Tamang, Nepal Bhasa (Newar), Magar, Limbu, etc.

Tribhuvan University began surveying and recording threatened languages in 2010 and the government intends to use this information to include more languages on the next Nepalese census.^[4]

Social status

Sunuwar, a division of Kirati people; one of the largest ethnic groups in Eastern Nepal

Hill status i.e. (Brahmin/Bahun and Chhetri castes) and the upper-caste segments of Newars dominated the civil service, the judiciary and upper ranks of the army throughout the Shah regime (1768–2008). Nepali was the national language and Sanskrit became a required school subject. Children who spoke Nepali natively and who were exposed to Sanskrit had much better chances of passing the national examinations at the end of high school, which meant they had better employment prospects and could continue into higher education. Caste system, prevalent among Hindus, was made illegal in 1961 by Naya Muluki ain. ^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]

List of ethnic in Nepal by population

The populations of 125 Nepalese castes groups were recorded in the 2011 Nepal census.^[3]^[10]^{[note 1]}^[11]

Rank	Caste & Tribal groups	Population (2011)	Percentage (%)
1	Chetri	4,398,053	18.80
2	Bahun	3,226,903	14.18
3	Magar	1,887,733	7.12
4	Tharu	1,737,470	6.56
5	Tamang	1,539,830	5.81
6	Newar	1,321,933	4.99
7	Kami	1,258,554	4.75
8	Nepali Musalman	1,164,255	4.39
9	Yadav	1,054,458	3.98
10	Rai	620,004	2.34
11	Gurung	522,641	1.97
12	Damai/Dholi	472,862	1.78
13	Thakuri	425,623	1.61
14	Limbu	387,300	1.46
15	Sarki	374,816	1.41
16	Teli	369,688	1.40
17	Chamar/Harijan/Ram	335,893	1.27
18	Kushwaha	306,393	1.16
19	Musahar	234,490	0.89
20	Kurmi	231,129	0.87
21	Sanyasi/Dasnami	227,822	0.86
22	Dhanuk	219,808	0.83
23	Kanu/Haluwai	209,053	0.79
24	Dusadh/Pasawan/Pasi	208,910	0.79
25	Mallaha	173,261	0.65
26	Kewat	153,772	0.58
27	Kathbaniya	138,637	0.52
28	Brahmin-Terai	134,106	0.51
29	Kalwar	128,232	0.48
30	Kumal	121,196	0.45
31	Bhujel	118,650	0.44
32	Hajam/Thakur	117,758	0.43
33	Rajbanshi	115,242	0.43
34	Sherpa	112,946	0.41
35	Dhobi	109,079	0.40
36	Tatma/Tatwa	104,865	0.38
37	Lohar	101,421	0.38
38	Khatwe	100,921	0.35
39	Sudhi	93,115	0.32
40	Danuwar	84,115	0.32
41	Majhi	83,727	0.30
42	Barai	80,597	0.28
43	Bin	75,195	0.27
44	Nuniya	70,540	0.26
45	Chepang	68,399	0.24
46	Sonar	64,335	0.24
47	Kumhar	62,399	0.21
48	Sunuwar	55,712	0.21
49	Bantar/Sardar	55,104	0.21
50	Kahar	53,159	0.20
51	Santhal	51,735	0.20
52	Marwadi	51,443	0.19
53	Kayastha	44,304	0.17
54	Rajput/Terai Kshetriya	41,972	0.16
55	Badi	38,603	0.15
56	Jhangar/Uraon	37,424	0.14
57	Gangai (Ganesh & Mandal)	36,988	0.12
58	Lodh	32,837	0.11
59	Badhaee	28,932	0.11
60	Thami	28,671	0.11
61	Kulung	28,613	0.1
62	Bengali	26,582	0.1
63	Gaderi/Bhediyar/Gangajali	26,375	0.1
64	Dhimal	26,298	0.09
65	Yakkha	24,336	0.09
66	Ghale	22,881	0.07
67	Tajpuriya	19,213	0.07
68	Khawas	18,513	0.06
69	Darai	16,789	0.06
70	Mali	14,995	0.06
71	Dhuniya	14,846	0.05
72	Pahari	13,615	0.05
73	Rajdhob	13,422	0.05
74	Bhote	13,397	0.05
75	Dom	13,268	0.05
76	Thakali	13,215	0.05
77	Kori	12,276	0.04
78	Chhantyal	11,810	0.04
79	Hyolmo	10,752	0.04
80	Bote	10,397	0.04
81	Rajbhar	9,542	0.03
82	Brahmu/Baramo	8,140	0.03
83	Punjabi	7,176	0.03
84	Nachhring	7,154	0.03
85	Yamphu	6,933	0.03
86	Gaine	6,791	0.03
87	Chamling	6,668	0.02
88	Athpahariya	5,977	0.02
89	Jirel	5,774	0.02
90	Dura	5,394	0.02
91	Sarabaria	4,906	0.02
92	Meche	4,867	0.02
93	Bantawa	4,604	0.02
94	Raji	4,235	0.02
95	Dolpo	4,107	0.02
96	Halkhor	4,003	0.01
97	Byansi/Sauka	3,895	0.01
98	Amat	3,830	0.01
99	Thulung	3,535	0.01
100	Lepcha	3,445	0.01
101	Pathakatta/Kushwadia	3,182	0.01
102	Mewahang	3,100	0.01
103	Bahing	3,096	0.01
104	Natuwa	3,062	0.01
105	Hayu	2,925	0.01
106	Dhankar/Dharikar	2,681	0.01
107	Lhopa	2,624	0.01
108	Munda	2,350	0.0087
109	Dev	2,147	0.0081
110	Dhandi	1,982	0.0075
111	Kamar	1,787	0.0067
112	Kisan	1,739	0.0066
113	Sampang	1,681	0.0063
114	Koche	1,635	0.0062
115	Lhomi	1,614	0.0061
116	Khaling	1,571	0.0059
117	Topkegola	1,523	0.0057
118	Chidimar	1,254	0.0047
119	Walung	1,249	0.0047
120	Lohorung	1,153	0.0044
121	Kalar	1,077	0.004
122	Raute	618	0.002
123	Nurang	278	0.001
124	Kusunda	273	0.001
	Foreigners	6,651	0.03
−	Others/Undefined	275,670	1.04%
Total		26,494,504	100.00%

Broad Ethnic Categories of Nepal (2011 Census)^[3]
Rank	Broad Ethnic Category	Sub-Category	Sub-Category Percentage	Linguistic family	Population Percentage
1	Khas-Arya (Hill Group)	Chhetri	16.60%	Indo-Aryan	39.37%
		Brahmin	12.18%
		Dalit	8.12%
		Thakuri	1.61%
		Sanyasis/Dashnami	0.86%
2	Janajatis	Hill: Sherpas, Tamangs, Magars, Ghale, Kirat (Rai, Limbu, Sunuwar), Gurungs etc.	22.28%	Sino-Tibetan	30.81%
2	Janajatis	Terai: Tharu, Rajbanshi, Dhimal, etc.	8.53%	Indo-Aryan, Austroasiatic, Sino-Tibetan languages	30.81%
3	Newars	Newar (Middle)	3.1%	Sino-Tibetan	5.5%
		Newar (Low)	0.4%
		Newar (Buddhists)	0.8%
		Newar (Upper)	1.1%
4	Madhesi (Terai Caste Group)	Madhesi (Middle)	9.97%	Indo-Aryan	23.43%
		Madhesi (Dalit)	4.50%
		Madhesi (Nepali Muslims)	4.39%
		Madhesi (Low)	3.86%
		Madhesi (High) Maithili Brahmins, Rajput/Terai Kshetriya, Thakur, etc.	2.5%
5	Other (Marwadi, Bengali and Punjabi)		−	Indo-Aryan	0.32%
6	Undefined and Foreigners	−	−	−	1.07%
Total					100%

References

Footnotes

^ Pages 191/192 of the total pdf or pages 156/157 in the scanned material shows Nepalese castes/ethnic groups

Notes

^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
^ Mishra, Pramod (2020-08-26). "Endogamy, hierarchy and violence". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Population Monograph of Nepal Volume II (Social Demography)" (PDF).
^ Tumbahang, Govinda Bahadur (2010). "Marginalization of indigenous languages of Nepal". Contributions to Nepalese Studies. 37: 69 – via Expanded Academic.
^ "Highlights" (PDF). OCHA Nepal Situation Overview (12). OCHA. April 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 November 2009. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
^ "Highlights" (PDF). OCHA Nepal Situation Overview (16). OCHA. July–August 2007. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
^ "Highlights" (PDF). OCHA Nepal Situation Overview (30). OCHA. June–July 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
^ Sharma, Hari (2010-11-18). "Body of murder victim found in Gulmi". Gulmi: The Himalayan Times online. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
^ Hatlebakk, Magnus (2007). "Economic and social structures that may explain the recent conflicts in the Terai of Nepal" (PDF). Kathmandu: Norwegian Embassy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
^ "POPULATION MONOGRAPH OF NEPAL" (PDF). p. 191. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-18. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
^ "Nepal Census 2011" (PDF).