Nepal Demographics: Median age, Gender, Race, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Nepal vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Nepal	World
1960	19.5	22.5
1961	19.5	22.5
1962	19.6	22.4
1963	19.6	22.2
1964	19.6	22
1965	19.6	21.8
1966	19.6	21.7
1967	19.7	21.6
1968	19.7	21.5
1969	19.7	21.5
1970	19.7	21.4
1971	19.7	21.4
1972	19.7	21.5
1973	19.7	21.5
1974	19.7	21.6
1975	19.7	21.7
1976	19.7	21.9
1977	19.7	22
1978	19.6	22.2
1979	19.6	22.3
1980	19.6	22.5
1981	19.5	22.6
1982	19.5	22.7
1983	19.5	22.9
1984	19.5	23
1985	19.4	23.2
1986	19.4	23.3
1987	19.3	23.4
1988	19.2	23.6
1989	19.2	23.8
1990	19.2	23.9
1991	19.2	24.1
1992	19.2	24.3
1993	19.2	24.5
1994	19.2	24.7
1995	19.2	25
1996	19.2	25.2
1997	19.2	25.4
1998	19.2	25.7
1999	19.3	25.9
2000	19.3	26.1
2001	19.4	26.3
2002	19.5	26.5
2003	19.7	26.7
2004	19.8	27
2005	20	27.2
2006	20.3	27.4
2007	20.5	27.6
2008	20.8	27.8
2009	21	28
2010	21.3	28.2
2011	21.6	28.4
2012	21.8	28.6
2013	22	28.9
2014	22.2	29.1
2015	22.4	29.3
2016	22.7	29.5
2017	22.9	29.8
2018	23.2	30
2019	23.7	30.3
2020	24.5	30.6
2021	25	30.8
2022	25.4	31
2023	25.7	31.3
2024	26	31.6
2025	26.3	31.9
2026	26.7	32.1
2027	27.1	32.3
2028	27.4	32.6
2029	27.8	32.8
2030	28.1	33
2031	28.5	33.2
2032	28.9	33.4
2033	29.3	33.6
2034	29.7	33.8
2035	30.1	34
2036	30.5	34.2
2037	30.9	34.4
2038	31.3	34.6
2039	31.7	34.8
2040	32.1	35
2041	32.5	35.2
2042	32.9	35.4
2043	33.3	35.6
2044	33.7	35.8
2045	34.1	36
2046	34.5	36.2
2047	34.8	36.4
2048	35.2	36.6
2049	35.6	36.8
2050	36	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Nepal was 19.5 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 26 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 104th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Nepal ranks 127th currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Nepal is expected to increase to around 36 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Nepal demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Nepal
	Male	Female
0-4	4.76%	4.56%
5-9	4.89%	4.55%
10-14	4.99%	4.68%
15-19	4.99%	4.94%
20-24	4.71%	5.05%
25-29	4.13%	4.83%
30-34	3.36%	4.27%
35-39	2.84%	3.76%
40-44	2.62%	3.29%
45-49	2.32%	2.75%
50-54	2.12%	2.38%
55-59	1.69%	1.93%
60-64	1.48%	1.61%
65-69	1.2%	1.32%
70-74	0.88%	1.02%
75-79	0.54%	0.67%
80+	0.36%	0.5%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Nepal has average demographic potential with 64.7% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 68/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Nepal			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	77.5%	72.2%	5.29%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	77.5%	72.2%	5.34%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	77.5%	72.1%	5.39%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	77.3%	71.8%	5.43%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	77.1%	71.6%	5.48%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	77%	71.5%	5.53%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	77%	71.4%	5.58%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	77%	71.4%	5.64%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	77.1%	71.4%	5.7%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	77.2%	71.4%	5.75%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	77.3%	71.5%	5.81%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	77.5%	71.7%	5.87%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	77.8%	71.9%	5.92%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	78%	72%	5.98%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	78.3%	72.3%	6.03%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	78.6%	72.5%	6.08%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	78.9%	72.8%	6.13%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	79.2%	73%	6.18%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	79.4%	73.2%	6.22%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	79.6%	73.3%	6.27%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	79.8%	73.4%	6.32%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	79.9%	73.6%	6.36%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	80.1%	73.7%	6.4%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	80.3%	73.8%	6.43%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	80.5%	74%	6.46%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	80.7%	74.3%	6.49%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	81.1%	74.5%	6.52%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	81.5%	74.9%	6.56%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	82%	75.4%	6.6%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	82.3%	75.7%	6.63%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	82.4%	75.8%	6.65%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	82.3%	75.7%	6.66%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	82%	75.3%	6.66%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	81.8%	75.2%	6.66%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	81.9%	75.3%	6.69%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	82.1%	75.4%	6.71%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	82.3%	75.6%	6.75%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	82.3%	75.5%	6.79%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	82%	75.2%	6.82%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	81.6%	74.7%	6.86%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	81%	74.1%	6.91%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	80.4%	73.5%	6.95%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	79.6%	72.6%	7.01%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	78.6%	71.5%	7.09%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	77.5%	70.4%	7.16%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	76.4%	69.1%	7.27%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	75.1%	67.7%	7.41%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	73.7%	66.2%	7.56%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	72.2%	64.5%	7.71%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	70.5%	62.7%	7.86%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	68.7%	60.7%	7.98%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	67.1%	59%	8.12%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	65.9%	57.6%	8.31%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	64.9%	56.3%	8.54%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	63.9%	55.1%	8.76%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	62.7%	53.8%	8.92%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	61.6%	52.5%	9.09%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	60.9%	51.6%	9.31%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	60.2%	50.7%	9.53%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	58.7%	49.1%	9.6%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	56.7%	47.1%	9.54%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	55%	45.5%	9.47%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	54.2%	44.6%	9.55%	54%	39%	15%
2023	54%	44.2%	9.8%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	53.7%	43.7%	9.99%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Nepal decreased from 77.5% to 53.7% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Nepal working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Nepal	World
1960	56.3%	57.6%
1961	56.3%	57.5%
1962	56.3%	57.4%
1963	56.4%	57.2%
1964	56.5%	57%
1965	56.5%	56.9%
1966	56.5%	56.8%
1967	56.5%	56.9%
1968	56.5%	56.9%
1969	56.4%	56.9%
1970	56.4%	57%
1971	56.3%	57.1%
1972	56.2%	57.2%
1973	56.2%	57.3%
1974	56.1%	57.3%
1975	56%	57.4%
1976	55.9%	57.5%
1977	55.8%	57.7%
1978	55.7%	58%
1979	55.7%	58.4%
1980	55.6%	58.7%
1981	55.6%	59%
1982	55.5%	59.3%
1983	55.5%	59.6%
1984	55.4%	59.9%
1985	55.3%	60.1%
1986	55.2%	60.4%
1987	55.1%	60.5%
1988	55%	60.7%
1989	54.8%	60.8%
1990	54.8%	60.9%
1991	54.9%	61%
1992	54.9%	61.1%
1993	55%	61.2%
1994	55%	61.3%
1995	54.9%	61.5%
1996	54.8%	61.7%
1997	54.9%	61.9%
1998	55%	62.2%
1999	55.1%	62.5%
2000	55.2%	62.8%
2001	55.4%	63.1%
2002	55.7%	63.4%
2003	56%	63.7%
2004	56.3%	64%
2005	56.7%	64.3%
2006	57.1%	64.5%
2007	57.6%	64.7%
2008	58.1%	64.9%
2009	58.6%	65%
2010	59.3%	65.1%
2011	59.8%	65.2%
2012	60.3%	65.2%
2013	60.6%	65.2%
2014	61%	65.2%
2015	61.5%	65.1%
2016	61.9%	65.1%
2017	62.2%	65%
2018	62.4%	64.9%
2019	63%	64.9%
2020	63.8%	64.8%
2021	64.5%	64.9%
2022	64.9%	64.9%
2023	64.9%	65%
2024	65.1%	65.1%
2025	65.3%	65.2%
2026	65.6%	65.3%
2027	65.9%	65.4%
2028	66.2%	65.4%
2029	66.6%	65.4%
2030	66.9%	65.4%
2031	67.2%	65.4%
2032	67.5%	65.4%
2033	67.8%	65.4%
2034	68%	65.3%
2035	68.2%	65.2%
2036	68.4%	65%
2037	68.6%	64.9%
2038	68.7%	64.7%
2039	68.9%	64.6%
2040	69%	64.5%
2041	69.1%	64.4%
2042	69.3%	64.3%
2043	69.4%	64.2%
2044	69.4%	64.1%
2045	69.5%	63.9%
2046	69.5%	63.8%
2047	69.5%	63.7%
2048	69.5%	63.6%
2049	69.5%	63.4%
2050	69.4%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Nepal changed from 56.3% to 65.1% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Nepal	World
1960	40.7%	37.4%
1961	40.7%	37.5%
1962	40.6%	37.6%
1963	40.5%	37.8%
1964	40.4%	38%
1965	40.4%	38%
1966	40.4%	38%
1967	40.3%	38%
1968	40.3%	37.9%
1969	40.3%	37.8%
1970	40.3%	37.7%
1971	40.4%	37.6%
1972	40.4%	37.5%
1973	40.5%	37.3%
1974	40.5%	37.2%
1975	40.6%	37.1%
1976	40.7%	36.9%
1977	40.7%	36.7%
1978	40.8%	36.3%
1979	40.8%	35.9%
1980	40.9%	35.5%
1981	40.9%	35.2%
1982	40.9%	34.9%
1983	41%	34.6%
1984	41%	34.3%
1985	41.1%	34%
1986	41.2%	33.8%
1987	41.3%	33.6%
1988	41.4%	33.4%
1989	41.5%	33.2%
1990	41.5%	33%
1991	41.5%	32.9%
1992	41.4%	32.7%
1993	41.3%	32.5%
1994	41.4%	32.3%
1995	41.4%	32.1%
1996	41.5%	31.8%
1997	41.4%	31.5%
1998	41.3%	31.1%
1999	41.1%	30.8%
2000	40.9%	30.4%
2001	40.7%	30%
2002	40.4%	29.6%
2003	40%	29.2%
2004	39.6%	28.8%
2005	39.2%	28.5%
2006	38.7%	28.1%
2007	38.1%	27.9%
2008	37.5%	27.6%
2009	36.7%	27.5%
2010	36%	27.3%
2011	35.3%	27.1%
2012	34.7%	27%
2013	34.2%	26.9%
2014	33.6%	26.8%
2015	33%	26.6%
2016	32.5%	26.5%
2017	32.1%	26.4%
2018	31.6%	26.2%
2019	30.9%	26%
2020	30.1%	25.8%
2021	29.4%	25.6%
2022	28.9%	25.3%
2023	28.7%	25%
2024	28.4%	24.7%
2025	28.1%	24.4%
2026	27.7%	24.1%
2027	27.3%	23.8%
2028	26.8%	23.4%
2029	26.4%	23.1%
2030	26%	22.8%
2031	25.6%	22.6%
2032	25.2%	22.3%
2033	24.8%	22.1%
2034	24.5%	21.9%
2035	24.1%	21.7%
2036	23.8%	21.6%
2037	23.4%	21.5%
2038	23%	21.4%
2039	22.7%	21.3%
2040	22.4%	21.2%
2041	22.1%	21.1%
2042	21.7%	21%
2043	21.4%	21%
2044	21.1%	20.9%
2045	20.8%	20.8%
2046	20.5%	20.7%
2047	20.3%	20.7%
2048	20%	20.6%
2049	19.7%	20.5%
2050	19.5%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Nepal decreased from 39.6% to 28.4% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Nepal	World
1960	2.98%	4.97%
1961	3.01%	4.99%
1962	3.03%	5.01%
1963	3.06%	5.02%
1964	3.09%	5.04%
1965	3.12%	5.08%
1966	3.15%	5.12%
1967	3.19%	5.16%
1968	3.22%	5.2%
1969	3.25%	5.24%
1970	3.28%	5.28%
1971	3.3%	5.32%
1972	3.33%	5.37%
1973	3.36%	5.42%
1974	3.38%	5.47%
1975	3.4%	5.53%
1976	3.43%	5.59%
1977	3.45%	5.65%
1978	3.47%	5.71%
1979	3.49%	5.77%
1980	3.51%	5.81%
1981	3.53%	5.81%
1982	3.55%	5.8%
1983	3.57%	5.79%
1984	3.58%	5.8%
1985	3.59%	5.82%
1986	3.6%	5.86%
1987	3.61%	5.91%
1988	3.62%	5.95%
1989	3.64%	6.01%
1990	3.65%	6.07%
1991	3.65%	6.14%
1992	3.66%	6.21%
1993	3.67%	6.29%
1994	3.67%	6.37%
1995	3.69%	6.45%
1996	3.7%	6.53%
1997	3.72%	6.61%
1998	3.75%	6.68%
1999	3.78%	6.76%
2000	3.82%	6.84%
2001	3.85%	6.92%
2002	3.91%	7.01%
2003	3.97%	7.1%
2004	4.03%	7.18%
2005	4.12%	7.26%
2006	4.23%	7.34%
2007	4.35%	7.41%
2008	4.48%	7.47%
2009	4.61%	7.52%
2010	4.73%	7.58%
2011	4.86%	7.66%
2012	5.01%	7.78%
2013	5.18%	7.92%
2014	5.34%	8.08%
2015	5.48%	8.26%
2016	5.63%	8.45%
2017	5.79%	8.65%
2018	5.95%	8.88%
2019	6.05%	9.1%
2020	6.09%	9.33%
2021	6.11%	9.53%
2022	6.2%	9.74%
2023	6.36%	9.98%
2024	6.5%	10.2%
2025	6.62%	10.4%
2026	6.74%	10.6%
2027	6.85%	10.8%
2028	6.94%	11.1%
2029	7.03%	11.5%
2030	7.11%	11.7%
2031	7.2%	12%
2032	7.3%	12.3%
2033	7.4%	12.6%
2034	7.52%	12.8%
2035	7.68%	13.1%
2036	7.86%	13.4%
2037	8.05%	13.7%
2038	8.23%	13.9%
2039	8.41%	14.1%
2040	8.6%	14.3%
2041	8.8%	14.5%
2042	9%	14.7%
2043	9.22%	14.9%
2044	9.45%	15%
2045	9.69%	15.2%
2046	9.94%	15.4%
2047	10.2%	15.7%
2048	10.5%	15.9%
2049	10.8%	16.1%
2050	11.1%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Nepal increased from 4.03% to 6.5% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.