Nepal Hazard Risk Assessment - Asia-Pacific Gateway for Disaster ...

Nepal Hazard Risk Assessment
2.19 DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
2.19.1 POPULATION DENSITY
This study projected Nepal population of year 2001(source: CBS,2001) to year 2009, which in turn is
used as main population data. Total population projected in year 2009 based on projected calculation is
26,795,911 people. Population density is highest in Kathmandu as seen in Figure 2.32, while second
densest areas are in Terai area, especially in eastern and central zone. The highest zone is ± 913
person/pixel 1 in Kathmandu valley. Lowest population distribution can be observed in mountainous
geographic zone, especially in northwest area.
2.19.2 URBAN TO DISTRICT POPULATION RATIO (ICIMOD AND CBS, 2003B)
Urban population can be vital for disaster assessment because usually urban areas are very dense in
population and can resulted in high casualties and damages. Urban to district population ratio is
percentage of urban population compared to the district population. Mean ratio of urban to district
population for Nepal is ±16% with higher tendency of non urban area as seen in histogram and map in
Figure 2.32. Urban population is concentrated in Kathmandu valley with value ±65.88% and followed
by Lalitpur ±48.25%. Total urban population in Nepal in year 2001 is ±14.20% of total population.
2.19.3 AGED DEPENDENCY RATIO (ICIMOD and CBS, 2003b)
The aged dependency ratio is an important indicator of population structure and is defined as the number
of aged persons (60 years and over) per 100 persons of age 15 to 59 years. This indicator assists in
understanding the situation of the aged population in the country. The aged dependency ratio for Nepal
as a whole (enumerated population) was 12.00; it ranged from 6.09 (Jajarkot) to 18.44 (Lamjung).
Thirty-five districts had an aged dependency ratio below, and 40 districts ratios above, the national
figure (ICIMOD and CBS, 2003b).
Information of age dependency can help on disaster management to reach efficient assessment and relief
when disaster occurred. Nepal has aged dependency ratio around ±12.59% as refered from Figure
2.32.The distributions are relatively uniform within whole Nepal.
1 Pixel size is 200 m x 200 m
Figure 2.32. Population distribution. (Source: (CBS, 2001), (ICIMOD and CBS, 2003b))
39