patterns of population growth in nepal - Institute for Social and ...

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If we exclude the capital city of Kathmandu the percentage
urban population comes down to only 4.8 per
cent. Notwi~~standing
its present level, its growth,
however, is very significant. In 1952-54 only 2.9
per cent of the total population was urban. During
1971-81 urban population increased by 107 per cent
and grew at an annual rate of 7.5 per cent compared
to a growth rate of 2.4 per cent in the rural areas
(CBS, 1987a: 180). The urban population in Nepal is
unevenly distributed across regions.
Nepalese economy is beset with the problems of
poverty, malnutrition, unemployment and underemployment,
high income concentration, etc. However, along
with agricultural and industrial progress in recent
years significant developments have been witnessed in
various facets of the economy. When viewed against
the background of where the country started 2S to 30
years ago, substantial progress has been made. Public
health services - both preventive and curative - have
been improved. Number of hospitals, hospital beds,health
posts, doctors have increased significantly. Likewise,
number of schools and higher educational institutions
have grown remarkably as a result of which
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