Chapter 15 Internal Migration in Nepal - Central Bureau of Statistics

The hill ranges in altitude from 610 meters to 4,877 meters with moist sub-tropical climate. It is
the meeting place of people coming from the north and the south of the country. It occupies 41.7
per cent of the total area with a population density of 167.1 persons per square kilometer and has
44.3 per cent of the total population. This zone has 39 districts with many of the large urban
centres in the country.
The Tarai zone ranges in altitude of less than 610 meters with humid tropical and sub-tropical
climate. It has 20 districts with only 23.1 per cent of the total area of the country but has a density
of population almost twice greater (329.6 persons per square kilometer) than in the hills. In 2001,
this zone had accommodated 48.4 per cent of the total population of Nepal.
These ecological zones are important in the discussion of the patterns and trends of internal
migration in the country. This is in the sense that there is a mountain zone with sufficient land
space and sparse population due to rugged topography, sloppy terrain and inhospitable
environment and there is the hill zone in between the mountain and Tarai with low agricultural
productivity but is strategically located in terms of defense and development initiatives. The
proportion of area and population in this hill zone almost match but high environmental
degradation, landslides, deforestation, haphazard development of both rural and urban settlement
have made it difficult to develop. But people of all kinds and creed join and run the mainstream of
national life in this zone. The Tarai has a relatively hot climate with adequate rainfall during the
monsoon season. It has rich and fertile agricultural land and has become the prime destination of
the mountain and the hill people of Nepal since the very campaign of malaria eradication during
the late fifties.
These three zones have been sub-divided into 15 regions on the basis of five development regions
and three ecological zones. Then there are 75 administrative districts belonging to three zones and
five development regions. In 2001 census, data on internal migration were provided at the district
level as well as by individual towns. Nepal has now 58 urban centres located in various districts
of Nepal with a total urban population 14 per cent in 2001. Rural to rural migration stream getting
gradually shifted towards rural to urban followed by urban to urban and urban to rural represents
different stages of development of the Nepalese population.
15.1.2 Demographic Background
In 2003, Nepal's population is estimated to have reached 25.1 million with a density of 179
persons per square kilometer [United Nations, 2003]. Nepal ranked 143rd in human development
index of 2003 [UNDP, 2003]. Every two in five persons in Nepal lives below absolute poverty
123