Chapter 15 Internal Migration in Nepal - Central Bureau of Statistics

line and every other person in the rural area is poor (NPC, 2003). Very high unemployment and
underemployment rates of 17.4 and 32.3 per cent (NPC, 2003: 58, 99) have compelled people to
remain either under severe poverty or migrate to other places within and outside the country for
better opportunity for livelihood. The population of Nepal grew at an annual rate of 2.25 per cent
between 1991 and 2001 (Figure 15.2) with a sex ratio of 99.8. Nepal has a huge population of
females in the reproductive age group (49.2%) with high fertility rate (4.1 children per woman).
Marriage among girls before the age of 18 years is prevalent. Population momentum created by
the young age population (39.4% below 15 years) will contribute more to population growth and
migration in the country. Eighteen per cent of all births is attributed to women under 20 years of
age in Nepal (United Nations, 2003). This may severely limit the scope of reducing population
growth rate and poverty in Nepal.
Figure 15.2: Annual population growth rate in Nepal, 1911-2001
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.16
2.28
1.64
2.05
2.62
2.08
2.25
1.0
0.5
0.0
-0.5
0 -0.13
-0.07
2001
1991
1981
1971
1961
1952/54
1941
1930
1920
1911
Nepal's demographic indicators are still very low compared to those of the other South Asian
countries (See United Nations, 2003), For example, Nepal at present has a crude birth rate of 33
and a crude death rate of 10. Infant mortality rate of 64.4 and maternal mortality ratio of 539 are
still very high. Mortality under age 5 years is still high at 98 (United Nations, 2003). The literacy
rate for the population 6 years and above has reached 53.7 per cent, while the female literacy of
the same age is very low at 42.5 per cent in 2001. Life expectancy at birth for females is now 61
years and that of males is 60.1 years, registering the life expectancy of 60.8 years for the total
population in the country (CBS, 2003). Females in Nepal are slowly showing the tendency of
living longer than males like in most other countries.
Nepal still has a low level of urbanization compared to many other countries in Asia. Nepal's
urban centres increased from 16 in 1971, 23 in 1981, 33 in 1991 and 58 in 2001. In 2001, Nepal
had 86.1 per cent rural population and 13.9 per cent urban. With increasing number of urban
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