Islam (Nepali: नेपाली मुसलमान) is the third largest religion in Nepal.[1] According to the 2021 Nepal census, approximately 1.483 million Muslims, comprising 5.09% of the population, live in Nepal.[2]
Ethnic group
Nepalese Muslims
नेपाली मुसलमान
Total population
1,483,060[3]
(5.09% of the country's population)[4]
Nepalese Muslims (Nepali: नेपाली मुसलमान; Nepali Musalman) are Nepalis who follow Islam. Their ancestors arrived in Nepal from different parts of South Asia, Central Asia and Tibet during different epochs, and have since lived amidst the numerically dominant Hindus and Buddhists. About 80% of the Muslim community live in the Terai region, while the other 20% are found mainly in the city of Kathmandu and Gorkha and the western hills. The community numbers 971,056, about 3.8% of the total population of Nepal. Districts with large Muslim population include Sarlahi (9.9%), Rautahat (17.2%), Bara (11.9%), and Parsa (17.3%) and Banke (16%) in the western Terai and Siraha (7%) and Sunsari (10%) and Saptari (10%) Gorkha (13%) hill.[6]
The Muslim population was 1,483,060 as per Nepal 2021 Official census which make up 5.09% of Nepal's population. The Muslim population increased from 4.39% in 2011 to 5.09% in 2021.[11]
Projected Muslim population in Nepal (2030-2050)[13]
Year
Population
%
2030
2.2 million
5.5%
2040
2.7 million
6%
2050
3.2 million
6.6%
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in Nepal. By 2050 Pew Research Center have estimated that Nepal will have 3.34 million Muslims and will constitute roughly around 7% of the country's population,[14] thus surpassing Buddhism which is currently the 2nd largest Religion in Nepal as of 2021 Nepal census reports.[15]
[4]
Nepal
-0.38%
