SafekipediaIslam in Nepal
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Islam in Nepal is the third largest religion in the country. Many people in Nepal follow Islam, and it is an important part of the culture and history there. According to the 2021 Nepal census, about 1.483 million Muslims live in Nepal, making up around 5.09% of the population. The Muslim community in Nepal has a long history and contributes to the country's rich diversity. They celebrate festivals, build mosques, and live alongside people of other faiths, creating a vibrant and varied society.
Demographics
Main article: Nepalese Muslims
According to the 2021 Nepal census, there are around 1.483 million Muslims in Nepal. Most of them live in the Terai region. Some districts with many Muslims are: Rautahat, Banke, Kapilvastu, Parsa, Mahottari, Bara, and Sunsari. In the capital city of Kathmandu, there are only 26,339 Muslims, which is about 1.29% of the city's population.
Early Islam in Nepal
Islam came to Nepal as early as the 11th century through traders and people moving from Kashmir, Tibet, and Northern India. The first Muslim people to settle in Nepal were mainly Kashmiri traders who lived in the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the Terai region.
During the time of the Malla kings and later under the Rana regime from 1846 to 1951, more Muslims arrived, working as craftspeople, making tools, and trading goods. After big events like the Indian Rebellion of 1857, many people from northern India came to Nepal and were allowed to live there.
Muslims have been part of Nepalese life, working in important jobs and sharing their skills. Today, you can still see this history in old places, mosques, and family histories in Kathmandu, Nepalgunj, and the Eastern Terai areas.
Ahmadis also have a small group in Nepal.
The number of Muslims in Nepal was 1,483,060 in the 2021 official count, making up 5.09% of the country’s people. This number grew from 4.39% in 2011 to 5.09% in 2021.
Islam is growing quickly in Nepal. The Pew Research Center thinks that by 2050, Nepal will have about 3.34 million Muslims, making up around 7% of the population. This would make Islam larger than Buddhism in Nepal, which is currently the second most common religion in Nepal according to the 2021 Nepal census reports.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1952/54 | 209,718 | — |
| 1961 | 280,507 | +33.8% |
| 1971 | 351,301 | +25.2% |
| 1981 | 399,607 | +13.8% |
| 1991 | 652,735 | +63.3% |
| 2001 | 972,359 | +49.0% |
| 2011 | 1,162,370 | +19.5% |
| 2021 | 1,483,060 | +27.6% |
| Source: Nepal Censuses | ||
| Year | Percent | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 1952/54 | 2.54% | |
| 1961 | 2.98% |  +0.44% |
| 1971 | 3.04% | +0.06% |
| 1981 | 2.66% |  -0.38% |
| 1991 | 3.53% | +0.87% |
| 2001 | 4.20% | +0.67% |
| 2011 | 4.39% | +0.19% |
| 2021 | 5.09% | +0.70% |
| Year | Population | % |
|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 2.2 million | 5.5% |
| 2040 | 2.7 million | 6% |
| 2050 | 3.2 million | 6.6% |
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Islam in Nepal, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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