Nepalis

Nepalis
Name	Nepalis
Native name	नेपाली
Population	~30 million (approx.)
Regions	Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Biratnagar, Dharan, Butwal, Janakpur
Languages	Nepali language, Maithili language, Bhojpuri language, Tamang language, Newar language, Tharu language, Limbu language, Gurung language
Religions	Hinduism, Buddhism, Kirat Mundhum, Islam in Nepal, Christianity
Related	Indo-Aryan peoples, Tibeto-Burman peoples

Nepalis are the citizens and people associated with the sovereign state of Nepal. They encompass a wide array of Khas people, Newar, Tamang, Tharu, Limbu, Gurung, Magar, Rai, Sherpa people and other communities, speaking languages such as Nepali language, Maithili language, and Bhojpuri language. Their collective identity has been shaped by historical polities like the Gurkha Kingdom, interactions with neighboring polities such as Tibet and Mughal Empire, and modern institutions including the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal and the Nepalese Constituent Assembly.

Etymology and Terminology

The English ethnonym derives from the endonym "Nepal" and historical records from British Raj, East India Company, and travelers like Francis Hamilton and William Kirkpatrick; usage evolved through treaties such as the Sugauli Treaty and administrative reports by the India Office. Scholarly debates reference terms appearing in inscriptions linked to medieval polities like the Malla dynasty and the Khasa Kingdom, and lexicons compiled by Brian Houghton Hodgson and James Prinsep. Contemporary legal terminology appears in instruments enacted by the Interim Constitution of Nepal (2007) and the Constitution of Nepal (2015) that define forms of citizenship and state nomenclature.

History

Prehistoric and early historic populations interacted along routes connecting Tibet, Koshi River, and the Ganges Delta, while classical eras feature references in accounts by Fa-Hien and Hiuen Tsang. Medieval political consolidation occurred under the Malla dynasty and fragmented principalities later unified during the Unification of Nepal led by Prithvi Narayan Shah and the Gorkha Kingdom, whose forces fought the Anglo-Nepalese War and negotiated the Sugauli Treaty with British East India Company. The Rana dynasty era witnessed rule by Jung Bahadur Rana and palace-centric administration until popular movements like the Nepalese Revolution of 1951 and the People's Movement (1990) led to constitutional monarchy; the later Nepalese Civil War between the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and state actors culminated in abolition of the monarchy and establishment of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal through the Comprehensive Peace Accord (2006) and successive Constituent Assembly processes.

Demographics and Distribution

National censuses conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics (Nepal) map population concentrations in the Kathmandu Valley, Terai, and the Himalayas, with urban centers including Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Biratnagar, and Damak. Migration patterns involve seasonal labor to Gulf Cooperation Council states and Malaysia, enlistment with the British Army as Gurkha soldiers and the Indian Army, and internal rural-to-urban flows shaping metropolitan regions governed by bodies such as the Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Public health and development indicators are tracked through agencies like the Ministry of Health and Population (Nepal) and international partners including the World Bank and United Nations Development Programme.

Ethnic Groups and Languages

Ethno-linguistic classification distinguishes Indo-Aryan peoples—including Brahmin communities, Chhetri, Tharu, Madhesi groups—from Tibeto-Burman peoples such as Sherpa people, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Gurung, and Magar. The Nepali language (Khas Kura) functions as the lingua franca and is written in Devanagari script; other recognized languages include Maithili language, Bhojpuri language, Newar language (Nepal Bhasa), Tamang language, and many Sino-Tibetan tongues cataloged by scholars like George van Driem. Language policy features in debates within forums such as the Constituent Assembly and agencies like the Language Commission (Nepal).

Culture and Religion

Religious life centers on Hinduism with pilgrimage sites like Pashupatinath Temple and festivals such as Dashain and Tihar, alongside Buddhism with sites like Boudhanath Stupa and figures such as Anagarika Dharmapala appearing in modern revival movements. Indigenous traditions include Kirat Mundhum practiced by Rai and Limbu communities, Newar ritual arts in Bhaktapur and Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Sherpa Tibetan Buddhist practices linked to monasteries like Tengboche Monastery. Artistic expressions manifest in folk music, classical compositions patronized by dynasties such as the Malla dynasty, contemporary literature by writers like Laxmi Prasad Devkota and Parijat, and visual arts exhibited in institutions like the Nepal Art Council.

Economy and Livelihoods

Agrarian livelihoods predominate in many districts with cash crops and terrace farming in regions such as Saptari District and Lamjung District, while remittances from migrant laborers to Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and India constitute major foreign exchange, often mediated by recruitment agencies regulated under laws like the Foreign Employment Act, 2007. Tourism sectors concentrate on trekking routes including the Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, and cultural tourism in Patan Durbar Square, supported by airlines such as Nepal Airlines and hospitality enterprises. Natural resources, hydropower projects like Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Plant, and small-scale industries interact with policies involving the Ministry of Finance (Nepal) and international lenders.

Identity, Citizenship, and Diaspora

Legal frameworks determine nationality through provisions in the Constitution of Nepal (2015) and legislation debated in bodies like the Parliament of Nepal; controversies concern dual nationality and gendered transmission of citizenship raised before institutions including the Supreme Court of Nepal. The global diaspora includes communities in United Kingdom, United States, Australia, India, and Japan, organized through associations such as the Non-Resident Nepali Association and humanitarian networks that liaise with diplomatic missions like the Embassy of Nepal, Washington, D.C.. Transnational ties affect political mobilization seen in referenda and remittance patterns monitored by the Nepal Rastra Bank.

Category:Ethnic groups in Nepal