The share of rural population in Nepal was 78.1 percent in 2023. The share fell by 18.42 percentage points from 1960.

Rural population (% of total population) in Nepal was reported at 77.63 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Nepal - Rural population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Nepal Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters data was reported at 0.000 sq km in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 sq km for 2000. Nepal Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 sq km from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.000 sq km in 2015 and a record low of 0.000 sq km in 2015. Nepal Rural Land Area Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.World Bank.WDI: Environmental: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Rural land area below 5m is the total rural land area in square kilometers where the elevation is 5 meters or less.;Center for International Earth Science Information Network - CIESIN - Columbia University, and CUNY Institute for Demographic Research - CIDR - City University of New York. 2021. Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ) Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates, Version 3. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). https://doi.org/10.7927/d1x1-d702.;Sum;

This product availability survey used Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) as a sampling method to determine how available contraceptives, oral re-hydration salts, water treatments and zinc were in Ghar Ghar Maa Swasthya (GGMS) districts.

Nepal NP: Rural Population Growth data was reported at 0.618 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.659 % for 2016. Nepal NP: Rural Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 1.809 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.268 % in 1993 and a record low of 0.604 % in 2009. Nepal NP: Rural Population Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

Rural population in Nepal was reported at 23019299 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Nepal - Rural population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

This dataset is the result of a phone survey set up to measure the impact of COVID-19 on rural people in Nepal. As most governments have urged the population to stay at home to slow down the transmission of the disease, the impact of COVID-19 can affect women and men in different ways: as an income shock (directly or indirectly); as a health and caring shock; as a shock of mobility (affecting access to water, food, firewood, schooling); and as a risk of increased domestic conflict and violence. To capture these various effects on household welfare, this phone survey was conducted with (around) 449 women and 178 male farmers randomly drawn from a pre-listing exercise done for a previous household survey in 2020. The same individuals were also interviewed during other rounds to generate a longitudinal panel allowing to analyze the impact of COVID-19 through time. This is Round 5 of the five surveys done so far.

Nepal NP: Rural Population data was reported at 23,638,584.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 23,492,855.000 Person for 2016. Nepal NP: Rural Population data is updated yearly, averaging 16,566,149.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23,638,584.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 9,712,818.000 Person in 1960. Nepal NP: Rural Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Sum;

Abstract

After the accomplishment of the Nepal Living Standards Survey, 1995/96, the Central Bureau of Statistics has given importance to the follow up surveys relating to household consumption. Two basic reasons stand behind such a policy. The first is to understand the behavior on consumption, facilitating the assessment of poverty levels. The second reason is to support the estimation of national aggregates of consumption required for the national accounting. It is on that line this consumption survey for rural Nepal has been attempted solely on the Government resources. Sustaining foreign aid supported projects in the long run through capacity building is the aim behind such follow up surveys.

The survey was planned in January 2000 and was launched in the later part of the same year. Hopefully, the survey results will provide some ways of linking the gap likely to emerge from the earlier and the next round of the Nepal Living Standards Survey now in the initial preparatory phase and scheduled for 2002/03. The survey followed the similar methodology as used in the Nepal Labour Force Survey, 1998/99. As a follow up survey, the sample size has been kept at a moderately low level of 1,968 households. The 1991 Population Census of Nepal was used as a frame for sampling. The sampling was done in such a way that the results are valid nationally for the rural areas.

The basic objectives of this survey were 1. To determine the pattern of household consumption and expenditure on food, non-food, housing, durable goods and own account production of goods and services for rural Nepal, and 2. To provide information required in the estimation of National Accounts aggregates.

Content of the survey 1. General information, 2. Housing expenditures, 3. Food expenditures (including home production), 4. Non-food expenditures and inventory of durable goods, 5. Non-food expenditures (own account production of goods and services), and 6. Income

Geographic coverage

Rural areas of Nepal Region Ecological belt

Analysis unit

Household

Universe

The survey covered the whole rural areas of the country and no geographical areas were excluded. All usual residents of rural Nepal were considered eligible for inclusion in the survey but households of diplomatic missions were excluded. As is normal in household surveys, homeless and those people living for six months or more away from the household or in institutions such as school hostels, police barracks, army camps and hospitals were also excluded.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sample Design The aim of the HCSRN is to determine the consumption pattern of rural households of the country. This is not a baseline survey but is among the first in attempting to set the trend in consumption pattern of rural households with respect to time. It is envisaged that this type of small surveys are done in between the big surveys conducted specifically to measure the level of poverty in the country.

A two-stage sample selection procedure was adopted in the survey. The Primary Sampling Unit (PSU) consisted of a ward or in some cases a sub-ward or an amalgamation of small wards. PSUs were selected with Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) sampling, with the number of households available from the 1991 Population Census as a measure of size. Within the selected PSU, all households were listed in the field and 12 households were selected by systematic sampling with random start. Using PPS sampling at the first stage, 165 PSUs were selected and in the second stage, using systematic sampling 12 households were selected from each PSU. In the process, a total of 1980 households were selected from the rural areas of the country.

Sampling Frame The 1991 Population Census of Nepal provided a base for building a sampling frame for the survey. The frame consisted of the list of wards along with the census count of the number of households in each ward. Because of the increase in the number of urban areas (municipalities) and the decrease of rural wards after the 1991 Population Census, the frame required certain modifications. The 33 municipalities at the time of census had been increased to a total of 58 municipalities. All rural wards converted into urban areas had to be removed from the earlier frame. In a number of cases new municipalities were created by combining together a large number of what were formerly wards in rural VDCs. Hence, the rural areas had a number of wards reduced from their earlier list. Fortunately, an exercise in modifying the rural frame had been already done for the purpose the last Nepal Labour Force Survey, 1998/99. Therefore, the same modified sampling frame of the NLFS was found most appropriate to be used for this survey as well.

Sample Size The sample size was determined on the basis of experiences gained from the previous surveys notably the NLSS and NLFS and the resources available for the survey. The survey obviously had to fix its sample size according to what the available resource could afford to accomplish. The sample size was fixed at 1,980 households.

Since the final "take" was to be 12 households per PSU, it was essential that a selected PSU contained a multiple of 12 households.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The Household Survey Section of CBS developed an initial questionnaire of HCSRN on the basis of the questionnaires used in the NLSS and the Multi-Purpose Household Budget Survey (conducted by the Nepal Rastra Bank). The draft questionnaire was subsequently modified through experience gained from pre-tests. The pre-test was carried out in the rural areas of 12 districts.

Household Questionnaire

The questionnaire contained six sections. The contents of the questionnaire are as follows:

Section 1. General Information
The main purposes of this section were: (i) to identify the member of household, (ii) to provide basic demographic information such as sex, age and marital status, and (iii) to collect information on literacy.

Section 2. Housing
This section collected information on household's expenditure on housing, utilities and amenities (ownership, rent and expenditure on water, electricity, telephone, cooking fuels, etc.)

Section 3. Food Expenses and Home Production
This section collected information on food expenditure of the household including consumption of food items that the household produced.

Section 4. Non-food Expenditures and Inventory of Durable Goods This section collected information on expenditure on non-food items (fuels, clothing and personal care, etc.)

Section 5. Non-food Expenditures (Own Account Production of Goods and Services) This section collected information on own account production of goods and services (which included making of baskets, fetching water and collecting firewood, etc.)

Section 6. Income
This section collected information on income from different sources as well as information on loans and savings.

Cleaning operations

Completed questionnaires from the field were brought to the central office (Kathmandu) for data editing. For quality control, range and consistency checks as well as scrutiny were performed during the data entry period.

Response rate

In one of the PSUs selected for the survey, enumeration work could not be carried due to unavoidable reasons. The total number of households successfully interviewed was, thus, reduced to 1,968 among 1,980. The response rate of this survey is hence 99.4%.

Sampling error estimates

The sampling errors of key aggregates measured in this survey are provided in the Technical Documents. These sampling errors are calculated by means of the STATA 5.0 package that was used for processing this survey result. Sample design and sample size are the main factors that influence the size of the sampling error. In the case of total per capita consumption in rural Nepal, which is Rs.11, 928, the 95 percent lower and upper bounds for the estimate, are Rs.11, 605 and Rs.12, 251 respectively. This means that we are 95 percent confident that the average per capita consumption of rural part of Nepal lies within this range.

Nepal NP: Rural Population: % of Total Population data was reported at 80.617 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 81.005 % for 2016. Nepal NP: Rural Population: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 91.611 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 96.520 % in 1960 and a record low of 80.617 % in 2017. Nepal NP: Rural Population: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2014 Revision.; Weighted average;

Nepal Urban Land Area data was reported at 3,041.755 sq km in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,888.331 sq km for 2000. Nepal Urban Land Area data is updated yearly, averaging 2,178.460 sq km from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,041.755 sq km in 2015 and a record low of 1,888.331 sq km in 2000. Nepal Urban Land Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.World Bank.WDI: Environmental: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Urban land area in square kilometers, based on a combination of population counts (persons), settlement points, and the presence of Nighttime Lights. Areas are defined as urban where contiguous lighted cells from the Nighttime Lights or approximated urban extents based on buffered settlement points for which the total population is greater than 5,000 persons.;Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.;Sum;

This horizontal bar chart displays rural population (people) by region using the aggregation sum in Nepal. The data is about countries per year.

This dataset is the result of a phone survey set up to measure the impact of COVID-19 on rural people in Nepal. As most governments have urged the population to stay at home to slow down the transmission of the disease, the impact of COVID-19 can affect women and men in different ways: as an income shock (directly or indirectly); as a health and caring shock; as a shock of mobility (affecting access to water, food, firewood, schooling); and as a risk of increased domestic conflict and violence. To capture these various effects on household welfare, this phone survey was conducted with (around) 540 women and 219 male farmers randomly drawn from a pre-listing exercise done for a previous household survey in 2020. The same individuals were also interviewed during other rounds to generate a longitudinal panel allowing to analyze the impact of COVID-19 through time. This is Round 1 of the five surveys done so far.

Abstract

Own-account constructions which are primarily undertaken by households contribute output that occupies a significant share in the total volume of construction. The trend of residential construction is likely to keep on increasing each year. Obviously, policies related to the supply of construction materials as well as proper planning may need to be reviewed and reformulated specially in the area of residential construction. The present survey result is hoped to certainly shed some light in the area of rural residential construction for data users and with more exchange of views more relevant data can be generated in similar surveys to be undertaken in the future.

In the context of Nepal a large part of economic activities function in an unorganized way. Similarly construction work, although in large proportions are carried out by large private or public enterprises, government departments, those undertaken on own account by individuals also comprise a significant chunk.

An attempt to translate the burgeoning residential construction undergoing in the urban centers of Kathmandu valley and other municipalities into meaningful figures was made in the previous survey of own account construction (urban). Similarly, own account construction undertaken in the rural areas equally deserve attention in being transformed to meaningful figures. The simple fact that 90 percent of the total land area which is rural in character warrants this step to be taken. Policies concerning decentralized planning at the district and the village level are most likely to search for information about rural character. This is indeed a small step towards that direction.

The survey intends to focus its findings primarily in the contribution made by own account construction (Rural) over the total output of construction. Findings in terms of cost incurred, living area constructed and other information is expected to support rural planning and supplement data required for National Accounts estimates.

The main objectives of the survey are: (a) To estimate the total cost of own account construction (rural) carried out by households or individuals by different strata in the rural areas of the country; and (b) To determine the cost components used in different types of buildings constructed.

Geographic coverage

Rural Areas of Nepal

Analysis unit

Household

Universe

Households in rural areas carrying out own account construction.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

1. Survey Frame This survey is designed based upon the area sampling method. All wards under the administration of the Village Development Committees (VDC) constitute~ the survey frame. Besides, wards under three newly declared municipalities viz. Gaur, Byas (Damauli) and Tulsipur which were not covered by the Survey of Own Account Construction (Urban) were also included in the frame. While preparing the survey frame problems related to the recent change in the boundaries and name of the VDC's were encountered. Since the base data for "the frame (number of VDC's, area under VDC's and number of household by VDC's and by wards _etc.) were obtained from the results of Population Census-1991, these changes were ignored . That means if the selected ward was found affected from the changes then the area was surveyed in the boundaries at the date of Population Census-1991.

2. Stratification Following the criteria used in the Urban Own account Construction Survey whole rural area was divided into three strata: Kathmandu Valley, Hills and Tarai. Besides, two domains (Domain I and Domain II) were formed in each stratum, Formation of such domains became necessary in order to separate some semi-urbanized centers (Domain I), especially the adjoining areas of several municipalities administered yet by the Village Development Committees from the rest of rural area (Domain II). It was assumed that the type, size and quality of construction activities in these areas significantly differ from those in the rest of rural area. According to this classification three newly declared municipalities not covered by the Urban Survey automatically fall in Domain I. Separation of area for Domain I was made at the ward level.

3. Sample size and allocation scheme The Survey of Own account Construction (Rural) designed with a single stage sampling procedure has considered a VDC ward as the sampling unit. In each stratum within the domain, wards were selected directly from the frame. All VDC's were arranged according to the geographical location of their districts in the direction from east to west and the wards were selected based on serpentine systematic sampling procedure starting from the north corner of the easternmost part. Selection of the wards in each domain was made independently. A suitable sample size based on a calculated variance could not be exercised due to lack of appropriate data. However, some auxiliary information was analyzed in finding a way out to determine the sample size. In a previous survey on economic activities conducted by CBS, around 5 % households in rural wards were found engaged in own account construction. Similarly, on the basis of the urban part of this survey it could be assumed that the observation of around 500 ultimate sampling units (households engaged in own account construction activities) can provide estimates at the statistically acceptable level of precision. So, sample size was determined at 100 wards. Ultimately, 102 wards were selected and 633 households (identified as engaged in own account construction activities during the reference period) from those selected wards were interviewed.

For more details please refer to the Report on The Survey of Own Account Construction (Rural), Section 4 (Sampling Design).

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

1. Information on Construction Work

2. Period of Construction

3. Information on Material Cost A. Own Production B. Purchased

4. Information on Labour Costs

5. Total Cost of Construction

6.1. Number of Residents (to be asked only for completed building) 6.2. Liquid Waste Disposal

Cleaning operations

All necessary editing of raw data was done manually as well as through computer. Data entry was made through d-Base Programme and output tables were generated through SPSS PC+.

Sampling error estimates

Sampling errors were estimated for some major indicators at the 95% level of precision. The statistical characteristics of these indicators are presented in Table 7 of the report. The estimation of sampling errors are discussed in detail in Section 5. Estimation Procedure of the report.

Nepal NP: People Practicing Open Defecation: Rural: % of Rural Population data was reported at 35.294 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 37.695 % for 2014. Nepal NP: People Practicing Open Defecation: Rural: % of Rural Population data is updated yearly, averaging 53.308 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 71.322 % in 2000 and a record low of 35.294 % in 2015. Nepal NP: People Practicing Open Defecation: Rural: % of Rural Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nepal – Table NP.World Bank: Health Statistics. People practicing open defecation refers to the percentage of the population defecating in the open, such as in fields, forest, bushes, open bodies of water, on beaches, in other open spaces or disposed of with solid waste.; ; WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation (http://www.wssinfo.org/).; Weighted Average;

This scatter chart displays individuals using the Internet (% of population) against rural land area (km²) in Nepal. The data is about countries per year.

This dataset contains key characteristics about the data described in the Data Descriptor Physical activity, time use, and food intakes of rural households in Ghana, India, and Nepal. Contents:

    1. human readable metadata summary table in CSV format


    2. machine readable metadata file in JSON format 
     Versioning Note:Version 2 was generated when the metadata format was updated from JSON to JSON-LD. This was an automatic process that changed only the format, not the contents, of the metadata.

Abstract

Annual Household Survey 2015/16 (AHS IV) is the fourth of its kind. AHS is conducted to provide estimations of some major socio-economic indicators on an annual basis, which would not be possible with other periodic surveys like Nepal Labour Force Surveys (NLFS) and Nepal Living Standards Surveys (NLSS) which are undertaken at longer intervals. The survey basically aims to provide estimates of consumption and labour force for Nepal by sex, urban-rural area and consumption quintiles/deciles. Although the major thrust of AHS is on consumption and employment situations, other sectors like education, housing and demographic characteristics are also included. As this year NLSS survey is conducted so, this survey does not contain information on employment situation as in previous annual household surveys.

This survey (AHS IV) has used sampling frame of the National Population Census 2011 that has provided the list of wards with the number of households. It has enumerated a total of 300 sample Primary Sampling Unit (PSU) (150 in urban and 150 in rural). The total sample household was 4,500 (2,250 from urban PSU and 2,250 from rural PSU).

A survey was conducted in 10 months from August 2015 to July 2016. Different PSUs of strata were enumerated at different months. Demographic information was collected as of the date of the survey. The reference period of food consumption was a week (last seven days) prior to the date of enumeration. The data of last 7 days was annualized. Non-food consumption and consumer durables refer to the last 12 months from the date of the survey. Questions on time use in economic and non-economic activities of the last seven days were asked for all household members of age 5 years and above.

The general objective of the survey is to provide data required to monitor annual changes in employment, consumption and other socio-economic indicators of Nepal. The specific objectives of the survey are: 1. To measure the changes in the structure and the level of consumption expenditure of Nepalese households, 2. To provide other socio-economic information useful for economic planning and annual budgeting.

Geographic coverage

The survey covers the whole country (National), Ecological belts (Mountain, Hill, Terai) and, rural and urban.

Analysis unit

Household, Individual

Universe

• All households in the country determined on the basis of the usual place of their residence (de jure househols). The households of diplomatic missions, the institutional households (like people living in schools
  hostels, prisons, army camps and hospitals) were excluded from the survey.
• All persons aged 5 years and above household members.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

A complete list of wards with number of the households provided by the ward/Enumeration Area (EA) level household data of the National Population Census 2011 was used as the sampling frame for the survey. In 2015, 72 new municipalities were formed, which on adding to the existing 58 municipalities become a total of 130 municipalities. In order to avoid extremity of the size of wards, some big wards were segregated into blocks or enumeration areas (EAs). The sampling frame contained 4,861 EAs in urban and 36,181 EAs in rural areas making a total of 41,042 EAs in Nepal. It was 300 primary sampling units (PSUs) for AHS IV. AHS IV covered all 300 sample PSUs (150 PSUs in urban and 150 PSUs in rural areas). The total sample household was 4500 (2250 from urban and 2250 from rural) taking 15 households from each selected PSUs. In AHS III the sample size was 4,500 households.

The survey aimed to provide estimates for Nepal as well as urban and rural area, and accordingly, the population was stratified into urban and rural area. Wards or sub-wards (EAs) were the primary sampling units (PSUs). The numbers of PSUs to be selected were 150 from rural and 150 from urban area making a total of 300 PSUs. The sample size was determined on the basis of the sampling variance of previous surveys. PSUs were selected on the basis of probability proportional to the size (PPS), the measure of the size being the number of households in each ward. Selected PSUs were spread over 65 districts.

Households were the ultimate sampling units (USUs) and were selected with equal probability on the basis of two-stage systematic random sampling technique. Fifteen (15) households were selected from each PSUs. Altogether 4500 households were selected for the interview.

In a nutshell, procedures followed to select sample households were: 1. Selection of PSUs based on PPS from the frame, 2. Listing of households in the selected PSU, and 3. Selection of USUs from the updated list of households in the selected PSU.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The contents of the questionnaire are basically guided by the objectives of the survey. The questionnaire mainly contained household information and individual information. Part 1 of the questionnaire included individual level information using roster and covered questions on demographic characteristics, migration, literacy/education, etc. Parts 2, 3 and 4 covered household level information that consisted of housing, food and non-food consumption expenditure consumption of durables and own account production respectively. The food consumption part of the questionnaire has covered broad food categories only. The household consumption part of the questionnaire has been designed in line with that of Nepal Living Standards Survey.

Cleaning operations

Data entry and data verification of Annual Household Survey 2015-2016 was conductaed at field. For this task, a simple and clear data entry programme was developed in CSPro software, and each team was given a personal computer having the entry program so that every team could be able to enter the interviewed household data in the respective field area. In other words, data entry and data verification work was done in the field residing in the corresponding PSU. Therefore both mannual and batch editing was carried out and CSPro programme was used for consistancy checking.

Response rate

The survey enumerated 300 (100%) sample households from 300 primary sampling unit 150 PSUs of rural area and 150 PSUs of urban area. Thus, in total 4,500 (100%) households(2250 from urban and 2250 from rural) were enumerated in the survey.

Abstract

The 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey is the fourth nationally representative comprehensive survey conducted as part of the worldwide Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) project in the country. The survey was implemented by New ERA under the aegis of the Population Division, Ministry of Health and Population. Technical support for this survey was provided by ICF International with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its mission in Nepal.

The primary objective of the 2011 NDHS is to provide up-to-date and reliable data on different issues related to population and health, which provides guidance in planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating health programs in Nepal. The long term objective of the survey is to strengthen the technical capacity of the local institutions to plan, conduct, process and analyze data from complex national population and health surveys. The survey includes topics on fertility levels and determinants, family planning, fertility preferences, childhood mortality, children and women’s nutritional status, the utilization of maternal and child health services, knowledge of HIV/AIDS and STIs, women’s empowerment and for the first time, information on women facing different types of domestic violence. The survey also reports on the anemia status of women age 15-49 and children age 6-59 months.

In addition to providing national estimates, the survey report also provides disaggregated data at the level of various domains such as ecological region, development regions and for urban and rural areas. This being the fourth survey of its kind, there is considerable trend information on reproductive and health care over the past 15 years. Moreover, the 2011 NDHS is comparable to similar surveys conducted in other countries and therefore, affords an international comparison. The 2011 NDHS also adds to the vast and growing international database on demographic and health-related variables.

The 2011 NDHS collected demographic and health information from a nationally representative sample of 10,826 households, which yielded completed interviews with 12,674 women age 15-49 in all selected households and with 4, 121 men age 15-49 in every second household.

This survey is the concerted effort of various individuals and institutions.

Geographic coverage

The primary focus of the 2011 NDHS was to provide estimates of key population and health indicators, including fertility and mortality rates, for the country as a whole and for urban and rural areas separately. In addition, the sample was designed to provide estimates of most key variables for the 13 eco-development regions.

Analysis unit

Household, adult woman, adult man

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

The primary focus of the 2011 NDHS was to provide estimates of key population and health indicators, including fertility and mortality rates, for the country as a whole and for urban and rural areas separately. In addition, the sample was designed to provide estimates of most key variables for the 13 eco-development regions.

Sampling Frame

Nepal is divided into 75 districts, which are further divided into smaller VDCs and municipalities. The VDCs and municipalities, in turn, are further divided into wards. The larger wards in the urban areas are divided into subwards. An enumeration area (EA) is defined as a ward in rural areas and a subward in urban areas. Each EA is classified as urban or rural. As the upcoming population census was scheduled for June 2011, the 2011 NDHS used the list of EAs with population and household information developed by the Central Bureau of Statistics for the 2001 Population Census. The long gap between the 2001 census and the fielding of the 2011 NDHS necessitated an updating of the 2001 sampling frame to take into account not only population growth but also mass internal and external migration due to the 10-year political conflict in the country. To obtain an updated list, a partial updating of the 2001 census frame was carried out by conducting a quick count of dwelling units in EAs five times more than the sample required for each of the 13 domains. The results of the quick count survey served as the actual frame for the 2011 NDHS sample design.

Domains

The country is broadly divided into three horizontal ecological zones, namely mountain, hill, and terai. Vertically, the country is divided into five development regions. The cross section of these zones and regions results in 15 eco-development regions, which are referred to in the 2011 NDHS as subregions or domains. Due to the small population size in the mountain regions, the Western, Mid-western, and Far-western mountain regions are combined into one domain, yielding a total of 13 domains. In order to provide an adequate sample to calculate most of the key indicators at an acceptable level of precision, each domain had a minimum of about 600 households.

Stratification was achieved by separating each of the 13 domains into urban and rural areas. The 2011 NDHS used the same urban-rural stratification as in the 2001 census frame. In total, 25 sampling strata were created. There are no urban areas in the Western, Mid-western, and Far-western mountain regions. The numbers of wards and subwards in each of the 13 domains are not allocated proportional to their population due to the need to provide estimates with acceptable levels of statistical precision for each domain and for urban and rural domains of the country as a whole. The vast majority of the population in Nepal resides in the rural areas. In order to provide national urban estimates, urban areas of the country were oversampled.

Sample Selection

Samples were selected independently in each stratum through a two-stage selection process. In the first stage, EAs were selected using a probability-proportional-to-size strategy. In order to achieve the target sample size in each domain, the ratio of urban EAs to rural EAs in each domain was roughly 1 to 2, resulting in 95 urban and 194 rural EAs (a total of 289 EAs).

Complete household listing and mapping was carried out in all selected EAs (clusters). In the second stage, 35 households in each urban EA and 40 households in each rural EA were randomly selected. Due to the nonproportional allocation of the sample to the different domains and to oversampling of urban areas in each domain, sampling weights are required for any analysis using the 2011 NDHS data to ensure the actual representativeness of the sample at the national level as well as at the domain levels. Since the 2011 NDHS sample is a two-stage stratified cluster sample, sampling weights were calculated based on sampling probabilities separately for each sampling stage, taking into account nonproportionality in the allocation process for domains and urban-rural strata.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face

Research instrument

Three questionnaires were administered in the 2011 NDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, and the Man’s Questionnaire. These questionnaires were adapted from the standard DHS6 core questionnaires to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Nepal at a series of meetings with various stakeholders from government ministries and agencies, nongovernmental organizations, EDPs, and international donors. The final draft of each questionnaire was discussed at a questionnaire design workshop organized by the MOHP, Population Division on 22 April 2010 in Kathmandu. These questionnaires were then translated from English into the three main local languages—Nepali, Maithali, and Bhojpuri—and back translated into English. Questionnaires were finalized after the pretest, which was held from 30 September to 4 November 2010, with a one-week break in October for the Dasain holiday.

The Household Questionnaire was used to list all of the usual members and visitors in the selected households. Some basic information was collected on the characteristics of each person listed, including age, sex, education, and relationship to the head of the household. For children under age 18, the survival status of the parents was determined. The Household Questionnaire was used to identify women and men who were eligible for the individual interview and women who were eligible for the interview focusing on domestic violence. The Household Questionnaire also collected information on characteristics of the household’s dwelling unit, such as source of water, type of toilet facilities, materials used for the floor of the house, ownership of various durable goods, ownership of mosquito nets, and household food security. The results of salt testing for iodine content, height and weight measurements, and anemia testing were also recorded in the Household Questionnaire.

The Woman’s Questionnaire was used to collect information from women age 15-49. Women were asked questions on the following topics: - background characteristics (education, residential history, media exposure, etc.) - pregnancy history and childhood mortality - knowledge and use of family planning methods - fertility preferences - antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care - breastfeeding and infant feeding practices - vaccinations and childhood illnesses - marriage and sexual activity - work characteristics and husband’s background characteristics - awareness and behavior regarding AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections - domestic violence

The Man’s Questionnaire was administered to all men age 15-49 living in every second household in the 2011 NDHS. The Man’s Questionnaire collected much of the same information as the Woman’s Questionnaire but was shorter

Abstract

The major aim of the 2008 Nepal Labour Force Survey was to update a set of comprehensive statistics on employment, unemployment, under-employment. As essential tools, such information play key role in assessing the impact of various government policies and programs planned for employment generation. Likewise, the results from the survey do provide information required for skill development, for managing the flow of migrant workers, for improving the status of women and children, and for assessing the role and importance of the informal sector. However, this time, the scope was further extended to generate information required to improve infrastructure of households and for appropriate management of remittances flowing into the country.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Households
• Individuals

Universe

The survey covered all households excluding households of diplomatic missions and institutional households such as school hostels, prisons, army camps and hospitals. The homeless and those people living for six months or more away from the households were not considered eligible and hence were excluded from the survey.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sample design The sampling design adopted in NLSS-II is slightly modified from NLFS-I. The design is based on two stages stratified sampling technique with equal PSUs or households distributed between urban and rural areas as done in NLFS-I considering the heterogeneous labour force activities to provide a detailed picture of employment situation in the urban areas. So the prescribed 800 PSUs are divided equally in two parts, i.e., 400 PSUs each for urban and rural. Urban areas are stratified into three strata as Urban Kathmandu Valley, Other Urban Hills and Urban Tarai, and rural areas are stratified into Rural Mountains, Rural Hills and Rural Tarai. The sample size of 400 PSUs in each urban and rural area will be proportionately distributed within their respective strata. In the first stage, the prescribed PSUs (wards or sub-wards or combination of wards) are selected by Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) from each stratum, i.e. the number of households in the ward as the measure of the size. Using PPS at the first stage is followed by selecting a fixed number of households at the second stage that provides a convenient workload for each field team. This design has the benefit that the sample, in principle, is self-weighted. In the second stage, 20 households are selected from each PSU (ward) of urban and rural strata with systematic random sampling procedure giving a total of 16000 households from 800 PSUs.

The minimum sample size required is estimated as 244 households for urban and 361 households for rural domain based on the currently economically active population taken from Nepal Living Standards Survey 2003-04. Based on employment status of the population of this fresh survey information, the minimum households to be selected turns out to be 265 for urban and 277 for rural. However, 400 households each in urban and rural area have been allocated in this survey to provide reliable estimates for lower level of disaggregation up to 5 years age group (10 groups) by sex (2 groups). There will be altogether 8000 households in each urban and rural area.

Note: See Annex A (in the final survey report) for the details of the sample design.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The questionnaire for the survey was prepared in Nepali language. The questionnaire was based on the survey questionnaire used in the first Nepal Labour Force Survey 1998/99. There were some additional subjects such as household characteristics, migration and remittances and absentees information included in the questionnaire for this second round.

The NLFS-I questionnaire (which was developed on the basis of an ILO manual and comprised of 77 questions) provided a concrete base for developing the NLFS-II questionnaire. The NLFS-II questionnaire was substantially expanded to 130 questions in eight sections. The questionnaire structure ensured that respondents (other than heads of households who also had a few additional questions) generally answered a maximum of about 80 questions and most were asked significantly fewer questions.

For the sake of maintaining comparability many questions that were asked in the NLFS-I were retained. However, some important additions were made to address some contemporary issues such as household amenities, absentee population and remittances flowing into the country. Some questions were modified in order to have better response than in the previous survey. The eight sections in the NLFS-II questionnaire were designed to capture data on general information, household information, current activities, unemployment, activity in last 12 months, past employment record, absentee information and remittances received by households. The sections on household information, absentee information and remittances were asked only to head of household.

As already indicated, some modifications were made on questions that aimed to collect accurate and reliable information on informal activity and usual activity. Questions relating to usual activity were asked to collect the number of months he/she had spent in three different categories of activity (working, not working but available for work, and not working and not available for work) over the last 12 months. A month was considered to be "worked" if the person spent most days in that month at work. A month was considered to be "not working but available for work" if the person spent most days in that month not working but available to work. This method of determining usual activity status is simpler than that used in the NLFS-I (see footnote 1) but remains comparable with the international standards on labour statistics. In the household information, some of the questions are intended to provide statistics for monitoring selected Millennium Development Goals. Furthermore, some questions that have been added relate to ownership of house, type of energy used for cooking, lighting source and size of agriculture land. A copy of the questionnaire is mentioned in Annex B, while Annex C contains a detailed flow chart which can be used to identify the paths followed through the questionnaire by people with different characteristics.

As in the NLFS-I, the lower age cut-off point for the questions on economic activity was maintained at 5 years. This enables in the collection of data on the economic activities of children. This time as well, the objective to make the questionnaire more gender sensitive has been retained. Information on those activities such as cooking, cleaning and childminding which are performed without pay for the household, mainly by women, was collected.

Initially, the draft questionnaire was presented to the Technical Committee and underwent several rounds of discussions. Improvements and modifications were made according to the suggestions and comments received from members of the Technical Committee representing various interest groups. The questionnaire thereafter was pre-tested several times and revised intensively in accordance to the feedback received from each pre-test. The pre-tests were carried out to cover a wide range of areas and included different ecological zones, development regions and urban/rural areas. The questionnaire in the final Nepali version was translated into English to see if there were any misunderstandings likely to emerge. Probable confusions were removed in the final Nepali version of the questionnaire that was to be administered to the field for data collection so that there would be less chance of misunderstanding about the intended meaning of each question. At the same time an interviewers manual was prepared to elaborate the concept and objective of each question that led to collect reliable and accurate information.

Cleaning operations

A centralised data processing system was used for this survey. There could have been some advantages in using decentralised processing, since it would have permitted field editing immediately after the fieldwork. However, as in the past, the need to maintain a careful control over data entry and verification of all coding, especially of difficult topics such as occupation, industry, and subject of training was difficult to resolve in the field.

The data entry exercise in whole was carried out by at most three data entry operators for 12 months simultaneously with the field work. The data entry activity was supervised by an experienced computer officer in the section. Labour force surveys generally use very technical definitions of key terms (such as the ‘currently active’) and as in the past, special programs were therefore written in CSPro to produce these derived variables, based on how each person responded to various different questions.

Response rate

There was very little non-response on the survey, with data not collected for only 24 households out of 16,000. Twenty of these households are accounted for by one PSU in the Far-western region. This PSU could not be covered in the third season because the selected households had been evicted to other wards of next VDC in order to declare it a wildlife conservation area. The eviction had taken place after the 2001 Population Census. The weights for the two other PSUs selected in that area were therefore adjusted at the analysis stage to compensate for the 20 missing households.

Sampling error estimates

As with all surveys, the results from