Population figures
Total country population
31,240,315
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
19,587
Asylum-seekers:
278
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
0
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
558
Country context
Nepal, a landlocked country in South Asia, has a long history of hosting refugees, beginning with the arrival of Tibetan refugees in 1959 and followed by Bhutanese refugees in the early 1990s. Over the years, refugees from various countries, including Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Somalia, have also sought asylum in Nepal, primarily residing in urban areas and settlements.
The Bhutanese refugee population, initially housed in seven camps, has undergone significant changes over the years. In 2007-2016, over 113,500 Bhutanese refugees were resettled to third countries, and the remaining refugees have been integrated into two settlements in Koshi Province. Tibetan refugees, most of whom arrived in Nepal between 1959 and 1989, have faced challenges in obtaining government-issued refugee cards and documentation since their last registration exercise in 1995.
...Nepal has not yet ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol but has maintained a commitment to the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the forced return of refugees to countries where they face danger. The Government of Nepal has made strides in supporting the Bhutanese refugees’ access to public services, including education and healthcare, and has integrated refugees into national programs aimed at enhancing self-reliance and livelihoods.
The Government of Nepal adopted the Citizenship Act Amendment Bill in 2023, which is expected to resolve the nationality and identity problems faced by many citizens, including children whose mothers are Nepali and whose fathers remain unidentified. However, gender discriminatory provisions in the law, including in its 2015 Constitution, continue to affect women’s ability to pass on citizenship to their children and foreign spouses on an equal basis as men.
Refugees in Nepal generally live in two main types of areas: settlements, primarily in Koshi Province, and urban areas, where they live alongside the host population. The Tibetan refugee population is the largest, followed by the Bhutanese refugee population, with most individuals residing in various designated settlements. Other refugee groups primarily reside in urban centers such as Kathmandu.
Show more
