Islam in Nepal

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Islam in Nepal

Mosque in Kathmandu, Nepal
Total population
1,483,066[1] (5.09% of the country's population)[2]
Regions with significant populations
Madhesh	811,878[3]
Lumbini	381,558
Koshi	208,311
Bagmati	48,405
Gandaki	22,361
Sudurpashchim	6,983
Karnali	3,570
Religions
Islam
Languages
Urdu (27.9%) • Bhojpuri (19.9%) • Maithili (16.7%) • Awadhi (15.9%) • Bajjika (9.1%) • Nepali (5.2%) • Hindi (2.2%) • Magahi (0.9%) • Other regional languages (1.5%)[4]

Islam (Nepali: नेपाली मुसलमान) is the third largest religion in Nepal.[5] According to the 2021 Nepal census, approximately 1.483 million Muslims, comprising 5.09% of the population, live in Nepal.[6]

According to the 2021 Nepal census, there are around 1.483 million Muslims in Nepal. Almost all of them live in Terai region.[7] Districts with large Muslim concentrations are: Rautahat, Banke, Kapilvastu, Parsa, Mahottari, Bara, and Sunsari. There are only 26,339 Muslims in the capital city of Kathmandu (1.29% of the total population).[3]

Islam is believed to have been introduced in Nepal as early as the 11th century through trade and migration routes from Kashmir, Tibet, and Northern India. The earliest Muslim settlers were primarily Kashmiri merchants and traders who established themselves in the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the Terai region.[8]

During the medieval period and particularly under the rule of the Malla kings, Muslims continued to arrive and engage in artisanal crafts, arms manufacturing, and trade. The Rana regime (1846–1951) further encouraged the settlement of Indian Muslims, particularly in the Terai belt, to strengthen agriculture and local economies.[9][unreliable source?]

A significant wave of migration occurred following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, as Muslim refugees from northern India sought asylum in neighboring Nepal. Many of these refugees were granted land and permission to settle by the ruling Rana regime.[10]

Muslims played a small but notable role in Nepalese society during these times, including in the royal courts as metalworkers, arms suppliers, and scholars. Today, the historical roots of Islam in Nepal remain reflected in old settlements, mosques, and family lineages across Kathmandu, Nepalgunj, and the Eastern Terai districts.

Ahmadis maintain a small presence in Nepal.[11]

Historical Muslim Population in Nepal[12][13]

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

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.[14]

Decadal percentage of Muslims in Nepal[15]

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%

Projected Muslim population in Nepal (2030-2050)[14]

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. The Pew Research Center has estimated that Nepal will have 3.34 million Muslims by 2050 who will constitute roughly around 7% of the country's population,[14] thus surpassing Buddhism in Nepal which is currently the 2nd largest religion in Nepal as of 2021 Nepal census reports.[16]

• Nepalese Muslims
• Religion in Nepal
• Islam in South Asia
• List of mosques in Nepal

• Sijapati, M. A. Situating Muslim Nepal in Islamic South Asia: Historical Themes, Directions for Future Research, and the Case for Religion. The Cupola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College.
• Ansari, T. A. (1988). "The Muslim minority in Nepal: a socio‐historical perspective". Journal Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs. doi:10.1080/02666958808716066.
• Sijapati, M. A. (2011). "Muslims in Nepal: The Local and Global Dimensions of a Changing Religious Minority". Religion Compass. 5 (11): 656–665. doi:10.1111/j.1749-8171.2011.00314.x.
• Yasmin, C. M. (2020). "Muslim Cultural Practices in Nepal". Patan Pragya. 6 (1): 1–14. doi:10.3126/pragya.v6i1.34205.
• Acharya, C. (2025). "Gender and Society: Introducing Islam Social Life in Kathmandu". SMC Journal of Sociology. 2 (2): 149–169. doi:10.3126/sjs.v2i2.74844.
• Sharma, S. (1995). "How the crescent fares in Nepal". Himal. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
• Sijapati, M. A. (2011). Islamic Revival in Nepal: Religion and a New Nation (2013 ed.). New York and London: Routledge Press.
• Siddique, M. (2001). "Muslim Population in the Kingdom of Nepal: Some Outstanding Features" (PDF). Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. 21 (2): 333–345. doi:10.1080/1360200120092897. S2CID 143442959. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2011.