Urbanisation and urban growth in Nepal (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1294)
What are the trends in urbanisation and urban growth in Nepal?
Abstract
Query
What are the trends in urbanisation and urban growth in Nepal? What are the main government and donor-funded projects on urbanisation currently under implementation, and planned for the next 10 – 20 years in Nepal? What are the trends in local governance of urban, and urbanising areas in Nepal?
Overview
Nepal is one of the ten least urbanised countries in the world. However, it is also one of the top ten fastest urbanising countries. In 2014, the level of urbanisation was 18.2 per cent, with an urban population of 5,130,000, and a rate of urbanisation of 3 per cent (UN DESA, 2014). For the period 2014-2050, Nepal will remain amongst the top ten fastest urbanising countries in the world with a projected annual urbanisation rate of 1.9 per cent (ibid).
Urbanisation in Nepal is dominated by a few large and medium cities with an excessive population concentration in the Kathmandu Valley. The urban population distribution is uneven across the country. High urban growth is occurring in the Kathmandu Valley, the Pokhara Valley, the Inner Tarai valleys, and in market and border towns located on highway junctures between the east-west highway and the five main north-south corridors. Several urban governance trends are highlighted based on literature reviewed and government and donor documents.
Citation
Bakrania, S. Urbanisation and urban growth in Nepal (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1294). Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2015) 24 pp.
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