Settlement and demography

(c) The increase in population expressed as a percentage of the base population per year

The annual population growth rate measures the net change in population over a year — from births, deaths and migration — as a percentage of the population at the start of the year. Option (b) only describes the natural increase rate (birth rate minus death rate), which ignores migration and is not expressed as a percentage of the base population.

Physical factors influencing the pattern of human settlement in Nepal

Human settlement in Nepal is unevenly distributed because of its rugged physical setting. The five main physical factors are:

1. Relief (altitude and slope): Settlement is dense in the flat Terai plains and the lower hill basins, while steep slopes, high mountains and the Himalayan region above about 3,000 m have very sparse or seasonal settlement. Flat land is easy to build on, farm and transport goods across.

2. Climate: The Terai has a warm, humid tropical climate suited to year-round farming and large populations. The hills have a temperate climate, also favourable. The high Himalayas have a cold, harsh climate with a short growing season, so only scattered settlements such as Sherpa villages exist there.

3. Availability of water: Rivers, streams and springs are the main sources of drinking and irrigation water. Settlements in Nepal are therefore concentrated along river valleys, basins (Kathmandu, Pokhara) and areas with reliable water, while dry ridges remain thinly populated.

4. Fertility of soil: The alluvial soil of the Terai and the fertile valley floors of the hills support intensive agriculture and hence dense settlement. Thin, rocky and eroded soils on steep hill slopes and in the high mountains discourage farming and settlement.

5. Landforms and natural features: River valleys, basins, plateaus and gentle terraces attract settlement, whereas gorges, cliffs, landslide-prone areas and dense forests limit it. For example, the Inner Terai valleys (Dang, Chitwan, Udayapur) and the Kathmandu Valley are densely settled because of their favourable landforms.

Conclusion: Thus relief, climate, water, soil and landforms together explain why Nepal's population is concentrated in the Terai and valleys and very sparse in the high mountains.

Demographic data refers to the systematic collection, analysis and presentation of information about the size, composition, distribution and changes of a population. For a developing country like Nepal, such data is indispensable for planning and development. Its five major importance are:

1. Formulation of development plans and policies: Demographic data shows the size, growth rate and structure of the population. On this basis, the government can set realistic targets for food, employment, housing, education and health services in its periodic plans. For example, knowing the annual population growth rate helps determine how many new schools, hospitals and jobs must be created each year.

2. Proper allocation of resources and budget: Data on population distribution by region, district and rural-urban area helps the government allocate scarce resources and budget where they are most needed. Regions with dense population need more schools, health posts, drinking water and roads, while sparsely populated areas need different facilities.

3. Planning of manpower and employment: Information on the size of the working-age population, labour force participation, literacy and skill levels helps the country plan for employment generation, vocational training and utilization of human resources. It also reveals the extent of unemployment and underemployment, and the need to create jobs at home to reduce foreign employment.

4. Planning of education, health and other social services: Data on age structure, sex ratio, literacy rate, infant and maternal mortality, and fertility helps in deciding the number and location of schools, colleges, hospitals, health posts and family planning services. For instance, a high child population indicates the need for more schools and child health care.

5. Assessment of progress and solution of social problems: Comparing demographic data of different census years (such as 2001, 2011 and 2021) helps measure the effectiveness of past plans and policies. It also helps identify problems like rapid urbanization, migration, population pressure on land, gender inequality and regional imbalance, so that timely corrective measures can be taken.

Besides these, demographic data is also useful for making population projections, conducting research, attracting foreign aid and investment, and formulating programs for balanced regional development. Thus, reliable demographic data is the foundation of scientific planning and sustainable development in a country like Nepal.

Major Types of Settlements in Nepal

A settlement is a place where people live and carry out their daily activities. On the basis of size, density and occupation, settlements in Nepal are broadly divided into rural and urban settlements.

1. Rural (village) settlements

• Found mostly in hills, mountains and the Terai countryside, where the majority of Nepal's population lives.
• Houses are scattered or grouped in small clusters, often near a water source, farmland or a river terrace.
• Main occupation is agriculture, animal husbandry and, in the hills, some cottage industry.
• Population density is low and services such as schools, hospitals, roads and electricity are limited.
• Examples: scattered gaun (villages) of the mid-hills and Himalayan region.

2. Urban settlements

• Centres with a higher concentration of population, non-agricultural occupations, markets, industries and administrative offices.
• In Nepal, urban settlements are of two kinds:
  • Towns/small cities — market towns and district headquarters such as Dhankuta, Ilam, Gorkha, Baglung.
  • Metropolitan and sub-metropolitan cities — large cities such as Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bharatpur, Biratnagar, Birgunj and Lalitpur.
• They have better facilities — roads, banks, colleges, hospitals, industries — which attracts people from rural areas.
• The Terai has the largest number of urban centres because of flat land, transport links and trade with India.

3. Other settlement patterns (by arrangement of houses)

• Nucleated (grouped) settlement — houses clustered together, common in the Terai and river valleys.
• Dispersed (scattered) settlement — houses spread far apart, common in the hills and mountains.
• Linear settlement — houses arranged along a road, river or canal.

Effect of Demographic Factors on Population Change

Population change is the difference in the size of population over a period of time. It is affected by three main demographic factors:

1. Birth rate (fertility)

• Birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 people in a year.
• A high birth rate increases population. Nepal's birth rate, though declining, is still moderately high, so natural increase remains positive.
• Factors such as early marriage, low use of contraceptives, illiteracy and desire for sons keep the birth rate high.

2. Death rate (mortality)

• Death rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a year.
• A high death rate decreases population. Nepal's death rate has fallen sharply due to improved health services, control of epidemics, better nutrition and awareness.
• Since the death rate has fallen faster than the birth rate, the rate of natural increase (birth rate − death rate) remains high.

3. Migration

• Migration is the movement of people from one place to another.
• Internal migration — rural to urban movement within the country, mainly towards Kathmandu, Pokhara and Terai cities, increases population in cities and decreases it in villages.
• International migration — large numbers of young Nepalis go abroad (Gulf countries, Malaysia, India) for employment. This reduces the population of productive age groups in Nepal but increases remittance income.
• Migration affects the size, age structure and sex ratio of population in both the place of origin and the place of destination.

Thus, population change = (births − deaths) + (immigration − emigration).

Two Measures to Manage Rapid Population Growth in Urban Areas

1. Balanced regional development: Develop schools, hospitals, industries, roads and employment opportunities in rural areas and small towns so that people do not feel compelled to migrate to big cities. This reduces pressure on urban areas.
2. Planned urbanisation and service expansion: Prepare and strictly implement urban plans — planned housing, drinking water, drainage, transport, schools and health services — and promote satellite towns and new planned cities around large urban centres to distribute population evenly.

Other supporting measures include spreading awareness about family planning, promoting education and employment, and strengthening local governments to manage urban growth.

कुल जनसङ्ख्यामा कामकाजी उमेर समूह (१५–५९ वर्ष) को हिस्सा आश्रित जनसङ्ख्या (बालबालिका र ज्येष्ठ नागरिक) भन्दा बढी हुँदा देशले आर्थिक वृद्धिमा प्राप्त गर्ने अतिरिक्त फाइदालाई जनसाङ्ख्यिक लाभांश भनिन्छ ।

मेरो बस्ती नदी किनार नजिक भएकाले बाढी तथा पहिरोको जोखिम भएको जोखिमयुक्त बस्ती हो ।

सुरक्षाको एक उपाय: नदी किनारमा तटबन्ध (बाँध) र रुख रोपण गर्ने तथा जोखिम बढ्दा सुरक्षित स्थानमा सर्ने पूर्वतयारी राख्ने ।

बस्तीको परिचय

मानिसहरू स्थायी रूपमा घर बनाई बसोबास गर्ने स्थानलाई बस्ती भनिन्छ । बस्तीलाई ग्रामीण र सहरी गरी दुई प्रकारमा बाँडिन्छ ।

ग्रामीण बस्तीका चार प्रमुख विशेषता

१. कृषि–आधारित पेसा: अधिकांश मानिस कृषि, पशुपालन र वनपैदावारमा निर्भर हुन्छन् ।

२. कम जनघनत्व: घरहरू छरिएर रहेका र जनसङ्ख्या कम तथा घनत्व कम हुन्छ ।

३. सामाजिक निकटता: मानिसहरूबिच घनिष्ठ सम्बन्ध, सहयोग र साझा संस्कृति, परम्परा हुन्छ; सामूहिक पर्व र परोपकार (परेली) चलन देखिन्छ ।

४. कम सुविधा: सडक, बिजुली, स्वास्थ्य, शिक्षा र सञ्चारजस्ता सेवा सुविधा सहरको तुलनामा सीमित हुन्छन् ।