Distribution of caste and ethnic groups in Nepal

From the table we can easily study distribution of different ethnic groups. According to chart we know that brahman and chhetri living in hilly region with large number population. Similarly others are seen in few numbers.

Table : Caste and ethnic groups in Nepal

Share of population	Simplified group	2001 census group
Hindu caste groups (57.5%)	1. Brahmans and Chhetris (Hill)	Brahman, Chhetri, Thakuri, Sanyasi
	2. Brahmans and Chhetris (Tarai)	Kayashta, Rajput, Baniya, Marwadi, Jaine, Nurang, Bengali
	3. Tarai Middle Castes	Yadev,Teli, Kalwar, Sudi, Sonar, Lohar, Koiri, Kurmi, Kanu, Haluwai, Hajam/Thakur, Badhe, Rajbhar, Kewat Mallah, Numhar, Kahar, Lodha, Bing/Banda, Bhediyar, Mali, Kamar Dhunia
	4. Dalits (Hill)	Kami, Damai, Sarki, Gaine, Badi
	5. Dalits (Tarai)	Chamar, Musahar, Tatma, Bantar, Dhusadadh/Paswan, Khatway, Dom, Chidimar, Dhobi, Halkhor, Unidentified Dalit
Janajatis (37.2%)	6. Newar	All Newari Castes
	7. Janajatis (Hill)	Magar,Tamang, Rai, Gurung, Limbu, Sherpa, Bhote, Walung, Buansi, Hyolmo, Gharti/Bhujel, Kumal, Sunuwar, Baramu, Pahari, Adivasi Janajati, Yakkha, Shantal, Jirel, Darai, Dura, Majhi, Dunuwar, Thami, Lepcha, Chepang, Bote, Raji, Hayu,Raute, Kasunda
	8. Janajatis (Tarai)	Tharu, Dhanuk, Rajbanshi, Tajpuriya, Gangai, Dhimal, Meche, Kisan, Munda, Santhal/Satar/Dhangad/Jhangad, Koche, Pattarkatta/Kusbadiya
Muslims (4.3%)	9. Muslims	Muslim, Churoute
Others (1%)	10. Others

TAMANG

The Tamang are ethnic Tibetan people; one of the several ethnic groups from north central hilly region of Nepal. Tamang people are predominately found in the districts of Sindhupalchowk, Rasuwa, Lalitpur,Dhading, Makwanpur, Nuwakot, Ramecchap, Dolakha, Chitwan and Kavreplanchowk, and small number of Tamang who migrated from Nepal can be found in the hilly region of India. The word Tamang derived from Tibetan words "ta" and "mang", meaning horse and warrior. Living mainly north and east of the country, they constitute 5.6% of Nepal's population, which places their population at 1,280,000, slightly higher than the Newars.

The name Tamang, normally it is Tamag in Tibetan, means horse warriors, Tamags were border police sent by king Trisong of Tibet around 755. They are also good mountaineers and trekking guides. Many of Tamang have been recruited to serve in Indian and British Gurkha regiments since British Raj.

The Tamang generally follow Tibetan Buddhism mixed with elements of the pre-Buddhist Bön and the Tambaist religion. Their priests include Lamas, Bonbos/Bombos and Tambas. Unlike Nepali Bahun/Chettri people, majority Tamang people do not participate in Nepali's Hindu animal sacrificing tradition. According to the 2001 census, 88.26% of the ethnic Tamang in Nepal were Buddhists and 7.69% were Hindus. The typical song and dance of the Tamangs is "Tamang selo" in which they dance to the beat of a drum called "Damphu." Damphu is the traditional drum of the Tamangs.

LIMBU PEOPLE

Limbu tribe and clans belong to the Kirati nation or Kirat confederation who are referred as "Mongolians" race in Nepal. They might have migrated from Tibet in ancient times but it is absolutely wrong to describe them as Tibetan descendents because the latter term is related to Tibetan nationality - Limbus are clearly not of Tibetan nationality.They are indigenous to hill and mountains of east Nepal between Arun and mechi rivers.

The name Limbu is an exonym of uncertain origin. Anyhow the word Limbu roughly means or translates as an archer or 'the bearer of bows and arrows'. They call themselves Yakthumba/Yakthung (in Limbu language). They are also known as Shong, Xong or Drenjongka (in Tibet) or Chong, Tsong in (Sikkim). Their approx population of 700,000 is centered on the districts of Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum, Dhankuta, Taplejung, Morang, Sunsari, Jhapa, Panchthar and Ilam, all within the Mechi and Kosi zones in Nepal, also known as Limbuwan, as well as the East and West districts of Sikkim. A smaller number are scattered throughout the cities of Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal, India and also in North and South Sikkim and Bhutan.

Limbu Clans and Tribes are divided into the Lhasa gotra (those thought to have migrated from Lhasa, Tibet) and Yunan gotra (those who come from [Yunan. China (Northern Yunan province has a huge number of Tibetan population). This may or may not be true as there is no written records or history. The Limbu are known as des limbu (ten Limbu), even though there are actually thirteen Limbu sub-groups. Legend says that five of the groups came from Yunnan, China and the other eight from Lhasa, Tibet.

Unlike the caste systems brought forward to Nepal region since the Hindu invasion, social discrimination or caste system is not practised among the Limbu people and Limbu sub-groups, however there are numerous different clans and sects.
Limbu tribe and clans belong to the Kirati nation or Kirat confederation who are referred as "Mongolians" race in Nepal. They might have migrated from Tibet in ancient times but it is absolutely wrong to describe them as Tibetan descendents because the latter term is related to Tibetan nationality - Limbus are clearly not of Tibetan nationality.They are indigenous to hill and mountains of east Nepal between Arun and mechi rivers.

The name Limbu is an exonym of uncertain origin. Anyhow the word Limbu roughly means or translates as an archer or 'the bearer of bows and arrows'. They call themselves Yakthumba/Yakthung (in Limbu language). They are also known as Shong, Xong or Drenjongka (in Tibet) or Chong, Tsong in (Sikkim). Their approx population of 700,000 is centered on the districts of Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum, Dhankuta, Taplejung, Morang, Sunsari, Jhapa, Panchthar and Ilam, all within the Mechi and Kosi zones in Nepal, also known as Limbuwan, as well as the East and West districts of Sikkim. A smaller number are scattered throughout the cities of Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal, India and also in North and South Sikkim and Bhutan.

Limbu Clans and Tribes are divided into the Lhasa gotra (those thought to have migrated from Lhasa, Tibet) and Yunan gotra (those who come from [Yunan. China (Northern Yunan province has a huge number of Tibetan population). This may or may not be true as there is no written records or history. The Limbu are known as des limbu (ten Limbu), even though there are actually thirteen Limbu sub-groups. Legend says that five of the groups came from Yunnan, China and the other eight from Lhasa, Tibet.

Unlike the caste systems brought forward to Nepal region since the Hindu invasion, social discrimination or caste system is not practised among the Limbu people and Limbu sub-groups, however there are numerous different clans and sects.

ETHNO- NATIONAL CONFLICT

Sometimes ethnic groups are subject to prejudicial attitudes and actions by the state or its constituents. In the twentieth century, people began to argue that conflicts among ethnic groups or between members of an ethnic group and the state can and should be resolved in one of two ways. Some, like Jürgen Habermas and Bruce Barry, have argued that the legitimacy of modern states must be based on a notion of political rights of autonomous individual subjects. According to this view, the state should not acknowledge ethnic, national or racial identity but rather instead enforce political and legal equality of all individuals. Others, like Charles Taylor and Will Kymlicka, argue that the notion of the autonomous individual is itself a cultural construct. According to this view, states must recognize ethnic identity and develop processes through which the particular needs of ethnic groups can be accommodated within the boundaries of the nation-state.

The nineteenth century saw the development of the political ideology of ethnic nationalism, when the concept of race was tied to nationalism, first by German theorists including Johann Gottfried von Herder. Instances of societies focusing on ethnic ties, arguably to the exclusion of history or historical context, have resulted in the justification of nationalist goals. Two periods frequently cited as examples of this are the nineteenth century consolidation and expansion of the German Empire and the twentieth century Third (Greater German) Reich. Each promoted the pan-ethnic idea that these governments were only acquiring lands that had always been inhabited by ethnic Germans. The history of late-comers to the nation-state model, such as those arising in the Near East and south-eastern Europe out of the dissolution of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires, as well as those arising out of the former USSR, is marked by inter-ethnic conflicts. Such conflicts usually occur within multi-ethnic states, as opposed to between them, as in other regions of the world. Thus, the conflicts are often misleadingly labelled and characterized as civil wars when they are inter-ethnic conflicts in a multi-ethnic state.

OCCUPATIONAL CASTS

Certain ethnic groups in Nepal are categorised according to their occupation. They are Kamis (smiths), Damais (tailors), Dhibis (washerman) Sarkis (cobblers), Gaines (professional singers) and Khumbharas (porters). The origin of these castes has not been investigated yet by the anthropologists. Hinduism is their major religion and Nepali their major language. Many have their own local festivals and practices.

Furthermore, Sunwars, Jirels, Chepangs, Kusundas and Panchgaule (five villages) are other minor ethnic groups of the Nepal midland hill regoins. Sunwars are Jirels are considered to be the off shoots of Magars. Panchgaule are similar to Thakalis. Kusundas still live in primitive conditions. They live in caves, under trees and in temporary huts in the forest. Only a handful of them are settled into occupational farming. Chepangs, who are believed to be the offshoots of Kirats, are slowly moving into urban areas

MAGAR

The Magars originate in the western and central areas of Nepal, though are found in scattered communities throughout the country. In Tibetan language Tamang means horse traders. It is believed that they originally came from Tibet.The majority of Tamangs live in the hills surrounding Kathmandu Valley. Their social practices and customs are based on Buddhism and they have their own language, Tamang. They work mainly as farmers, labours and as porters. They may be of either Hindu or Buddhist faith. Traditionally hill farmers inhabiting the lower slopes, they are also known for their fighting abilities and many have been recruited into Gurkha regiments of the British and Indian armies. It is thought to be a strong cultural bond between Magars and Gurungs.

POPULATION DISTRIBUTION ACCORDING TO ETHINICITY

Nepal’s 2001 census enumerated 103 distinct castes and ethnic groups including an "unidentified group".

The major caste/ethnic groups identified by the 2001 census are Khas Kshatriya or Chhetri (15.8%) along with 1.47% Thakuri/Chhetri, Brahmin or Bahun (12.7%) in the hills (both Caucasian,counted separately from the same castes in the Terai), Magar (7.1%), Tharu (6.8%), Tamang (5.6%), Newar (5.5%), Muslim (4.3%), Kami (3.9%), Rai (2.7%), Gurung (2.5%), and Damai/Dholi (2.4%). The remaining 92 caste/ethnic groups (including the world-famous Sherpa) each constitute less than 2 % of the population ^[1]. The following table is based on endogamous ethnicity, not linguistical ethnic groups.

ETHNIC AND REGIONAL EQUITY

Hill Hindus of the Khas tribe (Brahman and Chhetri castes) and the Newar ethnicity dominated the civil service, the judiciary and upper ranks of the army throughout the Shah regime 1768-2008. Nepali was the national language and Sanskrit became a required school subject. Children who spoke Nepali natively and who were exposed to Sanskrit had much better chances of passing the national examinations at the end of high school, which meant they had better employment prospects and could continue into higher education. Children who natively spoke local languages of the Terai and Hills, or Tibetan dialects prevailing in the high mountains were at a considerable distadvantage. This history of exclusion coupled with poor prospects for improvement created grievances that left ethnic communities such as Tharu in the Terai and Kham Magar in the mid-western hills receptive to recruitment as foot soldiers for the Maoist opposition in the Nepalese Civil War.^{[citation needed]} The negotiated end to this war forced King Gyanendra to abdicate in 2008. Issues of ethnic and regional equity have tended to dominate the agenda of the new republican government and continue to be divisive.

LARKE AND SAIR PEOPLE

Larke is the northern most part of Nepal's Gorkha district while Siar is the northern part of the Dhading district. These people mainly speak the Tibetan and Gurung languages and have ethnic affinity with Gurungs.

OLANGCHUNG PEOPLE

These people are the inhabitants of Olanchung Gola, the main trading route along Eastern Nepal. Besides Buddhism, they have their own customs and practices. Thudam, Topke Gola and Lhomis are other ethnic groups within Nepal's alpine region.

MANANG BAS

The people of Manang are called Manang Bas. Their major occupations include trade and business. They have their own language and scripts and maintain their own local religious practice with 12 villages called Bara Gaule-Baragaun. The famous pilgrimage spot on the Annanpurna Circuit, Muktinath, lies in their area. Although Buddhism is part religion, they follow Bon-Po which pre-dates the reign of Bhuddha.

DOLPA PEOPLE

The settlement of these people is considered the highest of any living ethnic group in the world. These people live beyond the mountains, west of the Kali Gandaki river valley. These people practice Buddhist customs.

SHERPAS

Sherpas live in the Solu Khumbu region of glacial valleys at the southern approaches to Everest. Their name tells of the origin ( Sha - east, pa - people) and has come to be almost synonymous with great peak that dominates their country. They immigrated from Tibet about 600 years ago. Earlier they were traders and porters, carrying butter, meat, rice, sugar, paper and dye from India, and salt, wool, jewellery, Chinese silk and porcelain from Tibet and beyond. The closure of the border between India and China undermined their economy. Fortunately, with the mountaineering expeditions and trekkers, the Sherpa's found their load carrying skills, both on normal treks and high altitudes in great demand. The Kumbu region has provided a valuable contingent of able bodied, hardy and seemingly fearless Sherpa porters and guides. Sherpas major occupations include agriculture, animal husbandry, trade and have become famous for trekking and mountaineering. Today they are know worldwide for their skill and hardiness. They follow Buddhism as their major religion.

SATARS

They are similar to Santhals of Bihar, India. They are very much like Tharus and their social life is organised and disiplined. They believe in Hinduism. Dimals, Bodos, Dhangars are agriculturist Hindu. Bodos are settled in an area know as the Mechi Zone and are more known as Mechain people. Dhangars, who live in one part of the eastern Terai have their origin in Madhya Pradesh, India. Dhimals are the Terain counterparts of the Limbus from the eastern Terai, mainly in Jhapa.

RAJBANSIS

This is a dominant ethnic group of far eastern Terai areas of Jhapa and Morang. Although they follow both Hindu and Muslims religions, they have their own local practices. Farming is their major occupation.

THARUS

This is the largest and oldest ethnic group of the Terai belt found living in close proximity to densely forested regions. They are dark in complexion and have smart, trim bodies. They follow the Hindu religion and their practices are dependent on many typical Aryan practices. Farming and business are their main occupations. Danwars, Majhis and Darais are very similar to Tharus, physically and culturally. Nevertheless, they speak their own languages which are of Sanskrit origin.

KIRANTIES

Kirantis are comprised of Rais and Limbus and are the oldest known peoples of Nepal. They live in the eastern hills of Nepal, the Rais being concentrated in the Solu Khumbu, Dudh Kosi and Arun Valley, while the Limbus are at the east of Arun Valley, in the Katchanjunga region and also extend into Northern parts of West Bengal in India. They are decendents of the Kirati's who first formed the kingdom in the Kathmandu Valley. They now mainly live in far eastern Nepal. Kirati people are well known for their courage and bravery and are often recruited into armies abroad like the more famous Gurkhas. The religious text of Limbu is the Mundhum. Both groups have supplied recruits to Gurkha regiments an reference is made to their fighting spirit in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Of Mongoloid features, both have Tibeti-Burmese languages. The religion of the Limbus incorporates elements of Buddhism and Shamanism, while that of the Rais is more influenced by Hinduism.

NEWARS

They are mainly settled in Kathmandu Valley and in major trading centers throughout the kingdom. They have Mongolian features and their own language and script, Newari, believed to have its origin from Tibeto-Burmans. Hinduism and Buddhism are their main religions. They have complex social systems and practices and are comprised of many castes. Trade and farming are their main occupations.

BHRAMIN AND CHHETRIES

Two large groups distributed in scattered patterns all over the country, which are considered the two highest castes in Nepal. They have sharp Indo-Aryan features and an olive complexion. Brahmins are believed to have migrated from India while Chhetris are from the present day Khasa people from Khasi. These people follow Hinduism as their main religion and socially they have many sects. They are divided into two major streams, the Purba and Umai. The Kumain people are of the origin of Kumo, Northern India, Uttar Pradesh. Their social practices depend upon Hindu religious epics. They speak Nepali, the national language of Nepal and use a script with basis in Sanskrit.

GURUNGS

The Gurungs also originate from the central and western parts of Nepal, though they have tended to inhabit higher areas adopting a lifestyle of sedentary agriculture and nomadic pastorals. Like the Magars, Gurungs have been well represented in Gurkha units. They are predominantly Buddhist, though small Hindu and Shamanist communities exist. In recent years, may Magars become involved in the hotel business, especially in the Pokhara region.

THAKALI

The origin of Thakali is Thok Khola, the Thakalis originate from the Kali Gandaki Gorge and, like many Nepali groups, have been subject to both Hindu and Buddhist influences, a high valley in central Nepal along the Muktinath region. They have Mongolian features, a fair complexion and narrow eyes. Thakalis are divided into three major groups: Marphali, Thakali and Tamang. Hirachan, Lalchan, Juwarchan, Pannachan comes under Marphali. Gauchan, Tulachan, Sherchan and Bhattacan comes under Tamang. Their religion is a mixture of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jhankrism. They are known for their hospitality, good salesmanship, and cleanliness. Adept entrepreneurs, they have cashed in on the trekking boom and have established little hotels all along the Annapurna Circuit and have also extended their influence to other parts of the country. Before Nepal was opened up to tourism, their economy was dominated by subsistence farming and, in the Kali Gandaki area, by salt trading.

Ethinic group of nepal

ETHNIC GROUP OF NEPAL
Nepal has a population of more than 26 million people, made up of over 40 different races and tribes. The country offers such diversity that the visitor may experience any lifestyle from the stone age, in far west and high hills, to the jet age of Kathmandu.
Nepalese society was ethnically diverse and complex in the early 1990s, ranging in phenotype (physical characteristics) and culture from the Indian to the Tibetan. Except for the sizable population of those of Indian birth or ancestry concentrated in the Tarai bordering India, the varied ethnic groups had evolved into distinct patterns over time. The two major groups in Nepalese society are Tibeto-Burmans, or Mongoloids from the north, and Indo-Aryans from the south. Many customs are inherited from both sides and have been developed by the influences of the land, climate and available resources. The varied ethnic groups of nepal had evolved into distinct patterns over time.

termilology and definition

"ethnicity" and "ethnic group" are derived from the Greek word ἔθνος ethnos, normalThe terms ly translated as "nation." The terms refer currently to people thought to have common ancestry who share a distinctive culture.
The term "ethnic" and related forms from the 14th century through the middle of the 19th century were used in English in the meaning of "pagan, heathen", as ethnikos was used as the LXX translation of Hebrew goyim "the nations, non-Hebrews, non-Jews".