Nepali society is composed of over 125 ethnic groups, with Chhettri and Brahman-Hill being among the highest. The population is around 31 million, with the majority being Hindu and speaking Nepali. The caste system historically affected many aspects of life, dividing people into Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Sudra, and Dalit castes. Customs include using "namaste" as a greeting and following various etiquette rules around food, temples, and homes. The staple diet is dal bhat consisting of rice and lentils, with meat consumption varying by caste. Architecture features temples, palaces, and simple rural homes made with local materials.

1. Nepali People &
Society
Tony Rebollo

2. People
• Ethnic Groups: 125 reported in 2011
• Chhettri, Brahman-Hill, Magar, among highest
• Languages: Nepali 44.6%, but 123 languages were reported as
mother tongue in 2011
• Religion
• Hindu 81.3%
• Buddhist 9%
• Muslim 4.4%
• Kirant, Christian, and others below 3% of population

3. People
• Population: 30,986,975 (2014)
• Median Age: 22.9 years
• Population Growth Rate: 1.82%

4. People
• Urban Population: 17%
• Kathmandu: 1.015 Million
• Life expectancy: 67.19 years
• Exposure to improved drinking water: 88.1%
• Exposure to improved sanitation: 36.7%
• Risk of Major Infectious Diseases: High
• Bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, typhoid, malaria, dengue
fever
• Most rural people are sustenance farmers
• 70% of households have less than 1 hectare and may depend on
plots too small for food

5. People
• Literacy (ages 15< can read/write): 57.4%
• Male: 71.1%
• Female: 46.7%
• Child labor (ages 5-14): 2,467,549
• Education
• 72% from government schools failed last years School Leaving
Certificate exam
• Civil war damaged education system
• Teacher absenteeism is common
• Education has improved, new education official is bringing change

6. Caste System
• Affects family life, food, dress, jobs, culture
• Brought to Nepal by Indians
• Based on heredity
• Castes
• Brahmin (priests, scholars, educators)
• Kshatriya (soldiers, governors, kings)
• Vaishya (Merchants, farmers, cattle herders)
• Sudra (laborers, artisans, service providers)
• 36 castes
• Dalit: untouchables
• Punishments for breaking one’s caste are illegal now
• Caste system technically no longer exists, but can still be seen
• Arranged Marriage

7. Customs & Courtesies
• Greeting: “namaste” with palms held together
• To be formal or respectful add –ji to end of name
• “namaste, Jonn-ji”
• Yes: tilt head to one side and back other way
• No: hold one hand up in front, palm forwards, swivel wrist
subtly
• Point with chin rather than finger

8. Customs & Courtesies
• Once food has touch lips, it’s polluted for others
• “Waterfall” drinks
• Don’t eat off other plates or offer food you’ve taken a bite of
• Don’t touch cooked food unless you bought it already
• If eating with hands, only use right
• Don’t wipe your mouth or pass food with the left hand
• Give & receive with right hands only
• Offer money or gifts with both hands or the right while the
left touches the wrist

9. Customs & Courtesies
• Men: always wear a shirt and pants if possible in public (shorts
on trails)
• Looking clean and well groomed shows respect
• forehead is most sacred part of body, impolite to touch
• Feet are unclean, don’t put them up or point soles at anyone
• Handshaking has increased, but not all women feel
comfortable shaking a mans hand

10. Customs & Courtesies
• Hindu temples
• Usually off-limits to nonbelievers
• Take off shoes
• No photos unless you ask
• Leave rupees in donation box
• Don’t wear leather
• Buddhist temples
• Walk around Buddhist stupas and monuments clockwise
• Private homes
• Fruit or sweets are good gifts, but don’t expect thanks
• Take shoes off or follow example of host
• Eat first, take less than you can eat
• Don’t throw trash or scraps in the family hearth

11. Customs & Courtesies
• Touts
• Lone entrepreneurs and middlemen
• Ignore or ask nicely
• Don’t give to street children and watch your wallet

12. Food
• Dal Bhat (pulses and rice) is main food of Nepal, eaten twice a
day
• Other Nepalese recipes usually include different spices like
ginger, garlic, pepper, cumin, chiles, or yak butter
• Higher castes: vegetarian and do not drink
• Lower castes may drink and some eat pork and beef
• Restaurants weren’t popular but are increasing due to tourism
• Masu: spiced or curried meat with gravy

13. Architecture
• Urban areas have shikhara temples, buddhist stupas, palaces,
brick houses, and some Western-style buildings
• Rural architecture is simple, usually made of the materials
available