January 5: Demographers and experts have said that scientific and systematic study on findings of census is needed to address the issues related to uneven distribution of population and emigration in the country.    
During a news conference organized by the Central Department of Population Studies (CDPS), the demographers and experts said that officials from all sectors should have a sort of knowhow on demography to formulate better development plans.    
On the occasion, Chief of CDPS Prof Dr Yogendra Gurung said that the issue of population management requires urgent attention as the total fertility rate (TFR) has decreased to less than 1 per cent.    
Gurung said that the country has to make new strategies for social security to senior citizens which is around 7 per cent of the country's total population and also needs to think of children's future.    
He argued that study of demography is crucial for the formulation of economic, social and political policies.    
Likewise, Associate Professor Dr Padma Prasad Khatiwada said that Nepal should learn lessons from China’s one-child policy of the past and its shift to a three-children policy at present.    
Also speaking at the event, Associate Professor Bal Krishna Mabuhang argued that knowledge on demography would support every individual to figure out the needed human resources for the country's development and the priority sectors.

Meanwhile, a grade-wise classifications study report of rural and urban areas in Nepal released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Tuesday revealed that the urban population was growing while that of the rural areas was on the decline.

The NSO in this study analyzed the statistics related to the trends of settlements in urban, urban-oriented and rural areas.    
According to the report, the wards have been categorized as rural and urban areas on four basis, such as population, density of population, settlement areas and continuation of characteristics of urban area category.    
A comparative analysis of the last two census shows that the urban population has increased to 27.07 percent in 2021 from 22.31 percent in 2011. The urban-oriented population size has increased to 39.75 percent from 39.19 percent.    
The study has revealed that rural population has dropped to 33.19 percent from 38.5 percent in the last 10 years.

"Rural population is still one third in size. Due to the migration from rural to urban-oriented and urban areas, it has been difficult to manage population in urban areas while the rural areas are grappling with outflow of people," the study report stated.    
On geographical categorization, rural population covers 66 percent in hill areas and 16 percent in mountainous area. The urban-oriented population is 85 percent in Terai region.    
As per the urban and rural area categorization at local level, around 58 percent rural population live in 2,412 wards. Around 36.1 percent population live in 664 urban-oriented wards and five percent in 139 urban wards.    
According to the National Census-2078, Nepal's population in urban areas is 66.17 percent and rural areas 33.83 percent. -- RSS