Number of people without access to electricity in Nepal
Nepal: Number of people without access to electricity was 622,672 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of people without access to electricity in Nepal, 1996–2024
Source: Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, number of people without access to electricity in Nepal stood at 622,672 people. That is the lowest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is down 65.1% on the previous year and down 85.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people without access to electricity in Nepal peaked at 19.01 million people in 1997 and was at its lowest, 622,672 people, in 2024.
That places Nepal 57th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people without access to electricity in Nepal, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 18.67 million people | — |
| 1997 | 19.01 million people | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 18.53 million people | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 18.01 million people | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 17.21 million people | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 18.81 million people | +9.3% |
| 2002 | 16.11 million people | -14.4% |
| 2003 | 15.52 million people | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 16.34 million people | +5.3% |
| 2005 | 14.18 million people | -13.2% |
| 2006 | 12.96 million people | -8.6% |
| 2007 | 12.70 million people | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 11.88 million people | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 11.06 million people | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 8.59 million people | -22.4% |
| 2011 | 8.98 million people | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 6.83 million people | -24.0% |
| 2013 | 6.24 million people | -8.7% |
| 2014 | 4.18 million people | -33.0% |
| 2015 | 5.01 million people | +19.9% |
| 2016 | 2.60 million people | -48.1% |
| 2017 | 3.75 million people | +44.4% |
| 2018 | 1.71 million people | -54.4% |
| 2019 | 2.87 million people | +67.5% |
| 2020 | 2.93 million people | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 2.98 million people | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 2.59 million people | -13.2% |
| 2023 | 1.78 million people | -31.1% |
| 2024 | 622,672 people | -65.1% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 622,672 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 781,524 people, 80% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 622,672 people is above the median for South Asia, which is 311,336 people, 2.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.56 million people | 18.01 million people | 19.01 million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 14.68 million people | 11.06 million people | 18.81 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.08 million people | 1.71 million people | 8.98 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.18 million people | 622,672 people | 2.98 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More energy & mining data for Nepal
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 5.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 23.0% (2022)
- Ores and metals imports 2.3% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people without access to electricity in Nepal?
- Number of people without access to electricity in Nepal was 622,672 people in 2024, according to Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people without access to electricity recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 19.01 million people in 1997.
- What is the lowest number of people without access to electricity recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 622,672 people in 2024.
- How does Nepal rank for number of people without access to electricity?
- Nepal ranks 57th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people without access to electricity rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 85.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from Data compiled from multiple sources by the World Bank – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people without access to electricity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Access to electricity means having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.