Jan 26, Kathamndu- Nepal's population has reached 29.91 million as announced by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday morning.

While announcing the preliminary results of the 12th national census, the Bureau said that the overall population growth of the country has decreased over the last decade. Nepal conducts a national census every ten years.

According to the data made public by the Bureau on Wednesday, the population of Nepal has reached 29.91 million of which 1,49,1,169 are females and 1,42,91,311 males. Similarly, the number of Nepalis living abroad is 2.169 million 478.

According to the previous census, Nepal's population was 26.4 million. Nepal's population growth rate is 0.42 percent less than it was calculated in the national census carried out in 2011, a preliminary report released by the bureau said. The bureau shared that Nepal's population growth rate as calculated during the recently held national census is the lowest in the past 80 years.

According to the report, Nepal's population has increased by 2.7 million in the past ten years, which accounts for only 0.93 percent. Nepal reported a growth rate of 1.35 percent in the 2011 census The population growth rate was more than one percent last time but this time it was 0.93 percent, the Bureau said.

Meanwhile, the population density is 198 people per square km. The population density of Nepal was 180 people per square km, according to the National Census, 2011, which has now surged to 198 per sq km after ten years.

Nepal had carried out the 12th Nation Census between November 12 and 25, last year with a theme of 'My census, My participation'.  Every individual had been asked 80 questions as a part of the National Population Census.