About this quiz
50 questions covering every section of the note.
This Lok Sewa practice set has 50 multiple-choice questions (Subject: Geography of Nepal · For: Kharidar, Nayab Subba, Section Officer · Level: Easy). Take the quiz above first; after that, use the study list below to revise every question with its correct answer and a short explanation.
Study list: all 50 questions with answers and explanations
The 2078 BS census was Nepal's:
- A) 10th census
- B) 11th census
- C) 12th census ✔
- D) 13th census
Why: Census 2078 BS (2021 AD) was Nepal's 12th national census. Censuses have been held about every ten years since the first in 1968 BS.
When was the first census of Nepal held?
- A) 1968 BS ✔
- B) 2009 BS
- C) 1990 BS
- D) 2058 BS
Why: Nepal's first census was held in 1968 BS (1911 AD) under Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher. It was a simple head count.
What is the total population of Nepal according to Census 2078?
- A) 2,64,94,504
- B) 2,91,64,578 ✔
- C) 3,05,00,000
- D) 2,31,51,423
Why: Census 2078 counted 2,91,64,578 people (about 29.16 million), up from about 2.65 crore in Census 2068.
What is the sex ratio according to Census 2078?
- A) 95.59 ✔
- B) 100.2
- C) 94.16
- D) 105.0
Why: The sex ratio is 95.59, meaning there are about 95.59 males for every 100 females. A ratio below 100 means more females than males.
The annual population growth rate in Census 2078 is:
- A) 1.35%
- B) 2.25%
- C) 0.92% ✔
- D) 0.5%
Why: The annual growth rate fell to 0.92%, the lowest in decades, mainly because of falling fertility and many people living abroad.
What is the population density of Nepal?
- A) 180 per sq km
- B) 198 per sq km ✔
- C) 250 per sq km
- D) 150 per sq km
Why: Population density is about 198 persons per square kilometre (total population divided by Nepal's area of about 1,47,516 sq km).
The literacy rate in Census 2078 is about:
- A) 65.9%
- B) 76.2% ✔
- C) 85.0%
- D) 70.1%
Why: The literacy rate of people aged 5 and above is about 76.2%. Male literacy is higher than female literacy.
Which is the most populous district?
- A) Morang
- B) Kathmandu ✔
- C) Rupandehi
- D) Jhapa
Why: Kathmandu is the most populous district and also has the highest population density, because of migration to the capital.
Which is the least populous district?
- A) Mustang
- B) Dolpa
- C) Manang ✔
- D) Humla
Why: Manang, a high mountain district in Gandaki Province, is the least populous district of Nepal.
Which province has the largest population?
- A) Bagmati
- B) Madhesh ✔
- C) Lumbini
- D) Koshi
Why: Madhesh Province has the largest population, slightly ahead of Bagmati Province.
Which province has the smallest population?
- A) Karnali ✔
- B) Sudurpashchim
- C) Gandaki
- D) Koshi
Why: Karnali Province has the smallest population and also the lowest population density.
How many castes and ethnic groups were recorded?
- A) 125
- B) 126
- C) 142 ✔
- D) 150
Why: Census 2078 recorded 142 castes and ethnic groups, showing Nepal's social diversity.
How many languages were reported as mother tongues?
- A) 123
- B) 124 ✔
- C) 131
- D) 100
Why: 124 languages were reported as mother tongues. Nepali is the most spoken, followed by Maithili and Bhojpuri.
Which is the largest caste or ethnic group?
- A) Brahmin (Hill)
- B) Chhetri ✔
- C) Magar
- D) Tharu
Why: Chhetri is the largest group, about 16.5% of the population, followed by Brahmin (Hill) and Magar.
Which is the second largest mother tongue?
- A) Bhojpuri
- B) Maithili ✔
- C) Tharu
- D) Tamang
Why: Maithili is the second most spoken mother tongue after Nepali, mainly in Madhesh Province.
About what share of the population is Hindu?
- A) 61%
- B) 71%
- C) 81% ✔
- D) 91%
Why: About 81% of people are Hindu, followed by Buddhists (about 8%) and Muslims (about 5%).
Who conducted Census 2078?
- A) National Planning Commission
- B) National Statistics Office ✔
- C) Election Commission
- D) Ministry of Home Affairs
Why: The National Statistics Office (formerly the Central Bureau of Statistics) conducted Census 2078.
Why do females outnumber males in Nepal?
- A) Many men work abroad ✔
- B) More girls are born everywhere
- C) Census errors only
- D) Women live in cities
Why: Females outnumber males mainly because many men are working abroad, so they are counted as absentees, not in the resident population.
About how many Nepalis were recorded as living abroad?
- A) 5 lakh
- B) 21.9 lakh ✔
- C) 50 lakh
- D) 1 crore
Why: About 21.9 lakh (2.19 million) Nepalis were recorded as absentees living abroad, most of them men of working age.
World Population Day is observed on:
- A) 11 July ✔
- B) 5 June
- C) 1 December
- D) 8 September
Why: World Population Day is observed on 11 July each year, started by the UN in 1989 to raise awareness of population issues.
The first census of Nepal was held in:
- A) 1968 BS ✔
- B) 2007 BS
- C) 1990 BS
- D) 2028 BS
Why: The first census was in 1968 BS (1911 AD), during Chandra Shumsher's rule, mainly to count people for administrative purposes.
Census 2078 is Nepal's:
- A) 12th census ✔
- B) 10th
- C) 11th
- D) 13th
Why: Census 2078 is the twelfth census. The previous one was Census 2068 BS (2011 AD).
Census in Nepal is held every:
- A) 10 years ✔
- B) 5 years
- C) 15 years
- D) 20 years
Why: Nepal holds its census every 10 years (decennial census), so the next is due around 2088 BS.
Census 2078 was conducted by the:
- A) National Statistics Office (CBS) ✔
- B) NPC
- C) Election Commission
- D) Home Ministry
Why: Census 2078 was conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics, which has since been renamed the National Statistics Office.
Sex ratio means number of males per:
- A) 100 females ✔
- B) 1,000 females
- C) 100 people
- D) 10 females
Why: Sex ratio is the number of males per 100 females. Nepal's ratio of 95.59 means about 96 males for every 100 females.
A sex ratio below 100 means:
- A) More females than males ✔
- B) More males
- C) Equal
- D) No data
Why: A sex ratio below 100 means there are more females than males. Nepal's 95.59 reflects male labour migration.
Kathmandu is the most populous district; the least populous is:
- A) Manang ✔
- B) Mustang
- C) Dolpa
- D) Rasuwa
Why: Kathmandu is the most populous district and Manang the least populous, showing the big gap between urban and remote mountain areas.
Which province has the smallest population?
- A) Karnali ✔
- B) Gandaki
- C) Sudurpashchim
- D) Koshi
Why: Karnali, a mostly mountainous and hilly province, has the smallest population among the seven provinces.
Population density in Census 2078 is about:
- A) 198 per sq km ✔
- B) 98 per sq km
- C) 500 per sq km
- D) 1,000 per sq km
Why: Density is about 198 persons per sq km, but it varies hugely, from very high in Kathmandu to very low in mountain districts.
The annual growth rate in Census 2078 is about:
- A) 0.92% ✔
- B) 2.25%
- C) 1.35%
- D) 3%
Why: The growth rate of 0.92% per year is lower than the 1.35% of Census 2068, showing a slowing population growth.
Annual growth rate in Census 2068 was about:
- A) 1.35% ✔
- B) 0.92%
- C) 2.25%
- D) 2.6%
Why: Census 2068 recorded an annual growth rate of about 1.35%, higher than the 0.92% of Census 2078.
Nepal's total population in Census 2068 was about:
- A) 2.65 crore ✔
- B) 2.91 crore
- C) 2.31 crore
- D) 3 crore
Why: Census 2068 counted about 2.65 crore (26.5 million) people. By Census 2078 this rose to about 2.92 crore.
The total population in Census 2078 is about:
- A) 2.92 crore ✔
- B) 2.65 crore
- C) 3.5 crore
- D) 2.31 crore
Why: The total population in Census 2078 is about 2.92 crore (29.16 million).
Which group is the largest caste/ethnic group?
- A) Chhetri ✔
- B) Brahmin-Hill
- C) Magar
- D) Tharu
Why: Chhetri is the largest group at about 16.5%, as in earlier censuses.
The literacy rate (5 years and above) in Census 2078 is about:
- A) 76% ✔
- B) 66%
- C) 56%
- D) 86%
Why: Literacy for people aged 5 and above is about 76%, a big rise from earlier censuses, though women still lag behind men.
Male literacy is higher than female literacy:
- A) True ✔
- B) False
- C) Equal
- D) Not measured
Why: True: male literacy is higher than female literacy, showing a gender gap in education that policies aim to close.
Low population growth is mainly due to:
- A) Falling fertility and out-migration ✔
- B) High birth rate
- C) War
- D) Floods
Why: Population growth is low mainly because women are having fewer children and many young people have migrated abroad.
Which ecological region has the largest population share?
- A) Terai ✔
- B) Hill
- C) Mountain
- D) Equal
Why: The Terai has more than half of Nepal's population, because of flat land, farming and easier transport.
Which ecological region has the smallest population share?
- A) Mountain ✔
- B) Hill
- C) Terai
- D) Inner Terai
Why: The Mountain region has only about 6% of the population, because of harsh climate, steep land and limited services.
World Population Day is on:
- A) 11 July ✔
- B) 5 June
- C) 1 December
- D) 8 March
Why: World Population Day is on 11 July. Remember: World Population Day 11 July; World Health Day 7 April.
Absentee population means people:
- A) Living abroad at census time ✔
- B) Not counted
- C) Dead
- D) Children
Why: Absentee population means Nepalis who were living abroad at the time of the census. They are counted separately from residents.
Population density is calculated as:
- A) Population ÷ area ✔
- B) Area ÷ population
- C) Births ÷ deaths
- D) Population × area
Why: Population density = total population ÷ total area, usually given as persons per square kilometre.
A population pyramid shows:
- A) Age and sex structure ✔
- B) Rainfall
- C) GDP
- D) Literacy only
Why: A population pyramid is a bar chart showing the age and sex structure: males on one side, females on the other, by age group.
Dependency ratio compares dependents with:
- A) Working-age population ✔
- B) Total land
- C) GDP
- D) Literates
Why: The dependency ratio compares dependents (children under 15 and people aged 65+) with the working-age population (15 to 64).
Demographic dividend refers to benefits from a large:
- A) Working-age population ✔
- B) Elderly population
- C) Child population
- D) Foreign population
Why: A demographic dividend is the economic boost a country can get when its working-age population is large compared with dependents.
If a district has 1,000 females and 950 males, its sex ratio is:
- A) 95 ✔
- B) 105
- C) 50
- D) 195
Why: Sex ratio = (males ÷ females) × 100 = (950 ÷ 1,000) × 100 = 95.
The second largest religion in Nepal is:
- A) Buddhism ✔
- B) Islam
- C) Kirat
- D) Christianity
Why: Buddhism is the second largest religion in Nepal, followed by about 8% of the population, after Hinduism.
Which province is the most populous per Census 2078?
- A) Madhesh ✔
- B) Bagmati
- C) Koshi
- D) Lumbini
Why: Madhesh Province is the most populous, only slightly ahead of Bagmati Province.
The least populous province by density is:
- A) Karnali ✔
- B) Madhesh
- C) Bagmati
- D) Koshi
Why: Karnali has the lowest population density, because of its large area and small population.
Highest population density district is:
- A) Kathmandu ✔
- B) Bhaktapur
- C) Lalitpur
- D) Jhapa
Why: Kathmandu has the highest population density of any district, because many people move there for work, study and services.