Trend of urban growth in Nepal with a focus in Kathmandu Valley: A review of processes and drivers of change

Nepal, one of the world's fastest urbanizing countries, has seen its urban population growth rate nearly double from 3.6% in 1991 to 6.5% in 2001, with the number of urban centers surging from 58 in 2013 to 293 in 2017. Kathmandu Valley, serving as the epicenter of this transformation, now hosts an estimated 2.54 million people and is expanding at a rapid 6.5% annually, making it one of South Asia's fastest-growing metropolitan areas. This study reveals that the shift from rural to urban dominance in Nepal is largely driven by governmental administrative decisions merging rural units into municipalities and significant rural-to-urban migration. However, this unplanned urbanization has led to environmental degradation, increased poverty, and heightened vulnerability to multi-hazard risks, particularly for the urban poor. While government initiatives aim to foster inclusive, equitable, and resilient urban development through smart city programs, their implementation faces challenges due to coordination gaps, financial constraints, and constitutional barriers that restrict property regulations, exacerbating disaster risks in urban areas like Kathmandu Valley.

Timsina, N. P., Shrestha, A., Poudel, D. P., & Upadhyaya, R. (2020). Trend of urban growth in Nepal with a focus in Kathmandu Valley: A review of processes and drivers of change. University of Edinburgh. https://doi.org/10.7488/ERA/722