Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Nepal
Nepal: Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods was 42.7% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Nepal, 1976–2022
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
The most recent figure for contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Nepal is 42.7%, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Nepal peaked at 47.1% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 1976.
That places Nepal 66th out of 113 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 2.4% | — |
| 1981 | 6.8% | +183.3% |
| 1986 | 15.1% | +122.1% |
| 1992 | 24.1% | +59.6% |
| 1996 | 26.0% | +7.9% |
| 2000 | 37.1% | +42.7% |
| 2001 | 35.4% | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 37.9% | +7.1% |
| 2006 | 44.2% | +16.6% |
| 2011 | 43.2% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 47.1% | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 42.8% | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 44.2% | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 42.7% | -3.4% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 42.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 45.1%, 95% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 42.7% is below the median for South Asia, which is 53.6%, 80% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Nepal changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +183.3% | 2.4% | 6.8% |
| 1986 | +122.1% | 6.8% | 15.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1980s | 10.9% | 6.8% | 15.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 25.1% | 24.1% | 26.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 38.7% | 35.4% | 44.2% | 4 |
| 2010s | 44.3% | 42.8% | 47.1% | 4 |
| 2020s | 42.7% | 42.7% | 42.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More reference data data for Nepal
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7753 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7853 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.7974 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.28 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Nepal?
- Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Nepal was 42.7% in 2022, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 47.1% in 2014.
- What is the lowest contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 1976.
- How does Nepal rank for contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods?
- Nepal ranks 66th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated share of women using contraceptive methods, among those aged 15–49 and married or in union. This is compared between modern methods and any method (modern or traditional).