Rai Community
By the numbers

Rai Community Statistics

Population, languages, geography, and cultural metrics for the Rai (Kirat) people. All data sourced from the Nepal Census 2021, Ethnologue, and community records.

Population & Demographics

640,000+
Rai Population (Nepal)
2.2% of Nepal's total population (2021 Census)
Source: Nepal Census 2021
360,000+
Global Rai Diaspora
India, Bhutan, Malaysia, Singapore, UK, USA, Australia
1,000,000+
Total Rai Worldwide
Estimated total Rai population globally
5th
Rank in Nepal
Largest indigenous group (Janajati) in Nepal

Languages

32+
Distinct Languages
Tibeto-Burman family (except Indo-Aryan Dewas Rai)
Bantawa & Sunuwar
Most Spoken Rai
Each with ~85,000 speakers
14
Endangered Languages
With 5,000 or fewer speakers each
Devanagari
Primary Script
Used for most written Rai languages

Culture & Religion

14
Major Subgroups
Khambu, Bantawa, Chamling, Thulung, Kulung, etc.
3.17%
Kirat Mundhum
Of Nepal's population practices Kiratism
2
Sakela Celebrations
Udhauli (Nov) and Ubhauli (Mar/Apr) annually
1,100+ yrs
Kirat Dynasty
Years of rule in Kathmandu Valley (800 BCE–300 CE)

Geographic Distribution

6
Primary Districts
Khotang, Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Udayapur, Okhaldhunga, Solukhumbu
3+
Indian States
Sikkim, Darjeeling (West Bengal), Assam
15+
Diaspora Countries
Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, UK, USA, Australia, Japan
Majh Kirat
Traditional Regions
Central and Eastern hills of Nepal

Rai-Inhabited Regions of Nepal

The Rai people primarily inhabit the eastern hills, concentrated in six core districts known as Majh Kirat (Central Kirat).

Majh Kirat (Central)

  • Khotang
  • Bhojpur
  • Dhankuta
  • Udayapur
  • Okhaldhunga
  • Solukhumbu

Pallo Kirat (Western)

  • Ramechhap
  • Sindhuli
  • Kavrepalanchok
  • Sindhupalchok

Wallo Kirat (Eastern)

  • Taplejung
  • Panchthar
  • Ilam
  • Terhathum
  • Sankhuwasabha

Significant Rai populations also inhabit Sikkim, Darjeeling (West Bengal), Assam in India, and southern Bhutan.

Data Sources

  • Nepal Census 2021 — Central Bureau of Statistics, Government of Nepal
  • Ethnologue — SIL International (language data)
  • Kirat Rai Yayokkha — Community organization records
  • Academic Research — Linguistic Survey of Nepal, Kiranti language studies

Explore more

Dive deeper into Rai culture, languages, history, and notable people.

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