 | ||
Nepalese in the United Kingdom (also British Nepalese, Nepalese British, British Nepali) are British citizens or full-time residents of the United Kingdom whose ethnic origins lie fully or partially in Nepal.
Contents
History
From the first quarter of the 19th century, Gurkhas from Nepal had served in the British Army, and Gurkha soldiers' families lived in the UK. The Nepalese people living in the UK belong to different caste and have different languages.
In 1965, the first settlement of London's Nepalese community was made at 145 Whitfield Street in Camden. A commemorative plaque now stands on the site.
Demographics
According to the 2001 UK Census, 5,943 Nepali-born people were residing in the UK. Office for National Statistics estimates suggest that 42,000 Nepali-born people were resident in the UK in 2010. The president of the Himalayan Yeti Nepalese Association estimates that 50,000 Nepalese live in the UK.
According to the 2011 census, there were 50,881 Nepal-born people living in the UK, an increase of 44,938 in ten years. Of the 49,464 Nepalese in England and Wales, 27,424 were Buddhist, 13,022 were Hindu, 1,897 were Christian, 880 were Atheist, 240 were Muslim, 43 were Sikh and 23 were Jewish, whereas 5,880 did not state a religion. The cities with the most Nepalese-born are London (19,051), Rushmoor (4,794), Reading (2,166), Shepway (1,889), Ashford (1,344), Maidstone (1,068), Swindon (1,033), Bracknell (904), Basingstoke and Deane (801) and Richmondshire (748).
Employment
There are between 3,000 and 3,500 Nepalese Gurkha soldiers who are enlisted in the UK armed forces. According to the 2001 UK census, 34.8 per cent of Nepalese-born people in London were working in hotels or restaurants, 15.7 per cent in real estate and renting, 15.3 per cent in wholesale and retail, 9.6 per cent in health and social care.