Rural-urban out-migration in Nepal: characteristics, determinants and implications for development
Date: March 19, 2026
Time: 10:10 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: Union Square 4, 4th Floor, Hilton Union Square
City: San Francisco, CA
Session: Migration and Diaspora Outside the US II
Title: Rural-urban Out-migration in Nepal: Characteristics, Determinants and Implications for Development
Abstract:
Rural-urban migration and the receipt of remittances has been an integral part of the process of socio-economic development for two centuries.
In recent decades, developing countries have come to depend increasingly on international migration and remittances for development.
Nepal is one of the world’s poorest countries, and especially dependent on remittances.
In 2023 UNC and collaborators in Nepal collected detailed data from stratified probability samples of 500 households
in each of two rural districts (differing in hydrology and location relative to main urban areas) in the middle hills region–Salyan and Pyuthan.
Complete data were collected on 872 households (55% with one or more long-term migrants) on the characteristics of not only the out-migrants
at the time of leaving but also of their households, as well as agricultural and forest land and use, off-farm employment, raising animals,
sources of water, crop raiding and plot abandonment and changes over time, household involvement in CFUGs (Community Forest User Groups), topography and elevation, and remittances.
In addition, data were collected from CFUGs, providing data for taking into account contextual factors of households,
including location and road access, community infrastructure, and social involvement.
We propose to first complete a descriptive analysis of apparent links between individual and household attributes
and migration with (74%) and without receipt of remittances, followed by a multi-level statistical analysis.
Migrants are overwhelmingly male, and move to international (India, Gulf States, mostly) and internal urban destinations.
We will examine in depth effects on migration of attributes of migrants, households and communities.
Author: Qi Zhang
Updated: January 28, 2026
