It is commonly asserted that Nepal is a country of minorities because it is
home to 125 different caste/ethnic groups who speak 123 recognized languages,
follow 10 different religions and live in three distinct ecological
zones (CBS, 2012). Geographically, the population is distributed into two
near equal groups of those living in the southern Tarai plains and those
living in the hills and mountains, but there is no majority group in terms
of caste/ethnicity or language. Hindus, however, form a majority at 81 per
cent of the population although there are great internal variations in terms
of caste/ethnicity and language among those who profess Hinduism.