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Updated on November 05,  2004

BHUTANESE REFUGEE POPULATION

Bhutanese refugee population as per the latest report on world's refugee population included in the UNHCR STATISTICAL YEAR BOOK 2002 - Trends in Displacement, Protection and Solutions are as follows: (Pages:  399 and 227)  The UNHCR Statistical Year Book 2002 was released in July 2004.The UNHCR Statistical Year Book 2003 (provisional report) can be found at UNHCR website

Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Nepal 

Main Origin: BHUTAN

1993

85, 334

1994

103, 265

1995

104, 740

1996

106, 801

1997

108, 674

1998

105, 651

1999

107, 571

2000

108, 897

2001

110, 780

2002

112,263

Refugees and Asylum Seekers from  BHUTAN

Main countries of Asylum (Page 227)

Source: UNHCR STATISTICAL YEARBOOK 2002

In the year 2002, there were 112,263 Bhutanese refugees registered with the UNHCR (as per the above report). Approximately, 25,000  Bhutanese refugees were living outside of the UNHCR managed refugee camps in Nepal and  India. Thus, there were a total of approximately 137,263 Bhutanese refugees living in the UNHCR managed camps in Nepal and outside of the refugees camps in Nepal and India in 2002.

Bhutanese refugees are house in the following seven refugee camps under the supervision of the UNHCR

Population of Concern in Nepal - Main locations,

End of 2002. Page 399

The Rising Nepal, Saturday, July 20, 2002

REFUGEES HAVE HIGH BIRTH RATE

RSS____

BHADRAPUR, July 19: The birth rate among the Bhutanese refugee population has been found to be double than that of the local people. About 80,000 Bhutanese including children have taken refuge in Nepal since 10 years ago.  There are 101,283 Bhutanese refugees at Beldangi, Goldhap, Timai and Khudunabari of Jhapa district and Sanischare (Pathari) of Morang district.

A report made public by head of the United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) in Jhapa John Andrew states that 21 per cent of the total refugee population has been born in the camps. Among the total refugee population 44,783 are women, 46,022 men and 10,487 children below the age of five. The Bhutanese seldom use family planning methods as they wish to get maximum relief and facilities.

It is because of the effective implementation of family planning in Jhapa and awareness about this that the birth rate this year has fallen to 1.52 per cent, it is learnt from the district public health office. In the year 2001-02, 1,899 people underwent family planning surgery, among whom were 506 men and 1,393 women. The district public health office provides Rs. 125 to each person undergoing family planning surgery.