People Group Profiles

“All nations will come and worship before you."

- Revelations 15:4

Nepali, Bhutanese of North America


People Group Info

Total Population: 53,400

ROP3 Code: 114441
IMB Affinity Group: South Asian Peoples
Affinity Bloc: Tibetan / Himalayan Peoples
People Cluster: South Himalaya
Language: Nepali (individual language) - (npi)
Religion: Hinduism
Country of Origin: Bhutan

Photo courtesy of PeopleGroups.info.

Majority Located Where

  Cincinnati-Middletown, OH - 18,780

  Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA - 13,000

  Sioux Falls, SD - 5,000

  Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX - 3,500

  Toronto (Mississauga, Brampton), ON - 3,300

Click here to recommend other locations where this People Group resides.

Learn More

Brief Profile

The Nepali Bhutanese migrated to North America as refugees. They are Lhotshampas ("southerners"), a group of Nepali language-speaking Bhutanese people.

During the 1990s thousands of Lhotshampa settled in the refugee camps that were set up by the UNHCR in Nepal. Camp conditions were initially rife with malnutrition and disease including measles, scurvy, tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, and beriberi, although camp conditions improved markedly between 1995 and 2005. Beginning in 2007 they began being resettled in North America.

Resettlement has provided the opportunity of starting a new life for them. However, the challenges that they are facing in the labour market are a big hurdle in establishing themselves in their new North America homeland.

The majority of them are Hindus with a minority being Buddhists.

Prayer Points

  • Pray that Christians will be aware of the existence of this people group in North America.
  • Pray that this people group will come in contact with evangelical Christians who will reveal Christ to them both in deed and word.
  • Pray for church planting efforts among this people in North America.


People Group Resources

Hindu Gospel Storying Set
Back translation of the Bible studies developed for those with a Hindi-speaking and Hindu worldview.


Learning Resources

Learn more about "Learning Paths"
Online Courses for embracing, encountering and engaging diaspora people. Work at your own pace. Begin anytime and complete the course according to your schedule. Interactive, Hands-On Application.

Learn more about "Reaching the Nations"
This book delineates five disciplines Christians should develop in order to effectively reach the nations. More specifically, it will guide Christians to develop an engagement strategy in their locale.

World Religions - Beliefs Overview
An overview of major world religions and cults - their beliefs and practices.

Hinduism Beliefs
A belief bulletin by North American Mission Board on Hinduism.


Other Resources

Foundations for Teaching the Bible
Scripture lessons to help new believers from Hindu backgrounds examine their worldview.

Know God in 98 Languages
A CRU resource with 9 different witnessing models (e.g. 4 Spiritual Laws, etc.) in 98 languages.

Prayer Guide for Unreached Peoples
A 30 day guide to pray for unreached people groups.

Online Talking Bible - Nepali
The purpose of Talking Bibles is to give non-readers and the blind access to the Bible in their native language.

Prayer Guide using the GOSPELS acronym
A prayer guide that utilizes the acronym GOSPELS to pray for workers among diaspora.

Displaying 1-15 of 15 results.
Country City Metro Area Name State / Prov. Baseline Population
United StatesKansas CityKansas CityKS950
United StatesSan AntonioSan Antonio-New BraunfelsTX2,000
United StatesKCMOKansas CityMO120
United StatesAtlantaAtlanta-Sandy Springs-RoswellGA6,000
United StatesCincinnatCincinnati-MiddletownOH3,500
United StatesCincinnatiCincinnati-MiddletownOH280
United StatesSIOUX FALLSSioux FallsSD5,000
United StatesAustinAustin-Round RockTX1,500
United StatesHoustonHouston-The Woodlands-Sugar LandTX3,500
United StatesGreensboroGreensboro-High PointNC400
United StatesDekalb County Atlanta-Sandy Springs-RoswellGA7,000
United StatesCincinnatiCincinnati-MiddletownOH15,000
CanadaTorontoToronto (Mississauga, Brampton)ON3,300
CanadaCalgaryCalgaryAB255
CanadaVancouverVancouver (Surrey)BC162