KATHMANDU, March 25: Mobile phone access has reached 73.2 percent of the general public in Nepal.

According to the full report of the National Census 2022 made public on Friday, 73.2 percent of the common people in Nepal carry mobile phones.

Among them, mobile phone users include 72.6 percent in Koshi province, 74.8 percent in Madhesh province, 68.2 percent in Bagmati province, 71.1 percent in Gandaki province, 74.6 percent in Lumbini province, 82.2 percent in Karnali province and 79.1 percent in Far West province.

The report said that 73 percent of people living in Nepal use smart mobile phones. In which 74.2 percent in Koshi province, 66.9 percent in Madhesh province, 80 percent in Bagmati province, 77.8 percent in Gandaki province, 75.5 percent in Lumbini province, 58.4 percent in Karnali province and 62.67 percent in Sudurpaschim province have access to smartphones as mentioned in the report of the National Statistics Office (NSO).

Similarly, it has been found that only 4.5 percent of people use landline telephones in Nepal. Out of which only 3.1 percent in Koshi province, 1.6 percent in Madhesh, 10.1 percent in Bagmati, 5.2 percent in Gandaki, 3 percent in Lumbini, 1.9 percent in Karnali and 2.1 percent in Far West have used landline phones.

Similarly, in the census, a total of 14 questions optional questions were asked to collect details of household equipment or facilities, electrical appliances in every family across the country, radio, television, landline phone, mobile phone, smart mobile phone, computer/laptop, internet facility, vehicle (car, jeep van, motorcycle, scooter, bicycle), electric fan.

According to the report, 3.9 percent of families do not have access to any kind of equipment and facilities, while 96.1 percent of families have access to at least one type of equipment and facilities.

Similarly, 34.2 percent of Nepalis listen to the radio, while only 49.4 percent have television facilities at home. According to the report of the National Statistics Office, 15 percent of Nepalis have access to computers and laptops, while 37.8 percent of Nepalis are using the Internet.