Nepal's Districts Range From India's Level to Above Bhutan's

Cross-gender friendship on Facebook, by country. Nepal ranks second in the region — but that national figure hides a deep internal split: its Tarai districts are near India’s level, while its eastern hills have more cross-gender friendships than Bhutan. The divide within Nepal is nearly as wide as the divide across South Asia.

Cross-Gender Friending Ratio: women's share of men's ~200 closest Facebook friends, relative to women's own (1.0 = equal mixing). Based on users aged 18–65; rural women are under-counted, so real-world divides may be larger. Country figures are national; Bhojpur and Parsa are Nepal's highest- and lowest-scoring districts.
Chart: Tufan NeupaneSource: Cross-Gender Social Ties, Bailey et al. 2025 / HDX Download image