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ཤར་པ། shar pa | |
|---|---|
 Young Sherpas in traditional attire at West Bengal Sherpa Cultural Board | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Nepal | 120,000[1] |
 India | 65,000 (above)[2] |
 Bhutan | 10,700 |
 United States | 16,800 |
 China | 2,000[citation needed] |
| Languages | |
| Sherpa, Tibetan, Nepali | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly Buddhism (93,83%)[3] and significant minority: Hinduism (6,26%),[3] Bön, Christianity[3] | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Tibetans, Tamang, Hyolmo, Jirels, Rai and other Tibeto-Burman groups | |
The Sherpa people (Standard Tibetan: ཤར་པ།, romanized: shar pa) are one of the Tibetan ethnic groups native to the most mountainous regions of Nepal and Tibetan Autonomous Region of China.
The majority of Sherpas live in the eastern regions of Nepal, namely in Solukhumba, Khatra, Kama, Rolwaling, Barun and Pharak valleys;[4] though some live farther West in the Bigu and in the Helambu region north of Kathmandu, Nepal. Sherpas establish gompas where they practice their religious traditions. Tengboche was the first celibate monastery in Solu-Khumbu. Sherpa people also live in Tingri County, Bhutan, and the Indian states of Sikkim and the northern portion of West Bengal, specifically the district of Darjeeling.
The Sherpa language belongs to the southern branch of the Tibeto-Burman languages, mixed with Eastern Tibetan (Khams Tibetan) and central Tibetan dialects. However, this language is separate from Lhasa Tibetan and unintelligible to Lhasa speakers.[5]
The number of Sherpas migrating to Western countries has significantly increased in recent years, especially to the United States. New York City has the largest Sherpa community in the United States, with a population of approximately 16,000. The 2011 Nepal census recorded 512,946 Sherpas within its borders. Members of the Sherpa population are known for their skills in mountaineering as a livelihood.
- ^ POPULATION MONOGRAPH OF NEPAL VOLUME II (Social Demography). Government of Nepal, Central Bureau of Statistics. 2014. pp. 10–156. ISBN 978-9937-2-8972-6. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^ "Rai-Peoplegrouporg".
- ^ a b c Population monograph of Nepal (PDF). Vol. II (Social Demography). Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission Secretariat, Central Bureau of Statistics. 2014. ISBN 978-9937-2-8972-6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ "People of Nepal | Plan Your Trip". ntb.gov.np. Retrieved 13 March 2023.[better source needed]
- ^ "Journée d'étude : Déserts. Y a-t-il des corrélations entre l'écosystème et le changement linguistique ?". Lacito.vjf.cnrs.fr. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2012.