The Hindu Kush Himalayan region extends over roughly 3500 km covering eight countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, China, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Projections show that by 2050, more than 50% of the population in Hindu Kush countries will live in cities . The region is home to 10 major river basins that feed south and south-east Asia. In 2017, the total population in the 10 major river basins with their headwaters in the region was around 1.9 billion, including 240 million in the mountain and hills of the Hindu Kush . The region is characterised by unique mountain topography, climate, hydrology and hydrogeology. Each one of these factors plays an important role in determining the availability of water for people living in the Himalayas . The total landmass that can support physical infrastructure for towns to develop is much less in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region as compared with the plains. Due to this physical constraint, the process of urbanisation is slow in the region. Only 3% of the total population in the region live in larger cities and 8% in smaller towns . However, there has been an increase in urbanisation, largely due to regional imbalances in providing economic opportunities for the poor. People from rural areas are flocking to the nearest urban centres in search of employment and other economic opportunities . As a result, the share of urban population is increasing in the region, while that of the rural population is declining.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report