Limbu people

Limbu, Yakthung, Sikkimese, Shong
Total population
(463,100)
Regions with significant populations
Nepal	387,300
India	173,000
Languages
Limbu (IPA: [yɑkthuŋ pɑ:n]), Nepali, Hindi, Tibetean, Burmese, Dzongkha
Religion
Mundhum, Shamanism,

The Limbu (exonym) or Yakthung (endonym) (IPA: [yɑkthuŋ]) tribes and clans are a Kirati people of Tibetan origin indigenous to the hill and mountainous regions of East Nepal between the Arun and Mechi rivers to as far as South Tibet, Burma, Bhutan and Indian states of West Bengal (particularly Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri districts), Sikkim, Assam and Nagaland.

The name Limbu is an exonym of an uncertain origin. They call themselves Yakthumba (IPA: [yakthuŋbɑ]. In Standard Tibetan, they are referred to as "Sikkimese people" (Tibetan: འབྲས་ལྗོངས་པ, Wylie: 'bras ljongs pa) and in Sikkimese as Shong or Tsong "Tsang people". Their estimated population of 700,000 is mainly centered in the districts of Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum, Dhankuta, Taplejung, Morang, Sunsari, Jhapa, Panchthar, Ilam District, Kathmandu District, Lalitpur District, Bhaktapur District' in Nepal, These are all within the Mechi and Kosi Zones or "Limbuwan".