The 1991 census revealed 11,472 Nyenkha speakers in six
gewogs of Bhutan. In 1993, the number of speakers was around 10,000 according to
van Driem. A 2010 study showed about 8700 speakers in 10 gewogs, which had been redrawn several times since 1991. The decline in numbers may be attributed to population shifts as landless families and former
slash-and-burn agriculturalists relocate to areas opened for settlement. In addition to migration and movement, modernization trends have served to limit the practicality of Nyenkha as a fully functional language. Despite the decline in numbers and a shift toward bilingualism, the majority of young people remain fluent in the language. Many speakers of Nyen have extensive contact with other
languages of Bhutan, often through trade. Traditionally, Nyen speakers raised sheep and other livestock for Labi speakers in exchange for cereals from lower altitudes. The communities also traditionally shared
Bonpo orators. ==Vocabulary==