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This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


Map of Nepal



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Nepal Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led by Maoist extremists broke out in 1996. The ensuing nine-year civil war between insurgents and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and assumption of absolute power by the king. Several weeks of mass protests in April 2006 were followed by several months of peace negotiations between the Maoists and government officials, and culminated in a November 2006 peace accord and the promulgation of an interim constitution. The newly formed interim parliament declared Nepal a democratic federal republic at its first meeting in May 2008, the king vacated the throne in mid-June 2008, and parliament elected the country's first president the following month.
   Geography    Nepal Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
28 00 N, 84 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Asia
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 147,181 sq km
land: 143,181 sq km
water: 4,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly larger than Arkansas
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 2,926 km
border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
none (landlocked)
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 16.07%
permanent crops: 0.85%
other: 83.08% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
11,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
210.2 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%)
per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the borders with China and India respectively
   People    Nepal Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
29,519,114 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 38% (male 5,792,042/female 5,427,370)
15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,832,488/female 8,345,724)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 542,192/female 579,298) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 20.7 years
male: 20.5 years
female: 20.8 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.095% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
29.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 60.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 63.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 60.94 years
male: 61.12 years
female: 60.75 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.91 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.5% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
61,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,100 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
Definition Field Listing
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis and malaria (2008)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Nepalese
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)
note: only official Hindu state in the world
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)
note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.9% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 8 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.4% of GDP (2003)
   Government    Nepal Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
conventional short form: Nepal
local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal
local short form: Nepal
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
democratic republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Kathmandu
geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E
time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
NA; note - in 2006, Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYANENDRA (7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
9 November 1990; note - a new interim constitution was promulgated in January 2007; the November 2006 peace agreement calls for the election of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new permanent constitution
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (as of 23 July 2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (as of 23 July 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (as of 18 August 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev GAUTAM
cabinet: selected by the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament; term NA; election last held 21 July 2008
election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008; Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers))
note: KOIRALA called the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly on 28 May 2008
elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum 52, Terai Madhesi Democratic Party/Nepal Sadbhawana Party 29, other smaller parties 61; note - 26 seats to be filled by the new Cabinet
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI]; Communist Party of Nepal (ML) [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Unified) [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal (United) [Ganesh SHAH]; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Amrit Kumar BOHARA]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN]; Janamorcha Nepal [Amik SHERCHAN]; Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum [Upendra YADAV]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP); Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Vinod DANGI]; Nepal Rastriya Party [Khushilal YADAV]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi) [Shyam Sundar GUPTA]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress Party or NCP [Girija Prasad KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Bharat Prasad MAHATO]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA] (split from RPP in March 2005); Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party (Mahato) [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch [Kamal CHHARAHANG]; Terai Madhesi Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for individual ethnic groups
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Suresh Chandra CHALISE
chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
consulate(s) general:
New York:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL
embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200
FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
   Economy    Nepal Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for 38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$29.29 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$9.627 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 38%
industry: 20%
services: 42% (FY05/06 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.11 million
note: severe lack of skilled labor (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 76%
industry: 6%
services: 18% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
42% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 40.6% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
47.2 (2004)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $1.153 billion
expenditures: $1.927 billion (FY06/07)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.184 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$4.745 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$5.636 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.2% (FY05/06)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.703 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.276 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
165 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
380 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16,960 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11,530 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$58 million (2007)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$830 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2006)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
India 69.3%, US 8.8%, Germany 4.1% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.398 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
India 58.9%, China 13.6%, Japan 1.6% (2007)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3.07 billion (March 2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$963.5 million (2005)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - NA (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003)
   Communications    Nepal Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
766,400 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.157 million (2006)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.np
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
42,219 (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
337,100 (2007)
   Transportation    Nepal Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
47 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 30 (2007)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 59 km
narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 17,280 km
paved: 9,829 km
unpaved: 7,451 km (2004)
   Military    Nepal Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Nepalese Army, Armed Police Force (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 7,322,965
females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 5,146,958
females age 16-49: 4,724,495 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
male: 335,747
female: 312,297 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.6% of GDP (2006)
   Transnational Issues    Nepal Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
Definition Field Listing
refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China)
IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


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