Map of Nepal | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: In 1951 the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: 2,926 km total; China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline: none - landlocked

Maritime claims: none - landlocked

Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winter in south

Terrain: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation

Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydroelectric potential, scenic beauty; small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: 17% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 13% meadows and pastures; 33% forest and woodland; 37% other; includes 2% irrigated

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India


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Population: 18,699,884 (July 1989), growth rate 2.4% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Nepalese (sing. and pl.; adjective - Nepalese

Ethnic groups: Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas, as well as many smaller groups

Languages: Nepali (official; 20 languages divided into numerous dialects

Religions: only official Hindu state in world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu (about 88% of population) and Buddhist groups; small groups of Muslims and Christians

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 40 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 15 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 101 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 50 years male, 49 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 20%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal

Government type: nominally a constitutional monarchy; King Birendra exercises autocratic control over multitiered system of government

Capital: Kathmandu

Administrative divisions: 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural; Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Dependent areas

Independence: 1768, unified by Prithyi Narayan Shah

National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)

Constitution: 16 December 1962

Legal system: based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal over age 21

Executive branch: Chief of State - King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (since 31 January 1972, crowned King 24 February 1985; Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, son of the King (born 21 June 1971; Head of Government - Prime Minister Marich Man Singh SHRESTHA (since 15 July 1986)

Legislative branch: Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UN Security Council 1988-89, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Mohan Man SAINJU; Chancery at 2,131 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 667-4,550; there is a Nepalese Consulate General in New York; US - Ambassador Milton FRANK; Embassy at Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu; telephone Õ977å 411,179 or 412,718, 411,601

Flag description: 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with a per capita income of only $170. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 90% of the population, and accounting for 60% of GDP and about 75% of exports. Industrial activity is limited, and what there is involves the processing of agricultural produce (jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain). Apart from agricultural land and forests, the only other exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism. Despite considerable investment in the agricultural sector, production in the 1980s has not kept pace with the population growth of 2.7%, which has led to a reduction in exportable surpluses and balance-of-payments difficulties.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, oilseeds; an illegal producer of cannabis for the international drug trade

Industries: small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette, textiles, cement, brick; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 10.4% (FY88 est.)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 5%; underemployment estimated at 25-40% (1987)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $388 million; expenditures $813 million, including capital expenditures of $553 million (FY89)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 16 July-15 July

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $139 million (f.o.b., FY87), but does not include unrecorded border trade with India
Commodities: clothing, carpets, leather goods, grain
Partners: India 43%, US 26%, UK 10%, other Europe 17%

Imports: $507 million (c.i.f., FY87)
Commodities: petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10%
Partners: India 40%, Europe 13%, Japan 13%, US 2%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1.1 billion (December 1988)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1 - 25.250 (January 1989), 23.289 (1988), 21.819 (1987), 21.230 (1986), 18.246 (1985)


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Electricity
Capacity: 203,000 kW capacity; 530 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $39 million, 15.2% of central government budget (FY89)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 38 total, 38 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs