Statistical information Nepal 1993

Nepal in the World
Nepal - Introduction 1993
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: South Asia, in the Himalayas, between China and India
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Asia, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 140,800 km²
Land: 136,800 km²
Land boundaries: total 2,926 km, China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Terrain: Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
ElevationNatural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydroelectric potential, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Land usePermanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 13%
Forest and woodland: 33%
Other: 37%
Irrigated land: 9,430 km² (1989)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 20,535,466 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.43% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Nepalese
Ethnic groups:
Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs,
Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas
Languages: Nepali (official), 20 languages divided into numerous dialects
Religions: Hindu 90%, Buddhist 5%, Muslim 3%, other 2% (1981)
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.43% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 37.99 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 13.66 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Current issues note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 85.8 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 51.98 years
Male: 51.84 years
Female: 52.12 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.33 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 26%
Female: 13%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
Conventional short form: Nepal
Government type: parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991
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 areasIndependence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
National holidayBirthday of His Majesty the King 28 December 1945 ruling party: Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Party president Krishna Prasad
BHATTARAI Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA Ganesh Man SINGH center:the NDP has two factions: National Democratic Party/Chand (NDP/Chand), Lokendra Bahadur CHAND; and National Democratic Party/Thapa (NDP/Thapa), Surya Bahadur THAPA; Terai Rights Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party,
Gayendra Narayan SINGH
Communist:Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist and Leninist (CPN/UML),
Man Mohan ADIKHARY; United People's Front (UPF), N. K. PRASAI, Lila Mani
POKHAREL; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, leader NA; Rohit Party, N. M.
BIJUKCHHE; Democratic Party, leader NA
the two factions of the NDP announced a merger in late 1991
Constitution: 9 November 1990
Legal system: based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or National Council and a lower house or House of Representatives
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNPROFOR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Yog Prasad UPADHYAYA
In the us chancery: 2,131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 667-4,550
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Julia Chang BLOCH
From the us embassy: Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: 977 (1) 411,179 or 412,718, 411,604, 411,613, 413,890
From the us fax: 977 (1) 419,963
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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 90% of the population and accounting for 60% of GDP. Industrial activity is limited, mainly involving the processing of agricultural produce (jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain). Production of textiles and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for 85% of foreign exchange earnings in FY91. by about 5%, as compared with annual population growth of 2.6%. More than 40% of the population is undernourished partly because of poor distribution. The top 10% of the population receives 47% of total income, the bottom 20% less than 5% of the total. Since May 1991, the government has been encouraging trade and foreign investment, e.g., by eliminating business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify domestic and foreign investment. The government also has been cutting public expenditures by reducing subsides, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. Prospects for foreign trade and investment in the 1990s remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, and its remoteness.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 3.1% (FY92)
Real gdp per capita: $170 (FY92)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 60% of GDP and 90% of work force; farm products - rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, buffalo meat; not self-sufficient in food, particularly in drought years
Industries: small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette, textile, carpet, cement, and brick production; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 6% (FY91 est.), accounts for 7% of GDP
Labor force: 8.5 million (1991 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 93%
By occupation services: 5%
By occupation industry: 2% (severe lack of skilled labor)
Unemployment rate: 5% (1987; underemployment estimated at 25-40%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $308.0 million; expenditures $672.0 million, including capital expenditures of $396 million (FY92 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 16 July - 15 July
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $313 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.) but does not include unrecorded border trade with India
Commodoties: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
Partners: US, Germany, India, UK
Imports: $751 million (c.i.f., FY92 est.)
Commodoties: petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10%
Partners: India, Singapore, Japan, Germany
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1 - 43.200 (January 1993), 42.742 (1992), 37.255 (1991), 29.370 (1990), 27.189 (1989), 23.289 (1988)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 300,000 kW capacity; 1,000 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaNepal - Communication 1993
top of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $34 million, 2% of GDP (FY91/92)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsNepal - Transportation 1993
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 37
Usable: 37
With permanentsurface runways: 5
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 8
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalsNepal - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; probable transit point for heroin from Southeast
Asia to the West