Statistical information Nepal 1996

Nepal in the World
Nepal - Introduction 1996
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: Southern Asia, between
China and
IndiaGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 140,800 km²
Land: 136,800 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas
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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Everest 8,848 m
Natural resources:
Quartz
Water
Timber
Hydroelectric potential
Scenic beauty
Small deposits of lignite
Copper
Cobalt
Iron ore
Land useArable land: 17%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 13%
Forests and woodland: 33%
Other: 37%
Irrigated land: 9,430 km² (1989)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation:
22,094,033 (July 1996 est.)
21,560,869 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate:2.45% (1996 est.)
2.44% (1995 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:
Note: Only official Hindu state in world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu and Buddhist groups
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years:42% (male 4,776,245; female 4,563,000) (July 1996 est.)
43% (male 4,692,575; female 4,479,950) (July 1995 est.)
15-64 years:55% (male 6,172,821; female 5,945,626) (July 1996 est.)
55% (male 5,994,147; female 5,778,107) (July 1995 est.)
65 years and over:3% (male 320,350; female 315,991) (July 1996 est.)
2% (male 310,588; female 305,502) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate:
2.45% (1996 est.)
2.44% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
37 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
37.31 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
12.56 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
12.9 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: the almost total dependence on wood for fuel and cutting down trees to expand agricultural land without replanting has resulted in widespread deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution (use of contaminated water presents human health risks)
Current issues Natural hazards: severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
International agreements: party to_
Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified_Desertification,
Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
International agreements note: Landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
All ages:1.04 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:79 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
81.2 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateLife expectancy at birthTotal population: 53.63 years (1996 est.); 53.09 years (1995 est.)
Male: 53.35 years (1996 est.); 52.86 years (1995 est.)
Female: 53.93 years (1996 est.); 53.34 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.06 children born/woman (1996 est.)
5.15 children born/woman (1995 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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 27.5%
Male: 40.9%
Female: 14%
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:
KathmanduAdministrative 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 holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)
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 branchChief of state: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (succeeded to the throne 31 January 1972 following the death of his father King MAHENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, crowned king 24 February 1975) is a constitutional monarch; Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram
Head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA (since 12 September 1995); note_in 1994, the king appointed Man Mohan ADHIKARI to be prime minister using the standard criterion_he was the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives following the last election; however, in September 1995, a parliamentary coalition of the Nepali Congress Party, the Rastriya Prajantra Party, the Nepal Sadbhavana Party, and independents voted against Prime Minister ADHIKARI; Sher Bahadur DEUBA, the leader of the Nepali Congress Party, then formed the new government and was appointed the new prime minister by the king
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the king on recommendation of the prime minister
Legislative branch: Bicameral Parliament National Council:Consists of a 60-member body, 50 appointed by House of Representatives and 10 by the King House of Representatives:Elections last held 15 November 1994 (next to be held NA; results_NCP 33%, CPN/UML 31%, NDP 18%, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 3%, NWPP 1%; seats_(205 total) CPN/UML 88, NCP 83, NDP 20, NWPP 4, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 3, independents 7
Note: the new Constitution of 9 November 1990 gave Nepal a multiparty democracy system for the first time in 32 years
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIH, UNPROFOR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representationFlag 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 80% of the population and accounting for about one-half 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 FY93/94. Apart from agricultural land and forests, exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism. Agricultural production in the late 1980s grew by about 5%, as compared with annual population growth of 2.6%. More than 40% of the population is undernourished. Since May 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by eliminating business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify investment procedures. The government has also been cutting public expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. (In 1995 little progress was made in these areas because the communist government had trouble formulating and implementing policies.) The new coalition government is planning to pick up the pace of reforms in 1996, focusing primarily on raising revenues to develop the rural sector by increasing taxation and privatization. Prospects for foreign trade and investment, particularly in areas other than power development and tourism, will continue to remain poor because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community provides funding for 62% of Nepal's developmental budget and for 34% of total budgetary expenditures.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate:
2.3% (1995 est.)
5% (1994 est.)
Real gdp per capita:
purchasing power parity_ $1,200 (1995 est.)
$1,060 (1994 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture 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:14.7% (FY94/95 est.)
Labor force: 8.5 million (1991 est.)
By occupation Agriculture: 93%
By occupation Services: 5%
By occupation Industry: 2%
By occupation note: Severe lack of skilled labor
Unemployment rate: NA; note_there is substantial underemployment (1995)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $645 million (FY94/95 est.); $455 million (FY93/94 est.)
Expenditures: $1.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.); $854 million, including capital expenditures of $427 million (FY93/94 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:
total value. $430 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) but does not include unrecorded border trade with India
$593 million (f.o.b., 1993) but does not include unrecorded border trade with India
Commodities:Carpets
Clothing
Leather goods
Jute goods
Grain
Partners:ImportsTotal value:$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
$899 million (c.i.f., 1993)
Commodities:Petroleum products 20%
Fertilizer 11%
Machinery 10%
Partners:Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external:
$2.3 billion (FY94/95 est.)
$2 billion (1993 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange ratestop of pageElectricityCapacity: 280,000 kW
Production: 920 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 41 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaNepal - Communication 1996
top of pageTelephonesTelephone system: 82,774 telephones (1995 est.); poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radio communication service
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: international radio communication service is fair; 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $36 million, 1.2% of GDP (FY92/93)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsNepal - Transportation 1996
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 43
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10 (1995 est.)
With paved runways under 914 m: 27
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalsNepal - Transnational issues 1996
top of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: Illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for heroin from Southeast Asia to the West