Map of Nepal | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: 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. A Maoist insurgency launched in 1996 gained traction and threatened to bring down the regime especially after a negotiated cease-fire between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003. In 2001 the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family including the king and queen and then took his own life. In October 2002 the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for 'incompetence' after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament the king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime minister who formed a four-party coalition government. Citing dissatisfaction with the government's lack of progress in addressing the Maoist insurgency and corruption the king in February 2005 dissolved the government declared a state of emergency imprisoned party leaders and assumed power. The king's government subsequently released party leaders and officially ended the state of emergency in May 2005 but the monarch retained absolute power until April 2006. After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by the seven-party opposition and the Maoists the king allowed parliament to reconvene on 28 April 2006. Following the November 2006 peace accord between the government and the Maoists an interim constitution was promulgated and the Maoists were allowed to enter parliament in mid-January 2007. Parliamentary elections orginally planned for June 2007 were postponed to November 2007.


top of page


Location: Southern Asia between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N 84 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 147,181 km²
Land: 143,181 km²
Water: 4,000 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries
Total: 2,926 km
Border countries: (2) 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: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south central hill region rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources: quartz water timber hydropower scenic beauty small deposits of lignite copper cobalt iron ore

Land use
Arable land: 16.07%
Permanent crops: 0.85%
Other: 83.08% (2005)

Irrigated land: 11,700 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: severe thunderstorms flooding landslides drought and famine depending on the timing intensity and duration of the summer monsoons

Geography
Note: 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


top of page


Population: 28,901,790 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 2.132% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: 30.9% (2004)

Nationality
Noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups: 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)

Languages
Note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)

Religions
Note: only official Hindu state in the world

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.3% (male 5,721,720/female 5,360,391)
15-64 years: 57.9% (male 8,597,037/female 8,134,115)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 528,113/female 560,414) (2007 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 20.5 years
Male: 20.3 years
Female: 20.6 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.132% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 30.46 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 9.14 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: 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
International agreements 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.067 male/female
15-64 years: 1.057 male/female
65 years and over: 0.942 male/female
Total population: 1.056 male/female (2007 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 63.66 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 61.87 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 65.54 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 60.56 years
Male: 60.78 years
Female: 60.33 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.01 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 61,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 3,100 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
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

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long and short form: Nepal
Local long and short form: Nepal

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
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: 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 Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

National holiday: in 2006 Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYANENDRA (7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays

Constitution: 9 November 1990; the government began working on an interim constitution in May 2006

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006)
Head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Khadga Prasad OLI (since 2 May 2006) and Amik SHERCHAN since June 2006)
Cabinet: Cabinet historically appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; note - the prime minister selected the Cabinet in May 2006 in consultation with the political parties
Elections: following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition historically has been appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch
Elections: Constituent Assembly elections orginally scheduled for June 2007 were postponed to November 2007
Election results: Interim Parliament seats by party - NC 85, CPN/M 83, CPN/UML 83, NC/D 48, RPP 9, NSP/AD 5, NWPP 4, People's Front Nepal (Amik Sherchan Group) 4, People's Front Nepal (Chitra Bahadur K.C. Group) 3, UFL 3, People's Front Nepal (Chitra Bahadur Ale Group) 2, NSP 1

Judicial branch: 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: Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP); Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP - Mandal [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party - Ananda Devi [Ananda DEVI]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA president] (reunited with splinter Nepali Congress-Democratic in September 2007); People's Front Nepal (Amik Sherchan Group); People's Front Nepal (Chitra Bahadur Ale Group); People's Front Nepal (Chitra Bahadur K.C. Group); Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA] (split from RPP in March 2005); Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal (merged with People's Front Nepal or PFN in 2002); United Leftist Front or UFL [C.P. MAINALI]

International organization participation: AsDB 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 MINUSTAH MONUC NAM ONUB OPCW SAARC SACEP UN UNCTAD UNDOF UNESCO UNIDO UNMEE UNMIL UNMIS UNOCI UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); note - Charge d'Affaires Kali Prasad POKHREL
In the us chancery: 2,131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 667-4,550
In the us fax: [1] (202) 667-5,534
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL
From the us embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [977] (1) 400-7,200
From the us fax: [977] (1) 400-7,272

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


top of page


Economy overview: 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $41.18 billion (2006 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 1.9% (2006 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1500 (2006 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 38%
Industry: 20%
Services: 42% (FY05/06 est.)

Agriculture products: rice corn wheat sugarcane jute root crops; milk water buffalo meat

Industries: tourism carpet textile; small rice jute sugar and oilseed mills; cigarettes cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate: 2.2% (FY05/06)

Labor force
Note: severe lack of skilled labor (2006 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 76%
By occupation industry: 6%
By occupation services: 18% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 42% (2004 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 30.9% (2004)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.6%
Highest 10: 40.6% (2004)

Distribution of family income gini index: 47.2 (2004)

Budget
Revenues: $1.153 billion
Expenditures: $1.927 billion (FY06/07)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 16 July - 15 July

Inflation rate consumer prices: 8.6% (November 2006 est.)

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: $963.5 million (2005)

Current account balance

Exports: $822 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2005 est.)
Commodities: carpets clothing leather goods jute goods grain
Partners: India 67.9% US 11.7% Germany 4.7% (2006)

Imports: $2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Commodities: gold machinery and equipment petroleum products fertilizer
Partners: India 61.8% China 3.8% Indonesia 3.3% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $3.07 billion (March 2006)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 72.446 (2006) 72.16 (2005) 73.674 (2004) 76.141 (2003) 77.877 (2002)


top of page


Electricity
Production: 2.511 billion kWh (2006)
Consumption: 1.96 billion kWh (2006)
Exports: 101 million kWh (2006)
Imports: 266 million kWh (2006)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2005 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 595,800 (2006)
Mobile cellular: 1.042 million (2006)

Telephone system
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)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .np
Hosts: 18,733 (2007)
Users: 249,400 (2006)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 1.6% (2006)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 47 (2007)
With paved runways total: 10
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 37
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 30 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 59 km
Narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)

Roadways
Total: 17,380 km
Paved: 9,886 km
Unpaved: 7,494 km (2004)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: 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
Refugees country of origin: 106,248 (Bhutan), 20,153 (Tibet/China)
Idps: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between government forces and Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2006)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West