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. An insurgency led by Maoist extremists broke out in 1996. The ensuing ten-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. Following a nation-wide election in April 2008 the newly formed Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a federal democratic republic and abolished the monarchy at its first meeting the following month. The Constituent Assembly elected the country's first president in July. The Maoists who received a plurality of votes in the Constituent Assembly election formed a coalition government in August 2008 but resigned in May 2009 after the president overruled a decision to fire the chief of the army staff. The Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist and the Nepali Congress party then formed a new coalition government with several smaller parties. In June 2010 the prime minister resigned but as of December 2010 continued to lead a caretaker government while the parties debate who should lead the next government. Disagreements among the political parties over issues such as the future of former Maoist combatants has hindered the drafting of a new constitution — due in May 2011 — and the formal conclusion of the peace process.

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N 84 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 147,181 km²
Rank: 93
Land: 143,351 km²
Water: 3,830 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries
Total: 2,926 km
Border countries: (2) China 1236 km; India 1690 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)

Total renewable water resources: 210.2 km³ (1999)

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

Population: 28,951,852 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 42
Growth rate: 1.419% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 87
Below poverty line: 24.7% (2008)

Nationality
Noun: Nepalese
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: Nepali (official) 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.)

Religions: Hindu 80.6% Buddhist 10.7% Muslim 4.2% Kirant 3.6% other 0.9% (2001 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 36.6%
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 8,094,494/female 8,812,675)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 566,666/female 634,880) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 21.2 years
Male: 20.2 years
Female: 22.1 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.419% (2010 est.)
Rank: 87

Birth rate: 22.43 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 79

Death rate: 6.89 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 141

Net migration rate: -1.35 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 167

Urbanization
Urban population: 17% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 46 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 56
Male: 45.97 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 46.04 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.81 years
Rank: 163
Male: 64.62 years
Female: 67.05 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.53 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 87

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 79
People living with hivaids: 70,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 56
Deaths: 5,000 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 45

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis malaria and dengue fever (2009)

Education expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 116

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
Total: 9 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 8 years (2003)

Country name
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: federal democratic republic

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

Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

National holiday: Republic Day 29 May; Democracy Day 24 April

Constitution: 15 January 2007 (interim Constitution); note - in April 2008 a Constituent Assembly was elected to draft and promulgate a new constitution by May 2010 but the deadline has been extended to May 2011

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV ; Vice President Paramananda JHA (since 23 July 2008)
Head of government: vacant; Prime Minister Madhav Kumar NEPAL resigned on 30 June 2010 but leads a caretaker government
Cabinet: cabinet was formed in May 2009 by a majority coalition made up of the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist Nepali Congress Madhesi People's Rights Forum Nepal-Democratic and several smaller parties
Elections: president elected by Parliament; term extends until the new constitution is promulgated; election last held on 21 July 2008; date of next election NA
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: unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 members elected by direct popular vote 335 by proportional representation and 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers))
Elections: last held on 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA)
Election results: percent of vote by party - CPN-M 38% NC 19% CPN-UML 19%Madhesi People's Right Forum 9% Terai Madhes Democratic Party and Sadbhawana Party 5% other 15%; seats by party - CPN-M 220 NC 110 CPN-UML 103 Madhesi People's Rights Forum 52 Terai Madhes Democratic Party 20 Sadbhawana Party 9 other smaller parties 56; note - 26 seats filled by the new Cabinet and are included in the seat totals above

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (the president appoints the chief justice on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the chief justice appoints other judges on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders: Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (inactive); Communist Party of Nepal-Marxist Leninist or CPN-ML [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal-Unified [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal-United [Chandra Dev JOSHI]; Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist or CPN-UML [Jhalanath KHANAL]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN]; Federal Democratic National Forum; Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Democratic [Bijay Kumar GACHHADAR]; Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Nepal [Upendra YADAV]; Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Eknath DHAKAL]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party-Anandi Devi [Sarita GIRI]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress or NC [Sushil KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Harish Chandra SHA]; Newa Rastriya Party [Keshav Man SHAKYA]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra Bahadur K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA]; Rastriya Prajantantra Party [Pashupati Shumsher RANA]; Rastriya Prajantantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Terai Madhes Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR]; Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL also known as PRACHANDA]

International organization participation: ADB BIMSTEC CP FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MINURSO MINUSTAH MONUSCO NAM OPCW SAARC SACEP UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNIFIL UNMIL UNMIS UNMIT UNOCI UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Shankar Prasad SHARMA
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 consulate general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI
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 displays a white 12-pointed sun; the color red represents the rhododendron (Nepal's national flower) and is a sign of victory and bravery the blue border signifies peace and harmony; the two right triangles are a combination of two single pennons (pennants) that originally symbolized the Himalaya Mountains while their charges represented the families of the king (upper) and the prime minister but today they are understood to denote Hinduism and Buddhism the country's two main religions; the moon represents the serenity of the Nepalese people and the shade and cool weather in the Himalayas while the sun depicts the heat and higher temperatures of the lower parts of Nepal; the moon and the sun are also said to express the hope that the nation will endure as long as these heavenly bodies
Note: Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular or square

National anthem
Name: 'Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka'
Lyricsmusic: Pradeep Kumar RAI/Ambar GURUNG
Note: adopted 2007; after the abolition of the monarchy in 2006 a new anthem was required because of the previous anthem's praise for the king

Economy overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-quarter 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 about one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products including pulses jute sugarcane tobacco and grain. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower with an estimated 42,000 MW of feasible capacity but political instability hampers foreign investment. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its landlocked geographic location civil strife and labor unrest and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 102
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 102

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 208
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 33%
Industry: 15%
Services: 52% (FY09 est.)

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

Industries: tourism carpets textiles; small rice jute sugar and oilseed mills; cigarettes cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (FY08)
Rank: 135

Labor force: 18 million
Rank: 32
Note: severe lack of skilled labor (2009 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 75%
By occupation industry: 7%
By occupation services: 18% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 42% (2004 est.)
Rank: 190

Population below poverty line: 24.7% (2008)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 6%
Highest 10: 40.6% (2008)

Distribution of family income gini index: 36.7 (1996)
Rank: 34

Inflation rate consumer prices: 13.2% (2009 est.)
Rank: 193

Central bank discount rate: 6.5% (31 December 2009)
Rank: 66

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 8% (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 118

Stock of narrow money: $2.72 billion (July 2009)
Rank: 110

Stock of broad money: $10.67 billion (July 2009)
Rank: 99

Stock of domestic credit: $7.7 billion (July 2009)
Rank: 96

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 78

Current account balance: $537 million (2009)
Rank: 114

Exports: $907 million (2008)
Rank: 156
Commodities: clothing pulses carpets textiles juice pashima jute goods
Partners: India 65.6% US 8% Bangladesh 6.04% Germany 5% (2009)

Imports: $4.1 billion (2008)
Rank: 110
Commodities: petroleum products machinery and equipment gold electrical goods medicine
Partners: India 57% China 13% (2009)

Debt external: $3.285 billion (2008)
Rank: 108

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 72.56 (2010) 77.44 (2009) 65.21 (2008) 70.35 (2007) 72.446 (2006)

Electricity
Production: 2.6 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 128
Consumption: 2.243 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 132
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 213 million kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 157
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 131
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 88
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 148
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 152

Telephones
Main lines in use: 820,500 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 85
Mobile cellular: 7.618 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 77

Telephone system
General assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone service subscribership base only about 30 per 100 persons
International: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Broadcast media: state operates 2 television stations as well as national and regional radio stations; more than 60 independent radio stations and a small number of independent television stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .np
Hosts: 43,928 (2010)
Hosts rank: 91
Users: 577,800 (2009)
Users rank: 116

Military expenditures: 1.6% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 93

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2010)

Airports: 47 (2010)
Rank: 93
With paved runways total: 11
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 36
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 31 (2010)

Railways
Total: 59 km
Rank: 130
Narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Total: 17,282 km
Rank: 119
Paved: 10,142 km
Unpaved: 7,140 km (2007)

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