Background: During the late 18th-early 19th centuries, the principality of Gorkha united many of the other principalities and states of the sub-Himalayan region into a Nepali Kingdom. Nepal retained its independence following the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16 and the subsequent peace treaty laid the foundations for two centuries of amicable relations between Britain and Nepal. (The Brigade of Gurkhas continues to serve in the British Army to the present day.) In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy.

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 147,181 km²
Land: 143,351 km²
Water: 3,830 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than New York state

Land boundaries
Total: 3,159 km
Border countries: (2) China 1,389 km; India 1,770 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 with rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation
Highest point: Mount Everest (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level) 8,849 m
Lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
Mean elevation: 2,565 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 28.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 15.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 12.5% (2018 est.)
Forest: 25.4% (2018 est.)
Other: 45.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 13,320 km² (2012)

Major watersheds area km²: Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 km²), Ganges (1,016,124 km²), Indus (1,081,718 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 9.32 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 210.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

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 mountains - on the borders with China and India respectively

Population
Distribution: most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low: 30,899,443 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: 0.74% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: 25.2% (2011 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Chhettri 16.5%, Brahman-Hill 11.3%, Magar 6.9%, Tharu 6.2%, Tamang 5.6%, Bishwokarma 5%, Musalman 4.9%, Newar 4.6%, Yadav 4.2%, Rai 2.2%, Pariyar 1.9%, Gurung 1.9%, Thakuri 1.7%, Mijar 1.6%, Teli 1.5%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.4%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 20% (2021 est.)
Note: 141 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2021 national census

Languages: Nepali (official) 44.9%, Maithali 11.1%, Bhojpuri 6.2%, Tharu 5.9%, Tamang 4.9%, Bajjika 3.9%, Avadhi 3%, Nepalbhasha (Newari) 3%, Magar Dhut 2.8%, Doteli 1.7%, Urdu 1.4%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.2%, Gurung 1.1%, other 8.9%; note - 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2021 national census; many in government and business also speak English (2021 est.)
Major-language samples:

Religions: Hindu 81.2%, Buddhist 8.2%, Muslim 5.1%, Kirat 3.2%, Christian 1.8%, other 0.5% (2021 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 26.32% (male 4,175,742/female 3,956,153)
15-64 years: 67.52% (male 10,016,748/female 10,846,101)
65 years and over: 6.16% (2023 est.) (male 930,510/female 974,189)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 54.9
Youth dependency ratio: 45.5
Elderly dependency ratio: 9.4
Potential support ratio: 10.7 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 27.1 years (2023 est.)
Male: 26 years
Female: 28.1 years

Population growth rate: 0.74% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 17.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low

Urbanization
Urban population: 21.9% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.571 million KATHMANDU (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); forest degradation; soil erosion; contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); unmanaged solid-waste; wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 36.43 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 9.11 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 41.15 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.4 years (2016 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Maternal mortality ratio: 174 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 24.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 25.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 23.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.7 years (2023 est.)
Male: 72 years
Female: 73.4 years

Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 46.7% (2019)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 92.7% of population
Improved rural: 94.4% of population
Improved total: 94.1% of population
Unimproved urban: 7.3% of population
Unimproved rural: 5.6% of population
Unimproved total: 5.9% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure: 5.2% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 0.85 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density: 0.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 4.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 30.4% (2020 est.)
Male: 47.9% (2020 est.)
Female: 12.8% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 18.7% (2022)

Education expenditures: 4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 71.2%
Male: 81%
Female: 63.3% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 13 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 9.5% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 10.6%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 8.6%

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Nepal
Local long form: none
Local short form: Nepal
Etymology: the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas apparently gave their name to the country; the terms "Nepal," "Newar," "Nepar," and "Newal" are phonetically different forms of the same word

Government type: federal parliamentary 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)
Etymology: name derives from the Kasthamandap temple that stood in Durbar Square; in Sanskrit, kastha means "wood" and mandapa means "pavilion"; the three-story structure was made entirely of wood, without iron nails or supports, and dated to the late 16th century; it collapsed during a 2015 earthquake

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (pradesh, singular - pradesh); Bagmati, Gandaki, Karnali, Koshi, Lumbini, Madhesh, Sudurpashchim

Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 20 September (2015); note - marks the promulgation of Nepal’s constitution in 2015 and replaces the previous 28 May Republic Day as the official national day in Nepal; the Gregorian day fluctuates based on Nepal’s Hindu calendar

Constitution
History: several previous; latest approved by the Second Constituent Assembly 16 September 2015, signed by the president and effective 20 September 2015
Amendments: proposed as a bill by either house of the Federal Parliament; bills affecting a state border or powers delegated to a state must be submitted to the affected state assembly; passage of such bills requires a majority vote of that state assembly membership; bills not requiring state assembly consent require at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of the Federal Parliament; parts of the constitution on the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty vested in the people cannot be amended; amended 2016, 2020

Legal system: English common law and Hindu legal concepts; note - new criminal and civil codes came into effect on 17 August 2018

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ram Chandra POUDEL (since 13 March 2023); Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad YADAV (since 20 March 2023)
Head of government: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (since 26 December 2022); deputy prime ministers Narayan Kaji SHRESTHA (since 26 December 2022), Purna Bahadur KHADKA (since 31 March 2023) (an)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet split between Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre, and various coalition partners
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of the Federal Parliament and of the state assemblies for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 9 March 2023 (next to be held in 2,028); prime minister indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament
Election results: Ram Chandra POUDEL elected president; electoral vote - Ram Chandra POUDEL (NC) 33,802, Subash Chandra NEMBANG (CPN-UML) 15,518

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and up to 20 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, a 5-member, high-level advisory body headed by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Judicial Council, a 5-member advisory body headed by the chief justice; the chief justice serves a 6-year term; judges serve until age 65
Subordinate courts: High Court; district courts

Political parties and leaders:

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Sridhar KHATRI (since 19 April 2022)
In the us chancery: 2,730 34^th Place NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 667-4,550
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 667-5,534
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dean R. THOMPSON (since October 2022)
From the us embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
From the us mailing address: 6,190 Kathmandu Place, Washington DC 20,521-6,190
From the us telephone: [977] (1) 423-4,000
From the us FAX: [977] (1) 400-7,272
From the us email address and website:

Flag description: crimson 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 symbols: rhododendron blossom; national color: red

National anthem
Name: "Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka" (Hundreds of Flowers)
Lyrics/music: 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

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 4 (2 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Economy overview: low-income South Asian economy; post-conflict fiscal federalism increasing stability; COVID-19 hurt trade and tourism; widening current account deficits; environmentally fragile economy from earthquakes; growing Chinese relations and investments

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 78% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 11.7% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 33.8% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 8.7% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 9.8% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -42% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 27% (2017 est.)
Industry: 13.5% (2017 est.)
Services: 59.5% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: rice, vegetables, sugar cane, potatoes, maize, wheat, buffalo milk, milk, fruit, mangoes/guavas

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.51% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 16.884 million (2021 est.)
Note: severe lack of skilled labor

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 9.5% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 10.6%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 8.6%

Population below poverty line: 25.2% (2011 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 32.8 (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: 3.2%
Highest 10%: 29.5% (2011)

Budget
Revenues: $7.305 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $9.008 billion (2020 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -0.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 15.77% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Public debt:

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.45% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: 16 July - 15 July

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Current account balance:

Exports:
Partners: India 68%, United States 10% (2019)
Commodities: soybean oil, palm oil, clothing and apparel, carpets, nutmeg (2021)

Imports:
Partners: India 70%, China 15% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, iron, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, rice (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 1 million (2020)
Access electrification-total population: 89.9% (2021)
Access electrification-urban areas: 94.2% (2021)
Access electrification-rural areas: 97% (2020)
Installed generating capacity: 1.392 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 4.676 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 107 million kWh (2019 est.)
Imports: 1.729 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.183 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 97.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 28,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 839,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 811,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 1 million metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 49,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 26,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.708 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 1.051 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 6.657 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 5.219 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 726,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 38 million (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 130 (2021 est.)

Broadcast media: state operates 3 TV stations, as well as national and regional radio stations; 117 television channels are licensed, among those 71 are cable television channels, three are distributed through Direct-To-Home (DTH) system, and four are digital terrestrial; 736 FM radio stations are licensed and at least 314 of those radio stations are community radio stations (2019)

Internet
Country code: .np
Users total: 15.6 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 52% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1.27 million (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2020 est.)

Military expenditures:

Military and security forces:
Note: the Nepal Police are responsible for enforcing law and order across the country; the Armed Police Force is responsible for combating terrorism, providing security during riots and public disturbances, assisting in natural disasters, and protecting vital infrastructure, public officials, and the borders; it also conducts counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations and would assist the Army in the event of an external invasion

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (including women); no conscription (2023)
Note: as of 2022, women comprised about 7% of the active duty military

Terrorist groups
Terrorist groups: Indian Mujahedeen
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in terrorist organizations

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,296,953 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4.66 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9N

Airports: 47 (2021)
With paved runways: 11
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
With unpaved runways: 36
With unpaved runways note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Railways
Total: 59 km (2018)
Narrow gauge: 59 km (2018) 0.762-m gauge

Roadways
Total: 27,990 km (2016)
Paved: 11,890 km (2016)
Unpaved: 16,100 km (2016)

Disputes international: Nepal-China: China may have constructed 11 buildings in Nepal’s Humla region in 2021

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 12,540 (Tibet/China), 6,365 (Bhutan) (mid-year 2022)
Stateless persons: undetermined (mid-year 2021)

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; destination country for Indian-produced heroin smuggled in for domestic consumption