2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.7% (male 5,648,959/female 5,291,447) 15-64 years: 57.6% (male 8,365,526/female 7,925,941) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 513,777/female 541,497) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Airports

48 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 914 to 1,523 m: 7

total

10

under 914 m

2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m

29 (2006)

Area

land

143,181 sq km

total

147,181 sq km

water

4,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Arkansas

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. In November 2006, the government and Maoists signed the Comprehensive Peace Accord to end the ten-year insurgency. Geography Nepal

Birth rate

30.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$1.789 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY05/06)

revenues

$1.153 billion

Capital

geographic coordinates

27 43 N, 85 19 E

name

Kathmandu

time difference

UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

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

Country name

conventional long and short form

Nepal

local long and short form

Nepal

Currency (code)

Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code

NPR

Death rate

9.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$3.34 billion (March 2005)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador James F. MORIARTY

embassy

Panipokhari, Kathmandu

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[977] (1) 411-1179

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant)

telephone

[1] (202) 667-4550

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 103,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37.7 (FY04/05)

Economic aid - recipient

$424 million (FY00/01)

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.

Electricity - consumption

1.85 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

111 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

241 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

2.565 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

8.5%

hydro

91.5%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Everest 8,850 m

lowest point

Kanchan Kalan 70 m

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

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)

Exchange rates

Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 71.368 (2005), 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003), 77.877 (2002)

Executive branch

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

chief of state

Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006)

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

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)

Exports

$822 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners

India 53.7%, US 17.4%, Germany 7.1% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 667-5534

[977] (1) 441-9963

consulate(s) general

New York

Fiscal year

16 July - 15 July Communications Nepal

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 Economy Nepal

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

38%

industry

21%

services

41% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.154 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$41.92 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

28 00 N, 84 00 E

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 People Nepal

Government type

parliamentary democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

61,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

39.1% (2003-2004)

lowest 10%

2.6%

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 This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners

India 47.7%, UAE 11.2%, China 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait 4.2% (2005)

Independence

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

Industrial production growth rate

3.8% (FY04/05)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

67.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

63.56 deaths/1,000 live births

total

65.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.8% (October 2005 est.)

International organization participation

AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), 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

Internet country code

.np

Internet hosts

17,789 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

6 (2000)

Internet users

175,000 (2005) Transportation Nepal

Irrigated land

11,700 sq km (2003)

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)

Labor force

10.4 million

note

severe lack of skilled labor (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

76%

industry

6%

services

18%

Land boundaries

border countries

China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

total

2,926 km

Land use

arable land

16.07%

other

83.08% (2005)

permanent crops

0.85%

Languages

Nepali 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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

House of Representatives (for 1999 parliament) - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP (RPP) 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1; note - NC, NSP, and NDP have since each split into two parties

elections

House of Representatives - last held in May 1999; note - Parliament was dissolved in May 2002 but was finally reconvened in April 2006 with most of the members that were elected in 1999

Life expectancy at birth

female

59.91 years (2006 est.)

male

60.43 years

total population

60.18 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

34.9% (2000-2004 est.) Government Nepal

male

62.7%

total population

48.6%

Location

Southern Asia, between China and India

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

5,744,989 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

6,107,091

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

3,853,102 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

4.193 million

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 18-49

286,604 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

308,031

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

20.4 years (2006 est.)

male

20.1 years

total

20.3 years

Military branches

Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service); Nepalese Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$104.9 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.5% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Nepal

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

National holiday

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

Nationality

adjective

Nepalese

noun

Nepalese (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

11,980 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

11,760 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Pashupati Shumsher RANA, chairman]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur DEUBA, president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president, Sushil KOIRALA, vice president]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP - Mandal [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, party president]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party - Ananda Devi [Ananda DEVI, president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Amik SHERCHAN, chairman]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; note - split from RPP in March 2005; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA]; note - merged with People's Front Nepal or PFN in 2002

Political pressure groups and leaders

Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, a.k.a. PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, deputy]; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups

Population

28,287,147 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

31% (2003-2004)

Population growth rate

2.17% (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Radios

840,000 (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

59 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)

total

59 km

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

106,248 (Bhutan), 20,153 (Tibet/China)

Religions

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

note

only official Hindu state in the world

Roadways

paved

9,886 km

total

17,380 km

unpaved

7,494 km (2004) Military Nepal

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network

international

country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

448,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

248,800 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions

130,000 (1997)

Terrain

Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

Total fertility rate

4.1 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

42% (2004 est.)