2018 Edition

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 Nepalese 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.An insurgency led by Maoists broke out in 1996. The ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and the re-assumption of absolute power by the king in 2002. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. Following a nationwide Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, the newly formed CA declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, abolished the monarchy, and elected the country's first president. After the CA failed to draft a constitution by a May 2012 deadline set by the Supreme Court, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. Months of negotiations ensued until March 2013 when the major political parties agreed to create an interim government headed by then-Chief Justice Khil Raj REGMI with a mandate to hold elections for a new CA. Elections were held in November 2013, in which the Nepali Congress won the largest share of seats in the CA and in February 2014 formed a coalition government with the second place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist and with Nepali Congress President Sushil KOIRALA as prime minister. Nepal's new constitution came into effect in September 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament. Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI served as the first post-constitution prime minister from October 2015-August 2016, when a new coalition led by Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (aka "Prachanda") took over the premiership. The constitution provided for a transitional period during which three sets of elections – local, provincial, and national – needed to take place. The first local elections in 20 years occurred in three phases between May and September 2017, while state and federal elections proceeded in two phases in November and December 2017. A coalition led by OLI and DAHAL swept the elections, and OLI was sworn in as prime minister in February 2018.

Area

land

143,351 sq km

total

147,181 sq km

water

3,830 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly larger than New York state

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

elevation extremes

70 m lowest point: Kanchan Kalan

mean elevation

2,565 m

note

8848 highest point: Mount Everest (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level)

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

Environment 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

signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

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 mountains - on the borders with China and India respectively

Irrigated Land

13,320 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (2)

China 1389 km, India 1770 km

total

3,159 km

Land Use

arable land: 15.1% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.2% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 12.5% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

28.8% (2011 est.)

forest

25.4% (2011 est.)

other

45.8% (2011 est.)

Location

Southern Asia, between China and India

Map References

Asia

Maritime Claims

note

none (landlocked)

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

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

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0-14 years

29.54% (male 4,578,768 /female 4,198,913)

15-24 years

21.52% (male 3,250,614 /female 3,145,807)

25-54 years

37.18% (male 4,987,071 /female 6,061,616)

55-64 years

6.42% (male 917,342 /female 991,937)

65 years and over

5.34% (male 785,893 /female 799,626) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

19.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

27% (2016)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

52.6% (2017)

Death Rate

5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.8 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

11.3 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

61.4 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

52.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 90.9% of population

rural: 91.8% of population

total: 91.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 9.1% of population

rural: 8.2% of population

total: 8.4% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

3.7% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic Groups

Chhettri 16.6%, Brahman-Hill 12.2%, Magar 7.1%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.8%, Newar 5%, Kami 4.8%, Muslim 4.4%, Yadav 4%, Rai 2.3%, Gurung 2%, Damai/Dholii 1.8%, Thakuri 1.6%, Limbu 1.5%, Sarki 1.4%, Teli 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.3%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 19% (2011 est.)

note

125 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2011 national census

Health Expenditures

5.8% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

0.2% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

1,300 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

31,000 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

25.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

28.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

26.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Nepali (official) 44.6%, Maithali 11.7%, Bhojpuri 6%, Tharu 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.2%, Magar 3%, Bajjika 3%, Urdu 2.6%, Avadhi 1.9%, Limbu 1.3%, Gurung 1.2%, other 10.4%, unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)

note

123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2011 national census; many in government and business also speak English

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

72 years (2018 est.)

male

70.6 years (2018 est.)

total population

71.3 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

53.1% (2015 est.)

male

76.4% (2015 est.)

total population

63.9% (2015 est.)

Major Infectious Diseases

degree of risk

high (2016)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever (2016)

vectorborne diseases

Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

1.33 million KATHMANDU (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

258 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

25.8 years (2018 est.)

male

23.2 years

total

24.5 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

20.8 years (2016 est.)

note

median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Nepali

noun

Nepali (singular and plural)

Net Migration Rate

-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

4.1% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.6 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

29,717,587 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.09% (2018 est.)

Religions

Hindu 81.3%, Buddhist 9%, Muslim 4.4%, Kirant 3.1%, Christian 1.4%, other 0.5%, unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 56% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 43.5% of population (2015 est.)

total: 45.8% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 44% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 56.5% of population (2015 est.)

total: 54.2% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

13 years (2015)

male

12 years (2015)

total

12 years (2015)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

0.82 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.07 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

2.9% (2008 est.)

male

4.2% (2008 est.)

total

3.5% (2008 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.15% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

19.7% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

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

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)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

15 years

Constitution

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 January 2016 (2017)

history

several previous; latest approved by the Second Constituent Assembly 16 September 2015, signed by the president and effective 20 September 2015 (2017)

Country Name

conventional long form

Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

conventional 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

local long form

Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal

local short form

Nepal

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador Randy BERRY (since 25 October 2018)

embassy

Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal

FAX

[977] (1) 400-7272

mailing address

US Embassy, Maharajgunj Chakrapath, Kathmandu, Nepal 44600

telephone

[977] (1) 423-4000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Arjun Kumar KARKI (since 18 May 2015)

consulate(s) general

Cleveland (OH), New York

FAX

[1] (202) 667-5534

telephone

[1] (202) 667-4550

Executive Branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet dominated by the CPN-UML and MC

election results

Bidhya Devi BHANDARI reelected president; electoral vote - Bidhya Devi BHANDARI (CPN-UML 39,275, Kumari Laxmi RAI (NC) 11,730

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 13 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament

head of government

Prime Minister Khadga Prasad (KP) Sharma OLI (since 15 February 2018); deputy prime ministers (vacant); note - Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA resigned on 15 February 2018

head of state

President Bidhya Devi BANDHARI (since 29 October 2015); Vice President Nanda Bahadar PUN (since 31 October 2015)

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

Government Type

federal parliamentary republic

Independence

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

note

Nepal's judiciary was restructured under its 2007 Interim Constitution

subordinate courts

High Court; Court of Appeal; district courts

Legal System

English common law and Hindu legal concepts; note - new criminal and civil codes come into effect mid-August 2018

Legislative Branch

description

bicameral Federal Parliament consists of:National Assembly (59 seats; 56 members, including at least 3 women, 1 Dalit, 1 member with disabilities, or 1 minority indirectly elected by an electoral college of state and municipal government leaders, and 3 members, including 1 woman, nominated by the president of Nepal on the recommendation of the government; members serve 6-year terms with renewal of one-third of the membership every 2 years) House of Representatives (275 seats; 165 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-ML 27, CPN-MC 13, NC 12, FSFN 2, RJPN 2; composition - men 37, women 22, percent of women 37.3% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-UML 121, NC 63, CPN-MC 53, RJPN 17, FSFN 16, other 4, independent 1; composition - men 185, women 90, percent of women 32.7%; note - total Federal Parliament percent of women 33.5%

elections

first election for the National Assembly held on 7 February 2018 (next to be held in 2024) first election for House of Representatives held on 26 November and 7 December 2017 (next to be held in 2022)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Pradeep Kumar RAI/Ambar GURUNG

name

"Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka" (Hundreds of Flowers)

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 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

National Symbol S

rhododendron blossom; national color: red

Political Parties And Leaders

note

the Election Commission of Nepal granted ballot access under the proportional system to 88 political parties for the November-December 2017 House of Representatives election to the Federal Parliament; of these, the following 9 parties and 1 independent won seats

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

5.945 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

5.925 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-0.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

7% (30 July 2017)

7% (30 July 2016)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

11.3% (31 December 2017 est.)

8.9% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$93 million (2017 est.)

$1.339 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$5.849 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.321 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

32.8 (2010)

47.2 (2008 est.)

Economy Overview

Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world, with about one-quarter of its population living below the poverty line. Nepal is heavily dependent on remittances, which amount to as much as 30% of GDP. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for almost two-thirds of the population but accounting for less than a 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 commercially feasible capacity. Nepal has signed trade and investment agreements with India, China, and other countries, but political uncertainty and a difficult business climate have hampered foreign investment. The United States and Nepal signed a $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact in September 2017 which will expand Nepal’s electricity infrastructure and help maintain transportation infrastructure.Massive earthquakes struck Nepal in early 2015, which damaged or destroyed infrastructure and homes and set back economic development. Although political gridlock and lack of capacity have hindered post-earthquake recovery, government-led reconstruction efforts have progressively picked up speed, although many hard hit areas still have seen little assistance. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its landlocked geographic location, inconsistent electricity supply, and underdeveloped transportation infrastructure.

Exchange Rates

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar -

104 (2017 est.)

107.38 (2016 est.)

107.38 (2015 est.)

102.41 (2014 est.)

99.53 (2013 est.)

Exports

$818.7 million (2017 est.)

$761.6 million (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, juice, jute goods

Exports Partners

India 53.1%, US 11.8%, Turkey 7.2% (2017)

Fiscal Year

16 July - 15 July

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

9.8% (2017 est.)

government consumption

11.7% (2017 est.)

household consumption

78% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-42% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

33.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

8.7% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

27% (2017 est.)

industry

13.5% (2017 est.)

services

59.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$24.88 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$2,700 (2017 est.)

$2,500 (2016 est.)

$2,500 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$79.19 billion (2017 est.)

$73.39 billion (2016 est.)

$72.96 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

7.9% (2017 est.)

0.6% (2016 est.)

3.3% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

45.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

40.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

44% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

29.5% (2011)

lowest 10%

29.5% (2011)

Imports

$10 billion (2017 est.)

$8.764 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

petroleum products, machinery and equipment, gold, electrical goods, medicine

Imports Partners

India 70.2%, China 7.5% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

12.4% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

4.5% (2017 est.)

9.9% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

16.81 million (2017 est.)

note

severe lack of skilled labor

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

69%

industry

12%

services

19% (2015 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$17.57 billion (31 October 2017 est.)

$19.4 billion (31 October 2016 est.)

$11.37 billion (31 October 2015 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

25.2% (2011 est.)

Public Debt

26.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

27.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$9.091 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$8.506 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$5.505 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.857 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

note

NA

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$103 million (31 July 2013 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$21.99 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$17.94 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$5.505 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.857 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

23.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

3% (2017 est.)

3.2% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

8.396 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

72% (2013)

electrification - total population

76% (2013)

electrification - urban areas

97% (2013)

population without electricity

6.6 million (2013)

Electricity Consumption

4.983 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

2.69 million kWh (FY 2017 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

92% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

2.175 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

943,100 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

4.244 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

27,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

26,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2017 est.)

total

224,184 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

state operates 3 TV stations, as well as national and regional radio stations; 88 independent TV channels are registered with only 25 in regular operation; 672 FM radio stations are licensed with 588 operational (2016)

Internet Country Code

.np

Internet Users

percent of population

19.7% (July 2016 est.)

total

5,716,419 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

mobile service has been extended to all 75 districts covering 90% of Nepal’s land area; disparity between high coverage in cities and coverage available in underdeveloped rural regions (2016)

general assessment

mountainous topography hinders development of telecom infrastructure; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network (2016)

international

country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave and fiber landlines to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

861,299 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

109 (July 2016 est.)

total subscriptions

32,120,305 (July 2016 est.)

Airports

47 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

3 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

6 (2017)

over 3,047 m

1 (2017)

total

11 (2017)

under 914 m

1 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

6 (2013)

total

36 (2013)

under 914 m

29 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

9N (2016)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

4,536,371 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

510,341 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

15 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

4 (2015)

Railways

narrow gauge

53 km 0.762-m gauge (2014)

total

53 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

11,890 km (2016)

total

27,990 km (2016)

unpaved

16,100 km (2016)

Military Branches

Nepal Army (2018)

Military Expenditures

1.52% of GDP (2016)

1.54% of GDP (2015)

1.63% of GDP (2014)

1.54% of GDP (2013)

1.43% of GDP (2012)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2014)

Disputes International

joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 sq km dispute over the source of the Kalapani RiverIndia has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of illegal cross-border activities

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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

IDPs

50,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; figure does not include people displaced since 2007 by inter-communal violence and insecurity in the Terai region; 2015 earthquakes) (2016)

refugees (country of origin)

13,509 (Tibet/China), 7,422 (Bhutan) (2017)

stateless persons

undetermined (2016); note - the UNHCR is working with the Nepali Government to address the large number of individuals lacking citizenship certificates in Nepal; smaller numbers of Bhutanese Hindu refugees of Nepali origin (the Lhotshampa) who were stripped of Bhutanese nationality and forced to flee their country in the late 1980s and early 1990s - and undocumented Tibetan refugees who arrived in Nepal prior to the 1990s - are considered stateless

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

Indian Mujahedeen (IM)

aim(s): enhance networks in Nepal to carry out attacks against Indians in Nepal and Indiaarea(s) of operation: maintains active hubs of small, loosely connected networks (April 2018)