2023 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 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. An insurgency led by Maoists broke out in 1996. During the ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces, the monarchy dissolved the cabinet and parliament and re-assumed absolute power in 2002, after the crown prince massacred the royal family in 2001. 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 2012 deadline set by the Supreme Court, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. Months of negotiations ensued until 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 2013, in which the Nepali Congress (NC) won the largest share of seats in the CA and in 2014 formed a coalition government with the second-place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) with NC President Sushil KOIRALA serving as prime minister. Nepal's new constitution came into effect in 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament. Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI served as the first post-constitution prime minister from 2015 to 2016. OLI resigned ahead of a no-confidence motion against him, and Parliament elected Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (aka "Prachanda") prime minister. 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, and state and federal elections proceeded in two phases in November and December 2017. The parties headed by OLI and DAHAL ran in coalition and swept the parliamentary elections, and OLI, who led the larger of the two parties, was sworn in as prime minister in February 2018. In May 2018, OLI and DAHAL announced the merger of their parties - the UML and CPN-M - to establish the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), which headed the government for roughly two years before infighting led the party to split. OLI from late 2020 sought to dissolve parliament and hold elections. The supreme court in July 2021 declared OLI's efforts unconstitutional and called for an appointment of the opposition-supported NC leader Sher Bahadur DEUBA as prime minister. DEUBA led Nepal with the support of his party and DAHAL's Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-MC) until December 2022. The NC won a majority of seats in the parliamentary elections on November 2022, but in late December 2022, DAHAL broke with the ruling coalition and sought a partnership with OLI and the CPN-UML to become prime minister. DAHAL's first post-election cabinet lasted approximately two months, until disagreements over ministerial assignments across the coalition caused OLI to withdraw his support. In March 2023, DAHAL survived a vote of confidence and formed a coalition with the NC to remain prime minister.  

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

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

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

China 1,389 km; India 1,770 km

total

3,159 km

Land use

agricultural land

28.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 12.5% (2018 est.)

forest

25.4% (2018 est.)

other

45.8% (2018 est.)

Location

Southern Asia, between China and India

Major aquifers

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km)

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

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

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

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

Child marriage

men married by age 18

9% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

7.9%

women married by age 18

32.8%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

18.7% (2022)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

46.7% (2019)

Current health expenditure

5.2% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

74.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

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

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

9.4

potential support ratio

10.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

54.9

youth dependency ratio

45.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 94.4% of population

improved: total

total: 94.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 92.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 5.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 5.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7.3% of population

Education expenditures

4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

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

note: 141 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2021 national census

Gross reproduction rate

0.91 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

female

23.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

25.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

24.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

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 sample(s)

विश्व तथ्य पुस्तक,आधारभूत जानकारीको लागि अपरिहार्य स्रोत (Nepali)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.4 years

male

72 years

total population

72.7 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

63.3% (2021)

male

81%

total population

71.2%

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

Major urban areas - population

1.571 million KATHMANDU (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

174 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

28.1 years

male

26 years

total

27.1 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.4 years (2016 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Nepali

noun

Nepali (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.1% (2016)

Physicians density

0.85 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

30,899,443 (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

Population growth rate

0.74% (2023 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 85.7% of population

improved: total

total: 87.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 95.1% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 14.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 12.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.9% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2020)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

12.8% (2020 est.)

male

47.9% (2020 est.)

total

30.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.88 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

21.9% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

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

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 2016, 2020

history

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

Country name

conventional long form

none

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

none

local short form

Nepal

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Dean R. THOMPSON (since October 2022)

email address and website

usembktm@state.govhttps://np.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

FAX

[977] (1) 400-7272

mailing address

6190 Kathmandu Place, Washington DC  20521-6190

telephone

[977] (1) 423-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2730 34th Place NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Sridhar KHATRI (since 19 April 2022)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, New York

email address and website

info@nepalembassyusa.orghttps://us.nepalembassy.gov.np/

FAX

[1] (202) 667-5534

telephone

[1] (202) 667-4550

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet split between Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre, and various coalition partners

chief of state

President Ram Chandra POUDEL (since 13 March 2023); Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad YADAV (since 20 March 2023)

election results

Ram Chandra POUDEL elected president; electoral vote - Ram Chandra POUDEL (NC) 33,802, Subash Chandra NEMBANG (CPN-UML) 15,518

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 2028); prime minister indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament

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)

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

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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

Legal system

English common law and Hindu legal concepts; note - new criminal and civil codes came into effect on 17 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 closed-list proportional representation vote, with a threshold of 3% overall valid vote to be allocated a seat; members serve 5-year terms); note - the House of Representatives was dissolved on 22 May 2021, but on 13 July, the Supreme Court directed its reinstatement

election results

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-UML 42, NC 13, 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 - NC 89, CPN-UML 78, CPN-MC 32, RSP 20, RPP 14, PSP-N 12, CPN (Unified Socialist) 10, Janamat Party 6, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party 4,other 10; composition - men 184, women 91, percent of women 33.1%

elections

National Assembly - last held on 26 January 2022 (next to be held in 2024)House of Representatives - last held on 20 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Pradeep Kumar RAI/Ambar GURUNG

name

"Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka" (Hundreds of Flowers)

note

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

selected World Heritage Site locales

Kathmandu Valley (c); Sagarmatha National Park (n); Chitwan National Park (n); Lumbini, Buddha Birthplace (c)

total World Heritage Sites

4 (2 cultural, 2 natural)

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

Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal or FSFN [Upendra YADAV]Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) or CPN-MC [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL]Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) or CPN-UML [Khadga Prasad OLI]Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) or CPN-US [Madhav Kumar NEPAL]Janamat Party [Chandra Kant RAUT]Loktantrik Samajwadi Party [Mahantha THAKUR]Naya Shakti Party, Nepal [Baburam BHATTARAI]Nepali Congress or NC [Sher Bahadur DEUBA]Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party (Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party) or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]People's Socialist Party [Upendra YAKAV]Rastriya Janamorcha (National People's Front) [Chitra Bahadur K.C.]Rastriya Janata Party (National People's Party, Nepal) or RJPN [Mahanta THAKUR]Rastriya Prajatantra Party (National Democratic Party) or RPP [Rajendra Prasad LINGDEN]Rastriya Swatantra Party or RSP [Rabi LAMICHHANE]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

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

Budget

expenditures

$9.008 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$7.305 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$1.754 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$84.137 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$5.363 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$4.321 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$5.849 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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

Exchange rates

Currency

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

104.512 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

108.93 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

112.609 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

118.345 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

118.134 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$2.726 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$1.771 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$2.52 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

soybean oil, palm oil, clothing and apparel, carpets, nutmeg (2021)

Exports - partners

India 68%, United States 10% (2019)

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.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2010

32.8 (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.5% (2011)

lowest 10%

3.2%

Imports

Imports 2019

$13.836 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$10.694 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$16.993 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, iron, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, rice (2019)

Imports - partners

India 70%, China 15% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

4.51% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

5.57% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

5.05% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.09% (2021 est.)

Labor force

16.884 million (2021 est.)

note

note: severe lack of skilled labor

Population below poverty line

25.2% (2011 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2019

31.78% of GDP (2019 est.)

Public debt 2020

39.05% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$113.083 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$110.404 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$115.093 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

6.66% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-2.37% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.25% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,900 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,800 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$3,800 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$8.713 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$11.468 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$9.661 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.77% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

3.1% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

4.72% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

5.05% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

8.6%

male

10.6%

total

9.5% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.051 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

6.657 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

7.708 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

839,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

811,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

28,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

1 million metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

4.676 billion kWh (2019 est.)

exports

107 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports

1.729 billion kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.392 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.183 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

97% (2020)

electrification - total population

89.9% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

94.2% (2021)

population without electricity

1 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

97.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

2.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

5.219 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

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 consumption

49,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

4 (2020 est.)

total

1.27 million (2020 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

Internet users

percent of population

52% (2021 est.)

total

15.6 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 2 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular nearly 130 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

in relation to its telecom sector, Nepal has several topographical and economic constraints which have impeded efforts to expand network infrastructure and improve the quality of service for end-users; the fixed line market remains underdeveloped, and as a result most traffic is channeled via mobile networks; fixed broadband penetration remains very low, though to address this the government has initiated several programs as part of the Digital Nepal Framework and the wider Optical Fiber Backbone Network Expansion Project, started in 2012; supported by the Rural Telecommunications Development Fund, the programs include building out fiber backbone infrastructure and using this to provide broadband to schools and community centers nationally; telcos have also invested in fiber networks, and competition in the market is intensifying; cheap fiber-based services launched in mid-2021 prompted responses from other ISPs to provide faster and more competitively priced offers; Nepal’s mobile market is relatively developed, with a focus on LTE; in 2021, the regulator considered a range of spectrum bands which could be used for 5G (2021)

international

country code - 977; Nepal, China and Tibet connected across borders with underground and all-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) fiber-optic cables; radiotelephone communications; microwave and fiber landlines to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

730,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

130 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

38 million (2021 est.)

Airports

47 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

11

note

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.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

36

note

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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9N

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

4.66 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

3,296,953 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

39

number of registered air carriers

6 (2020)

Railways

narrow gauge

59 km (2018) 0.762-m gauge

total

59 km (2018)

Roadways

paved

11,890 km (2016)

total

27,990 km (2016)

unpaved

16,100 km (2016)

Military - note

the Nepali Army is a lightly equipped and professional force responsible for territorial defense, although it has some domestic duties such as disaster relief/humanitarian assistance and nature conservation efforts; during the 10-year civil war that ended in 2006, it conducted extensive counterinsurgency operations against Maoist guerrillas; the Army also has a long and distinguished history of supporting UN missions, having sent its first UN observers to Lebanon in 1958 and its first troop contingent to Egypt in 1974; as of 2023, nearly 150,000 Nepali military personnel had deployed on over 40 UN missions; the Army conducts training with foreign partners, including China, India, and the US; it has 8 geographically-based divisions, each comprised of light infantry brigades and support units; the Army also has independent special forces and security force (palace guard) brigades; the Air Wing has a small number of multi-role and transport helicoptersthe British began to recruit Nepalese citizens (Gurkhas) into the East India Company Army during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816); the Gurkhas subsequently were brought into the British Indian Army and by 1914, there were 10 Gurkha regiments, collectively known as the Gurkha Brigade; following the partition of India in 1947, an agreement between Nepal, India, and Great Britain allowed for the transfer of the 10 regiments from the British Indian Army to the separate British and Indian armies; four regiments were transferred to the British Army, where they have since served continuously as the Brigade of Gurkhas; six Gurkha (aka Gorkha in India) regiments went to the new Indian Army; a seventh regiment was later added; Gurkhas are also recruited into the Singaporean Police and a special guard in the Sultanate of Brunei known as the Gurkha Reserve Unit (2023)

Military and security forces

Nepalese Armed Forces (Ministry of Defense): Nepali Army (includes Air Wing)Ministry of Home Affairs: Nepal Police, Nepal Armed Police Force (2023)

note

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 and security service personnel strengths

approximately 95,000 active troops (including a small air wing of about 500 personnel) (2023)

Military deployments

1225 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,150 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 400 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 225 Liberia (UNSMIL); 175 Mali (MINUSMA); 1,750 (plus about 220 police) South Sudan (UNMISS) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Army's inventory includes a mix of mostly older equipment largely of British, Chinese, Indian, Russian, and South African origin; in recent years, Nepal has received limited amounts of newer hardware from several countries, including China, Italy, and Russia (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

2.3% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.1% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (including women); no conscription (2023)

note

note: as of 2022, women comprised about 7% of the active duty military

Disputes - international

Nepal-China: China may have constructed 11 buildings in Nepal’s Humla region in 2021 Nepal-India: 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 River; the Kalapani issue resurfaced in November 2019 when India issued a new map showing the contested area within India’s borders and then built a new road in the region through Lipulekh pass, an area controlled by India but claimed by Nepal; Nepal countered by amending its constitution and issuing its own map showing the disputed area within its borders; the countries prime ministers briefly discussed the border dispute in April 2022; India 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; destination country for Indian-produced heroin smuggled in for domestic consumption

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)

Terrorist group(s)

Indian Mujahedeen

note

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 Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

9.11 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

41.15 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

36.43 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation

Land use

agricultural land

28.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 12.5% (2018 est.)

forest

25.4% (2018 est.)

other

45.8% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.45% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

210.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

9.32 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

21.9% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,768,977 tons (2016 est.)