2024 Edition Primary

Background

During the late 18th and 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 after 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 hereditary rule and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but it was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist-led insurgency broke out in 1996. During the ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces, the monarchy dissolved the cabinet and parliament. In 2001, Crown Prince DIPENDRA first massacred the royal family and then shot himself. His brother GYANENDRA became king, and the monarchy reassumed absolute power the next year. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. After 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. When the CA failed to draft a Supreme Court-mandated constitution, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. An interim government held elections in 2013, in which the Nepali Congress (NC) won the largest share of seats. In 2014, NC formed a coalition government with the second-place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML). Nepal's new constitution came into effect in 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament and Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI the first post-constitution prime minister (2015-16). He resigned ahead of a no-confidence motion, and Parliament elected Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL as prime minister. The parties headed by OLI and DAHAL ran in coalition and swept the parliamentary elections in 2017, and OLI was sworn in as prime minister in 2018. OLI's efforts to dissolve parliament and hold elections were declared unconstitutional in 2021, and the opposition-supported NC leader Sher Bahadur DEUBA was named prime minister. The NC won a majority of seats in the parliamentary elections in 2022, but DAHAL then broke with the ruling coalition and partnered with OLI and the CPN-UML to become prime minister. DAHAL's first cabinet lasted about two months, until OLI withdrew his support over disagreements about ministerial assignments. In early 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

25.8% (male 4,125,244/female 3,909,135)

15-64 years

67.8% (male 10,153,682/female 10,957,011)

65 years and over

6.4% (2024 est.) (male 961,717/female 1,015,598)

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 births/1,000 population (2024 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 (2024 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

0.9 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

female

22.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

25.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

24 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 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% (2021 est.)

major-language sample(s)

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

note

note: 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2021 national census; many in government and business also speak English

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.7 years

male

72.2 years

total population

73 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

63.3% (2021)

male

81%

total population

71.2%

Major urban areas - population

1.571 million KATHMANDU (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

28.6 years

male

26.5 years

total

27.6 years (2024 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

-4.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.1% (2016)

Physician density

0.85 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

15,881,744 (2024 est.)

male

15,240,643

total

31,122,387

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

0.7% (2024 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

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.95 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

12.8% (2020 est.)

male

47.9% (2020 est.)

total

30.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.85 children born/woman (2024 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 (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Kumar Raj KHAREL (since 26 June 2024)

consulate(s) general

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)

election results

2023: Ram Chandra POUDEL elected president; electoral college vote - Ram Chandra POUDEL (NC) 33,802, Subash Chandra NEMBANG (CPN-UML) 15,5182018: 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 on 9 March 2023 (next to be held in 2028)

head of government

Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma OLI (since 15 July 2024)

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, 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 statutory, current 272; 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-MC 17, NC 16, CON-UML 10, CPN-US 8, other 5, nominated members 3; composition - men 37, women 22, percentage 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 10other 10; composition - men 182, women 90, percentage women 33.1%; total Federal Parliament percentage women 33.5%

elections

National Assembly - last held on 25 January 2024 (next to be held in January 2026)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

Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) or CPN-MCCommunist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) or CPN-UMLCommunist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) or CPN-USJanamat PartyJanata Samajbaadi Party or JSPLoktantrik Samajwadi Party or LSPNaya Shakti Party, NepalNepali Congress or NCNepal Mazdoor Kisan Party (Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party) or NWPPRastriya Janamorcha (National People's Front)Rastriya Prajatantra Party (National Democratic Party) or RPPRastriya Swatantra Party or RSP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, vegetables, potatoes, sugarcane, maize, wheat, bison milk, milk, mangoes/guavas, fruits (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$7.163 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$7.625 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$5.363 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$2.518 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$939.38 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$5.677 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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 2019

112.609 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

118.345 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

118.134 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

125.199 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

132.115 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$2.52 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$2.733 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$2.999 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

palm oil, soybean oil, garments, synthetic fibers, knotted carpets (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

India 67%, US 11%, Germany 3%, Turkey 2%, UK 2% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

7% (2023 est.)

government consumption

6.6% (2023 est.)

household consumption

85.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-34.7% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

25.1% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

6.6% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

21.2% (2023 est.)

industry

12.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

55.4% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$40.908 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports

Imports 2021

$16.993 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$15.462 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$14.098 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, natural gas, gold, rice, soybean oil (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

India 64%, China 13%, UAE 3%, Indonesia 2%, US 2% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

1.38% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.15% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.65% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

7.11% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

8.937 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2021

39.92% of GDP (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$134 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$141.546 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$144.31 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.84% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.63% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.95% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$4,500 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$4,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$4,700 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

22.28% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

22.56% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

26.89% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$9.639 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$9.319 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$12.456 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.49% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

12.32% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

10.92% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

10.69% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

23.3% (2023 est.)

male

18.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

20.4% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

2.179 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

8.336 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

10.515 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

1.095 million metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

1.015 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

15,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

8 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

9.327 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

347.784 million kWh (2022 est.)

imports

1.601 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.389 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.738 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

93.7%

electrification - total population

91.3% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

97.7%

Electricity generation sources

hydroelectricity

98.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

1.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

5.881 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

62,000 bbl/day (2022 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

726,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

127 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

38.213 million (2021 est.)

Airports

51 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9N

Heliports

14 (2024)

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

total

64,500 km (2020)

Military - note

the Nepali Army is a lightly equipped 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 2024, about 150,000 Nepali military personnel had deployed on over 40 UN missions; the Army conducts training with foreign partners, including China, India, and the USthe 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 (2024)

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 (2024)

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

1240 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,150 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 400 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 225 Liberia (UNSMIL); 100 South Sudan/Sudan (UNISFA); 1,725 (plus about 220 police) South Sudan (UNMISS); note - Nepal has over 6,000 total personnel deployed on 15 UN missions (2024)

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, Indonesia, Italy, and Russia (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

1.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

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 Expenditures 2023

1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

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

note

note: as of 2023, about 7,000 women served in the Nepalese Armed Forces

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)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Nepal was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/nepal/

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 the Terrorism reference guide

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.)