1983 Edition

Agriculture

negligible; almost completely dependent on imports for food and water

over 90% of population engaged in agriculture; main crops — rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, oilseeds

Airfields

1 usable with runways 1,2202,439 m

39 total, 38 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 8 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Area

20.7 km2; insignificant arable land, no urban areas, extensive phosphate mines Water

Branches

president elected from and by Parliament for an unfixed term; popularly elected IS-member unicameral legislature (Parliament); Cabinet to assist the President, four members, appointed by President from Parliament members

Council of Ministers appointed by the King; Rastriya Panchayat (National Assembly; 1 12 directly elected, 28 appointed by King)

Royal Nepal Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force

Budget

(FY82/83 revised est.) domestic revenue $217.8 million, expenditure $467.1 million

Capital

no capital city per se; government offices in Yaren District Nauru (continued) Nepal

Kathmandu

Civil air

3 major transport aircraft, one on order

5 major transport aircraft

Coastline

24 km People

Communists

Communist Party of Nepal (CPN), B. B. Manandhar; two wings of CPN are Communist Party of Nepal/Left (CPN/L), Man Mohan Adhikari, Pushpa Lai Shrestha, and Communist Party of Nepal/ Right (CPN/R), Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi; these wings are split into several factions

Elections

last held in December 1983 Political parties and leaders: governing faction, President DeRoburt; opposition Nauru Party, Lagumot Harris

village, town, and district councils (panchayats) elected by universal suffrage; a constitutional amendment in 1980 provided for direct elections to the National Panchayat, which consists of 140 members (including 28 appointed by the King), who serve five-year terms; Nepal's first general election in 22 years was held in May 1981 Political parties and leaders: all political parties outlawed but operate more or less openly; Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Ganesh Man Singh, K. P. Bhattarai, G. P. Koirala

Electric power

10,000 kW capacity (1981); 30 million kWh produced (1981), 3,333 kWh per capita

156,600 kW capacity (1983); 390 million kWh produced (1983), 24 kWh per capita

Ethnic divisions

58% Nauruan, 26% other Pacific Islander, 8% Chinese, 8% European

Brahmans, Chetris, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Newars, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas

Exports

$75 million (f.o.b., 1979)

$77.1 million (FY81/82 est.); rice and other food products, jute, timber, manufactured goods

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June Communications

15 July14 July Communications

GDP

$2.3 billion (FY82/83 current prices), $148.8 per capita; —0.9% real growth in FY82/83 (est.)

GNP

over $155.4 million (1981), $21,400 per capita

Government leader

Hammer DEROBURT, President

Government leaders

BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, King; Lokendra Bahadur CHAND, Prime Minister

Highways

about 27 km total; 21km paved, 6 km improved earth

4,136 km total; 1,751 km paved, 556 km gravel or crushed stone, 1,829 km improved and unimproved earth; additionally 322 km of seasonally motorable tracks

Imports

$11 million (c.i.f., 1979); food, fuel, water

$449.6 million (FY82/83 est.); manufactured consumer goods, fuel, construction materials, fertilizers, food products

Inland waterways

none

Labor force

4.1 million; 93% agriculture, 5% services, 2% industry; great lack of skilled labor Government

Land boundaries

2,800 km People

Language

Nauruan, a distinct Pacific Island language (official); English, widely understood and spoken

Nepali (official); 20 mutually unintelligible languages divided into numerous dialects Literacy. 20%

Legal system

based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; legal education at Nepal Law College in Kathmandu; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Limits of territorial waters (claimed)

12 nm (fishing 200 nm, exclusive economic zone 200 nm)

Literacy

99% Government

Major industries

mining of phosphates, about 2 million tons per year

small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; match, cigarette, and brick factories

Major trade partner

India

Major trade partners

exports — 75% Australia and New Zealand; imports — Australia, UK, New Zealand, Japan

Member of

Commonwealth (special member), ESCAP, ICAO, INTERPOL, ITU, South Pacific Commission, UPU Economy

ADB, Colombo Plan, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO Economy

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 14 July 1984, $48.6 million; 7.4% of central government budget

Military manpower

males 15-49, about 1,800; fit for military service, about 1,000; less than 100 reach military age (18) annually Land 145,391 km2; 38% alpine land (nonarable), waste, or urban; 32% forest; 16% agricultural; 14% permanent meadow and pasture

males 15-49, 3,977,000; 2,062,000 fit for military service; 186,000 reach military age (17) annually

Monetary conversion rate

1.0778 Australian dollars=US$l (February 1984)

15.75 Nepalese rupees=US$l (January 1984)

National holiday

Birthday of the King and National Day, 28 December

National holidays

Independence Day, 31 January; Constitution Day, 17 May; Angram Day, 26 October

Nationality

noun — Nauruan(s); adjective — Nauruan

noun — Nepalese (sing, and pi.); adjective — Nepalese

Official name

Republic of Nauru

Kingdom of Nepal

Other political or pressure groups

numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital

Political subdivisions

14 districts

75 districts, 14 zones

Population

8,000 (July 1984), average annual growth rate 1.3%

16,578,000 (July 1984), average annual growth rate 2.5%

Ports

1 minor

Railroads

none

63 km (1977), all 0.762-meter narrow gauge; all in Terai close to Indian border; 10 km from Raxaul to Biranj is government owned

Religion

Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Catholic)

only official Hindu kingdom in world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu (about 88%) and Buddhist groups; small groups of Muslims and Christians

Suffrage

universal adult

universal over age 21

Telecommunications

adequate intraisland and international radiocommunications provided via Australian facilities; 1,500 telephones (20.8 per 100 popl.); 3,600 radio receivers, 1 AM, no FM or TV stations; 1 ground satellite station Defense Forces No formal defense structure and no regular armed forces

poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiocommunication and broadcast service; international radiocommunication service is poor; 10,000 telephones (less than 0. 1 per 100 popl. ); 3 AM, no FM, and no TV stations Defense Forces

Type

republic

nominally a constitutional monarchy; King Birendra exercises autocratic control over multitiered panchayat system of government