Nepal

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

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

• 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

noun:

Nepali (singular and plural)

adjective:

Nepali

total:

28.1 years (2025 est.)

male:

26.5 years

female:

28.6 years

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

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

total population:

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

total:

23.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

25.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

22.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

73 years (2024 est.)

male:

72.2 years

female:

73.7 years

total:

0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

22.9% (2025 est.)

male:

40.3% (2025 est.)

female:

7.6% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

5.8% (2022)

women married by age 18:

34.9% (2022)

men married by age 18:

7% (2022)

• deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);
• forest degradation;
• soil erosion;
• contaminated water from human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents;
• unmanaged solid waste;
• wildlife conservation;
• air pollution from vehicular emissions

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

urban population:

21.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1.769 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

4.6% (2022 est.)

municipal:

147.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

29.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

9.32 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

none

conventional short form:

Nepal

local long form:

none

local short form:

Nepal

etymology:

the name probably comes from the Sanskrit term nepala , from the words for "fly down" and "house," which would refer to the villages at the base of the mountains

name:

Kathmandu

geographic coordinates:

27 43 N, 85 19 E

time difference:

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

etymology:

the name comes from the Nepalese words kath (wooden) and mandu (temple), referring to the local temples that are often still built from wood

history:

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

amendment process:

• 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

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

15 years

chief of state:

President Ram Chandra POUDEL (since 13 March 2023)

head of government:

Prime Minister Sushila KARKI (since 12 September 2025)

cabinet:

• Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister;
• cabinet positions shared among Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre, and various coalition partners

election/appointment process:

president indirectly elected by an electoral college of the Federal Parliament and the state assemblies for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)

most recent election date:

9 March 2023

election results:

2023: Ram Chandra POUDEL elected president; electoral college vote - Ram Chandra POUDEL (NC) 33,802, Subash Chandra NEMBANG (CPN-UML) 15,518

expected date of next election:

5 March 2026

note: KARKI was sworn in as interim prime minister on 12 September 2025 after Khadga Prasad Sharma OLI resigned on 9 September following violent protests; KARKI will serve until elections are held in March 2026

chamber name:

House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha)

number of seats:

275 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

mixed system

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

11/20/2022

parties elected and seats per party:

• Nepali Congress (NC) (89);
• Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist, UML) (78);
• Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre (CPN-MC) (32);
• Rastriya Swatantra Party (20);
• Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal (RPP) (14);
• People's Socialist Party, Nepal (12);
• Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) (10);
• Janamat Party (6);
• Democratic Socialist Party, Nepal (4);
• People's Freedom Party (3);
• Nepal Workers Peasants Party (1);
• Rastriya Janamorcha (1);
• Independents (5)

percentage of women in chamber:

0%

expected date of next election:

5 March 2026

note: Parliament was dissolved by the President on 12 September following violent protests, the resignation of the Prime Minister, and the appointment of an interim prime minister with new elections set for March 2026

chamber name:

National Assembly (Rastriya Sabha)

number of seats:

59 (56 indirectly elected; 3 appointed)

scope of elections:

partial renewal

term in office:

6 years

most recent election date:

1/25/2024

percentage of women in chamber:

37.3%

expected date of next election:

January 2026

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 on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, a 5-member, high-level advisory body headed by the prime minister;
• other judges appointed by the president on 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

• Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) or CPN-MC
• Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) or CPN-UML
• Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) or CPN-US
• Janamat Party
• Janata Samajbaadi Party or JSP
• Loktantrik Samajwadi Party or LSP
• Naya Shakti Party, Nepal
• Nepali Congress or NC
• Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party (Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party) or NWPP
• Rastriya Janamorcha (National People's Front)
• Rastriya Prajatantra Party (National Democratic Party) or RPP
• Rastriya Swatantra Party or RSP

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sharad Raj ARAN (since November 2025)

chancery:

2730 34 th Place NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone:

[1] (202) 667-4550

FAX:

[1] (202) 667-5534

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://us.nepalembassy.gov.np/

consulate(s) general:

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Dean R. THOMPSON (since October 2022)

embassy:

Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

mailing address:

6190 Kathmandu Place, Washington DC 20521-6190

telephone:

[977] (1) 423-4000

FAX:

[977] (1) 400-7272

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://np.usembassy.gov/

description:

• crimson red with a blue border, in the shape of two overlapping right triangles;
• the smaller upper triangle has a stylized white moon, and the larger lower triangle has a 12-pointed white sun

meaning:

• red stands for the rhododendron (the national flower) and victory and bravery, and the blue border for peace and harmony;
• the two triangles are a combination of two pennants that originally symbolized the Himalaya Mountains, but today they refer to Hinduism and Buddhism, the country's two main religions;
• the moon stands for the serenity of the people, as well as Himalayan shade and cool weather, and the sun for the heat and higher temperatures in the rest of the country

note: Nepal is the only country with a flag that is not rectangular or square

title:

"Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka" (Hundreds of Flowers)

lyrics/music:

Pradeep Kumar RAI/Ambar GURUNG

history:

adopted 2007

total World Heritage Sites:

4 (2 cultural, 2 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

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

• 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

agriculture:

21.9% (2024 est.)

industry:

11.4% (2024 est.)

services:

55.2% (2024 est.)

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

total:

20.8% (2024 est.)

male:

19.3% (2024 est.)

female:

23.6% (2024 est.)

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

lowest 10%:

3.7% (2022 est.)

highest 10%:

24.2% (2022 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

production:

9,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption:

1.091 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

100 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

1.076 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

8 million metric tons (2023 est.)

• state operates 3 TV stations, as well as national and regional radio stations;
• 117 television channels are licensed, 71 of which are cable TV, 3 are distributed through Direct-To-Home (DTH) system, and 4 are digital terrestrial;
• 736 FM radio stations are licensed, and at least 314 of those are community stations (2019)

total:

59 km (2018)

narrow gauge:

59 km (2018) 0.762-m gauge

• 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 (2025)

• 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women;
• upper age limit varies;
• no conscription (2025)

• 1240 Central African Republic (MINUSCA);
• 1,150 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO);
• 440 Golan Heights (UNDOF);
• 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL);
• 225 Liberia (UNSMIL);
• 100 South Sudan/Sudan (UNISFA);
• 1,750 (plus about 200 police) South Sudan (UNMISS) (2025)

refugees:

19,874 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

18,671 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

467 (2024 est.)

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 remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/nepal/