Nepal

Kingdom of Nepal

parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991Independence 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

Nepal as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 80 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalKathmandu

Area140,800 sq km

LocationSouthern Asia, between China and India

Populationas each edition published it

21.56 million July 1995 est. · 19.15m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.44% 1995 est. · 2.43% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

53.09 years 1995 est. · 51.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.15 children per woman 1995 est. · 5.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

81.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 99 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,060 1994 est. · $170 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1994 est. · 3.1% in 1993

Geography

Southern Asia, between China and India

14 fields

Land useshare of 140,800 sq km

arable land 17%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 13%forest and woodland 33%other 37%irrigated 9,430 sq km (1989)

Area

140,800sq km

land area: 136,800 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Arkansas

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

2,926km

total · China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Climate

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

Terrain

Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north

Natural resources

quartz, water, timber, hydroelectric potential, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Environment

current issues:: the almost total dependence on wood for fuel and cutting down trees to expand agricultural land without replanting has resulted in widespread deforestation;
soil erosion;
water pollution (use of contaminated water presents human health risks)
natural hazards:: severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Note

landlocked;
strategic location between China and India;
contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks

People

15 fields

Population

21,560,869

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.44% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

37.31Death

12.9Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years53.09

52.86 · 53.34

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy26%

38% · 13%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Religions(1981)

Hindu 90%Buddhist 5%Muslim 3%other 2% (1981)note: only official Hindu state in world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu and Buddhist groups

Labor force

8.5million

(1991 est.)by occupation: agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry 2%note: severe lack of skilled labor

Age structure

0-14 years:: 43% (female 4,479,950; male 4,692,575)
15-64 years:: 55% (female 5,778,107; male 5,994,147)
65 years and over:: 2% (female 305,502; male 310,588) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

81.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective:: Nepalese

Ethnic divisions

Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas

Languages

Nepali (official), 20 languages divided into numerous dialects

Government

Parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991; Prime Minister Man Mohan ADHIKARI (since 30 November 1994); King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (since 31 January 1972, crowned King 24 February 1985)

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

33%

NCP 33%CPN/UML 31%NDP 18%Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 3%NWPP 1%

Legislature, 205 seatsone dot, one seat

CPN/UML 88NCP 83NDP 20NWPP 4Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 3independents 7

Names

conventional long form:: Kingdom of Nepal
conventional short form:: Nepal

Type

parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991

Administrative divisions

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

National holiday

Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)

Legal system

based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

head of government:: Prime Minister Man Mohan ADHIKARI (since 30 November 1994)
chief of state:: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (since 31 January 1972, crowned King 24 February 1985);
Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, son of the King (born 21 June 1971)
cabinet:: Cabinet; appointed by the king on recommendation of the prime minister

National Council

consists of a 60-member body, 50 appointed by House of Representatives and 10 by the King

House of Representatives

elections last held on 15 November 1994 (next to be held NA);
results - NCP 33%, CPN/UML 31%, NDP 18%, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 3%, NWPP 1%;
seats - (205 total) CPN/UML 88, NCP 83, NDP 20, NWPP 4, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 3, independents 7;
note - the new Constitution of 9 November 1990 gave Nepal a multiparty democracy system for the first time in 32 years

Political parties and leaders

Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist and Leninist (CPN/UML), Prime Minister Man Mohan ADHIKARI, Deputy Prime Minister Madhav Kumar NEPAL;
Nepali Congress Party (NCP), president Krishna Prasad BHATTARAI, former Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA, Leader of the Opposition Sher Bahadur DEUBA;
National Democratic Party (NDP), Surya Bahadur THAPA;
Terai Rights Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party, Gajendra Narayan SINGH;
United People's Front (UPF), Niranjan Govinda BAIDYA;
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE;
Communist Party of Nepal (Democratic-Manandhar), B. B. MANANDHAR

Other political or pressure groups

numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups

AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Pradeep KHATIWADA
chancery:: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 667-4550
consulate(s) general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Sandra L. VOGELGESANG
embassy:: Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address:: use embassy street address
telephone:: [977] (1) 411179

FAX

[977] (1) 419963

Flag

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 bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in | the world.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,060

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: NA

Inflation, consumer prices

9.6%

(June 1994)

External debt

$2billion

(1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$455 millionExpenditures

$854 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $427 million (FY93/94 est.)

Installed generating capacity, 280,000 kW

Electricity production

920 millionElectricity consumption per capita

41 (1993)

Overview

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 90% of the population and accounting for half of GDP. Industrial activity is limited, mainly involving the processing of agricultural produce (jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain). Production of textiles and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for 85% of foreign exchange earnings in FY93/94.

Apart from agricultural land and forests, exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism. Agricultural production in the late 1980s grew by about 5%, as compared with annual population growth of 2.6%. More than 40% of the population is undernourished. Since May 1991, the government has been encouraging trade and foreign investment, e.g., by eliminating business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify domestic and foreign investment.

The government also has been cutting public expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. Prospects for foreign trade and investment in the 1990s remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, and susceptibility to natural disaster.

The international community provides funding for 70% of Nepal's developmental budget and for 30% of total budgetary expenditures. The government, realizing that attempts to reverse three years of liberalization would jeopardize this vital support, almost certainly will move ahead with its reform program in 1995-96.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $22.4 billion (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%; note - there is substantial underemployment (1994)

Exports

$593 million (f.o.b., 1993) but does not include unrecorded border trade with India

commodities:: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
partners:: India, US, Germany, UK

Imports

$899 million (c.i.f., 1993)

commodities:: petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10%
partners:: India, Singapore, Japan, Germany

Industries

small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills;
cigarette, textile, carpet, cement, and brick production;
tourism

Agriculture

rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, buffalo meat; not self-sufficient in food, particularly in drought years

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for heroin from Southeast Asia to the West

Economic aid

recipient:: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $304 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $2.23 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $30 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $286 million