Nepal

Kingdom of Nepal

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

Nepal as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 86 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

Position28 00 N, 84 00 E

Area140,800 sq km

LocationSouthern Asia, between China and India

Populationas each edition published it

22.09 million July 1996 est. · 19.15m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.45% 1996 est. · 2.43% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

53.63 years 1996 est. · 51.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.06 children per woman 1996 est. · 5.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

79 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 99 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,200 1995 est. · $170 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.3% 1995 est. · 3.1% in 1993

Geography

Southern Asia, between China and India

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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

border countries: 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

lowest point:: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point:: Mount Everest 8,848 m

Natural resources

quartz, water, timber, hydropower 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 - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic note

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

People

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Population

22,094,033

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 2.45% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

37Death

12.56Net migration

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years53.63

53.35 · 53.93

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy27.5%

40.9% · 14%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 42% (male 4,776,245; female 4,563,000)
15-64 years:: 55% (male 6,172,821; female 5,945,626)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 320,350; female 315,991) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.01 male(s)/female
all ages:: 1.04 male(s)/female (1996 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 other languages divided into numerous dialects

Government

Parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991; King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (succeeded to the throne 31 January 1972 following the death of his father King MAHENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, crowned king 24 February 1975) is a constitutional monarch; Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA (since 12 September 1995)

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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

Name of country

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

Data code

Type of government

parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991

Capital

Kathmandu

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

National holiday

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

Constitution

9 November 1990

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (succeeded to the throne 31 January 1972 following the death of his father King MAHENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, crowned king 24 February 1975) is a constitutional monarch;
Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram
head of government:: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA (since 12 September 1995);
note - in 1994, the king appointed Man Mohan ADHIKARI to be prime minister using the standard criterion - he was the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives following the last election;
however, in September 1995, a parliamentary coalition of the Nepali Congress Party, the Rastriya Prajantra Party, the Nepal Sadbhavana Party, and independents voted against Prime Minister ADHIKARI;
Sher Bahadur DEUBA, the leader of the Nepali Congress Party, then formed the new government and was appointed the new prime minister by the king
cabinet:: Cabinet was appointed by the king on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament

National Council

consists of 60 members (50 appointed by House of Representatives and 10 by the king)

House of Representatives

elections last held 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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat), chief justice is appointed by the king on recommendation of the Constitutional Council, the other judges are appointed by the king on the recommendation of the Judicial Council

Political parties and leaders

Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist and Leninist (CPN/UML), Man Mohan ADHIKARI, president;
Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Krishna Prasad BHATTARAI (president), Girija Prasad KOIRALA, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA;
National Democratic Party (NDP), leader NA;
Terai Rights Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party, Gajendra Narayan SINGH;
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), leader NA;
Nepal Sadbhavana Party, leader NA;
Rastriya Prajantra Party, leader NA

Other political or pressure groups

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

International organization participation

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, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIH, UNPROFOR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Basudev Prasad DHUNGANA
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.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$1,200

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

2.3%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 14.7% (FY94/95 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

6.7%

(FY94/95)

Labor force

8.5million

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

GDP composition by sector(1993)

agriculture 49.3%industry 18.4%services 32.3% (1993)

Budget

Revenues

$645 millionExpenditures

$1.05 billion

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

Installed generating capacity, 280,000 kW

Electricity production

920 millionElectricity consumption per capita

41 (1993)

Economic 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 80% of the population and accounting for about one-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 moving forward with economic reforms particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by eliminating business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify investment procedures.

The government has also been cutting public expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. (In 1995 little progress was made in these areas because the communist government had trouble formulating and implementing policies.) The new coalition government is planning to pick up the pace of reforms in 1996, focusing primarily on raising revenues to develop the rural sector by increasing taxation and privatization.

Prospects for foreign trade and investment, particularly in areas other than power development and tourism, will continue to remain poor because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community provides funding for 62% of Nepal's developmental budget and for 34% of total budgetary expenditures.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $25.2 billion (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%; substantial underemployment (1995)

Industries

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

Agriculture

rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Illicit drugs

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

Exports

$430 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) but does not include unrecorded border trade with India

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

Imports

$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

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

External debt

$2.3 billion (FY94/95 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $310 million (1993) note: western and Japanese bilateral aid $215 million; multilateral aid $43 million (1994-95)

Currency

1 Nepalese rupee (NR) = 100 paisa

Exchange rates

Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1 - 56.636 (January 1996), 51.890 (1995), 49.398 (1994), 48.607 (1993), 42.718 (1992), 37.255 (1991)

Fiscal year

16 July - 15 July

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 43 in all

over 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

9,933Railways

101

Highways: paved: 3,421 km · unpaved: 6,512 km (1995 est.) · Railways: ; note - all in Terai close to Indian border · narrow gauge: 101 km 0.762-m gauge