Nepal

Kingdom of Nepal

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

Nepal as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 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

24.3 million July 1999 est. · 19.15m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.51% 1999 est. · 2.43% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

58.42 years 1999 est. · 51.98 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.78 children per woman 1999 est. · 5.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

73.58 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 99 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,100 1998 est. · $170 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.9% 1998 est. · 3.1% in 1993

Geography

Southern Asia, between China and India

18 fields

Land useshare of 140,800 sq km

arable land 17%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 15%forests and woodland 42%other 26% (1993 est.)irrigated 8,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

140,800sq km

land: 136,800 sq kmwater: 4,000 sq kmslightly larger than Arkansas

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

8,848m

Mount Everestlowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m

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

Natural resources

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

Natural hazards

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

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)

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography--note

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

People

16 fields

Population

24,302,653

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.51% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

35.32Death

10.18Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)58.42

58.47 · 58.36

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)27.5%

40.9% · 14%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions(1981)

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 41% (male 5,182,829; female 4,869,895)
15-64 years:: 55% (male 6,856,905; female 6,571,916)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 407,797; female 413,311) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

73.58 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

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

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

Nepali (official), 20 other languages divided into numerous dialects

People--note

refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately 91,000 Bhutanese refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps

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); Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 15 April 1998)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

33%

-NCP 33%CPN/UML 31%NDP 18%Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3%NWPP 1%House of Representatives--last held 15 November 1994 (next to be held 3 May 1999)

Legislature, 205 seatsone dot, one seat

- CPN/UML 88NCP 83NDP 20NWPP 4Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3independents 7

Country name

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

Data code

Government type

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);
Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram
head of government:: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 15 April 1998)
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections:: none;
the monarch is hereditary;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: House of Representatives--last held 15 November 1994 (next to be held 3 May 1999)
election results:: House of Representatives--percent of vote by party--NCP 33%, CPN/UML 31%, NDP 18%, Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3%, NWPP 1%;
seats by party-- CPN/UML 88, NCP 83, NDP 20, NWPP 4, Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3, independents 7

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

Communist Party of Nepal/United Madhar KUMAR, general secretary];
Nepali Congress Party or NCP general secretary];
National Democratic Party or NDP (also called party chair]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador THAPA Bekh Bahadur
chancery:: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general:: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Ralph FRANK
embassy:: Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address:: use embassy street address

Flag description

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 with nearly half of its population living | below the poverty line.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,100

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

4.9%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 14.7% (FY94/95 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

7.8%

(1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

42%

(1995-96 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 41%industry 22%services 37% (1997)

Budget

Revenues

$536 millionExpenditures

$818 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.)

Electricity

fossil fuel 3.1%hydro 96.9%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

1.032 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

1.013 billion (1996)Electricity exports

89 million (1996)Electricity imports

70 million (1996)

Economy--overview

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with nearly half of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 41% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.

Production of textiles and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in the past three years. Apart from agricultural land and forests, exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism. Agricultural production is growing by about 5% on average as compared with annual population growth of 2.5%. 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 expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. More recently, however, political instability--five different governments over the past few years--has hampered Kathmandu's ability to forge consensus to implement key economic reforms.

Nepal has considerable scope for accelerating economic growth by exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

The international community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth.