Nepal

Internet country code

.np

Internet hosts

43,411 (2009) country comparison to the world: 87

Internet users

499,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 108

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 80, shortwave 4 (2008)

Telephone system

general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone service subscribership base only about 15 per 100 persons international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

805,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 87

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 94

Television broadcast stations

9 (plus 9 repeaters) (2008)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.7 billion expenditures: $2.3 billion (FY08)

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 6.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA% (31 December 2008)

Current account balance

$241 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $58 million (2007)

Debt - external

$3.285 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $3.07 billion (March 2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

47.2 (2008) country comparison to the world: 35 36.7 (1996)

Economy - overview

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for about one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Bumper crops, better security, improved transportation, and increased tourism pushed growth past 5% in 2008, after growth had hovered around 3% - barely above the rate of population growth - for the previous three years. The deteriorating world economy in 2009 will challenge tourism and remittance growth, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for 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 and landlocked geographic location, its civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

Electricity - consumption

2.243 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Electricity - exports

140 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

213 million kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

2.781 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Exchange rates

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 65.21 (2008), 70.35 (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004)

Exports

$868 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 153 $830 million (2006)

Exports - commodities

clothing, carpets, leather goods, jute goods, pulses, grain

Exports - partners

India 59.2%, US 8.7%, Bangladesh 8.3%, Germany 4.3% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.28 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$31.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $29.81 billion (2007 est.) $28.86 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 32.5% industry: 16.6% services: 50.9% (FY07 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 $1,100 (2007 est.) $1,100 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 3.3% (2007 est.) 3.4% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 40.6% (2006)

Imports

$3.229 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 135 $2.398 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities

petroleum products, machinery and equipment, electrical goods

Imports - partners

India 55.4%, China 13.3%, Singapore 2% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

1.8% (FY08) country comparison to the world: 110

Industries

tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 6.4% (2007 est.)

Labor force

14.6 million country comparison to the world: 39 note: severe lack of skilled labor (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 76% industry: 6% services: 18% (2004 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$5.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 88 $4.909 billion (31 December 2007) $1.805 billion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - consumption

18,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Oil - imports

16,920 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Population below poverty line

30.9% (2004)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$5.556 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 $5.636 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$2.106 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 $2.184 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$4.885 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 $4.745 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

46% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 42% (2004 est.)

Area

total: 147,181 sq km country comparison to the world: 93 land: 143,351 sq km water: 3,830 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Arkansas

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions

Environment - international agreements

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%) per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

28 00 N, 84 00 E

Geography - note

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 - on the borders with China and India respectively

Irrigated land

11,700 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Land use

arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005)

Location

Southern Asia, between China and India

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

210.2 cu km (1999)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

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)

Constitution

15 January 2007 (interim Constitution); note - in April 2008, a Constituent Assembly was elected to draft and promulgate a new constitution by May 2010

Country name

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal local short form: Nepal

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200 FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kali POKHREL chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (as of 23 July 2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (as of 23 July 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar NEPAL (as of 25 May 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar GACHHEDAR cabinet: cabinet formed in August 2008 by a majority coalition made up of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist, Madhesi People's Rights Forum, and several smaller parties elections: president elected by Parliament; term extends until the new constitution is promulgated; election last held 21 July 2008; date of next election NA election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008; Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282

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

Government type

federal democratic republic

Independence

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

International organization participation

ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (the president appoints the chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the chief justice appoints other judges on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers)) elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote by party - CPN-M 38%, NC 19%, CPN-UML 19%,Madhesi People's Right Forum 9%, Terai-Madhes Democratic Party and Sadbhavana Party 5%, other 10%; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi People's Rights Forum 52, Terai-Madhes Democratic Party 20, Sadbhawana Party 9, other smaller parties 61; note - 26 seats filled by the new Cabinet

National holiday

Republic Day, 29 May; Democracy Day, 24 April

Political parties and leaders

Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (ML) [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Unified) [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal (United) [Ganesh SHAH]; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Jhalanath KHANAL]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN]; Madhesi People's Rights Forum [Upendra YADAV]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP); Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Vinod DANGI]; Nepal Rastriya Party [Khushilal YADAV]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi) [Shyam Sundar GUPTA]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Bharat Prasad MAHATO]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA]; Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party (Mahato) [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch [Kamal CHHARAHANG]; Terai-Madhes Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR]; United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for individual ethnic groups

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led by Maoist extremists broke out in 1996. The ensuing ten-year civil war between insurgents and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and assumption of absolute power by the king. Several weeks of mass protests in April 2006 were followed by several months of peace negotiations between the Maoists and government officials, and culminated in a November 2006 peace accord and the promulgation of an interim constitution. Following a nation-wide election in April 2008, the newly formed Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a federal democratic republic and abolished the monarchy at its first meeting the following month. The Constituent Assembly elected the country's first president in July. The Maoists, who received a plurality of votes in the Constituent Assembly election, formed a coalition government in August 2008.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 7,322,965 females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 4,886,103 females age 16-49: 5,525,764 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 365,567 female: 352,643 (2009 est.)

Military branches

Nepal Army (2009)

Military expenditures

1.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 104

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.6% (male 5,327,484/female 5,127,178) 15-64 years: 59.2% (male 8,094,494/female 8,812,675) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 566,666/female 634,880) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

23.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Death rate

6.97 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Education expenditures

3.4% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 133

Ethnic groups

Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

70,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Infant mortality rate

total: 47.46 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 54 male: 47.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 47.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census) note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.46 years country comparison to the world: 165 male: 64.3 years female: 66.67 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.6% male: 62.7% female: 34.9% (2001 census)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever (2009)

Median age

total: 20.8 years male: 19.8 years female: 21.7 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese

Net migration rate

-3.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Population

28,563,377 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Population growth rate

1.281% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Religions

Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) note: only official Hindu state in the world

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2003)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.64 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Urbanization

urban population: 17% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990

Illicit drugs

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China) IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)

Airports

47 (2009) country comparison to the world: 93

Airports - with paved runways

total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 30 (2009)

Railways

total: 59 km country comparison to the world: 130 narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 17,282 km country comparison to the world: 120 paved: 10,142 km unpaved: 7,140 km (2007)