Nepal

Broadcast media

state operates 2 TV stations, as well as national and regional radio stations; roughly 30 independent TV channels are registered with only about half in regular operation; nearly 400 FM radio stations are licensed with roughly 300 operational (2007)

Internet country code

.np

Internet users

total: 3.8 million | percent of population: 12.1% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

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: mobile-cellular telephone subscribership base is increasing with roughly 90% of the population living in areas covered by mobile carriers | international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave and fiber landlines to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 840,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 23.2 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 75 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Television broadcast stations

9 (plus 9 repeaters) (2008)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $4.085 billion | expenditures: $3.834 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

Central bank discount rate

8% (31 October 2014) | 8% (31 December 2013) | country comparison to the world: 36

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.9% (31 December 2014 est.) | 12.4% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Current account balance

$908 million (2014 est.) | $805.7 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Debt - external

$3.549 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.648 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.8 (2010) | 47.2 (2008 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Economy - overview

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world, with about one-quarter of its population living below the poverty line. Nepal is heavily dependent on remittances, which amount to as much as 22%-25% of GDP. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for more than 70% of the population and accounting for a little over one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower, with an estimated 42,000 MW of commercially feasible capacity, but political uncertainty and a difficult business climate have hampered foreign investment. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its landlocked geographic location, persistent power shortages, underdeveloped transportation infrastructure, civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The lack of political consensus in the past several years has delayed national budgets and prevented much-needed economic reform, although the government passed a full budget in 2013 and 2014. Nepal and India signed trade and investment agreements in 2014 that will increase Nepal’s hydropower potential.

Exchange rates

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - | 97.4 (2014 est.) | 93 (2013 est.) | 85.2 (2012 est.) | 74.02 (2011 est.) | 73.16 (2010 est.)

Exports

$1.124 billion (2014 est.) | $991.5 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 159

Exports - commodities

clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, juice, jute goods

Exports - partners

India 59.7%, US 8.6%, China 4.6% (2014)

Fiscal year

16 July - 15 July

GDP (official exchange rate)

$19.64 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$66.78 billion (2014 est.) | $63.31 billion (2013 est.) | $60.96 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 97

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 78.1% | government consumption: 11.2% | investment in fixed capital: 23.1% | investment in inventories: 13.9% | exports of goods and services: 13.9% | imports of goods and services: -40.3% | (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 30.7% | industry: 13.6% | services: 55.7% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,400 (2014 est.) | $2,300 (2013 est.) | $2,200 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 197

GDP - real growth rate

5.5% (2014 est.) | 3.9% (2013 est.) | 4.8% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

Gross national saving

33.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | 33.1% of GDP (2013 est.) | 34.9% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.2% | highest 10%: 29.5% (2011)

Imports

$7.282 billion (2014 est.) | $6.502 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Imports - commodities

petroleum products, machinery and equipment, gold, electrical goods, medicine

Imports - partners

India 57%, China 29.6% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

2.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.4% (2014 est.) | 10.2% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Labor force

14.76 million | note: severe lack of skilled labor (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 75% | industry: 7% | services: 18% (2010 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$9.671 billion (31 October 2014 est.) | $5.812 billion (31 October 2013 est.) | $5.235 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Population below poverty line

25.2% (2011 est.)

Public debt

30% of GDP (FY 2012/13 est.) | 32% of GDP (FY 2011/12 est.) (FY11/12) | country comparison to the world: 126

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$5.439 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | $4.434 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94

Stock of broad money

$14.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $12.55 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$103 million (31 July 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Stock of domestic credit

$13.35 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $11.82 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Stock of narrow money

$3.808 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.356 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Taxes and other revenues

20.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Unemployment rate

46% (2008 est.) | 42% (2004 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

3.638 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 206

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173

Electricity - consumption

2.832 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Electricity - exports

31 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

Electricity - from fossil fuels

7.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 198

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

92.4% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - imports

721 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity - installed generating capacity

746,000 kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131

Electricity - production

3.431 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Refined petroleum products - consumption

19,260 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Refined petroleum products - imports

21,960 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182

Area

total: 147,181 sq km | land: 143,351 sq km | water: 3,830 sq km | country comparison to the world: 94

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 (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level)

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: 9.5 cu km/yr (2%/0%/98%) | per capita: 334.7 cu m/yr (2006)

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 mountains - on the borders with China and India respectively

Irrigated land

11,680 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 3,159 km | border countries (2): China 1,389 km, India 1,770 km

Land use

agricultural land: 28.8% | arable land 15.1%; permanent crops 1.2%; permanent pasture 12.5% | forest: 25.4% | other: 45.8% (2011 est.)

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 with rugged Himalayas in north

Total renewable water resources

210.2 cu km (2011)

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

several previous; latest approved by the Constituent Assembly 16 September 2015, entered into force 20 September 2015 (2015)

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 Peter W. BODDE (since 10 September 2012) | embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu | mailing address: use embassy street address | telephone: [977] (1) 423-4000 | FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Arjun Kumar KARKI (since 18 May 2015) | chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 | FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 | consulate(s) general: Cleveland (OH), New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (since 23 July 2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (since 23 July 2008) | head of government: Prime Minister Sushil KOIRALA (since 11 February 2014) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet dominated by the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist | elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Constituency Assembly; term extends until the new constitution is promulgated; president elected on 21 July 2008 (next election NA); prime minister indirectly elected by the Constituent Assembly | election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president; Constituent Assembly vote count in second round - Ram Baran YADAV (Nepali Congress) 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH (UCPN(M)) 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 displays a white 12-pointed sun; the color red represents the rhododendron (Nepal's national flower) and is a sign of victory and bravery, the blue border signifies peace and harmony; the two right triangles are a combination of two single pennons (pennants) that originally symbolized the Himalaya Mountains while their charges represented the families of the king (upper) and the prime minister, but today they are understood to denote Hinduism and Buddhism, the country's two main religions; the moon represents the serenity of the Nepalese people and the shade and cool weather in the Himalayas, while the sun depicts the heat and higher temperatures of the lower parts of Nepal; the moon and the sun are also said to express the hope that the nation will endure as long as these heavenly bodies | note: Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular or square

Government type

federal democratic republic

Independence

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ADB, BIMSTEC, CD, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and up to 14 judges) | judge selection and term of office: the Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the prime minister on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council; other judges appointed by the prime minister on the recommendation of the Judicial Council; judges serve until age 65 | subordinate courts: appellate and district courts | note: Nepal's judiciary was restructured under its 2007 Interim Constitution

Legal system

English common law and Hindu legal concepts

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Constituent Assembly or Sambidhan Sabha (601 seats; 240 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 335 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation (PR) vote and 26 appointed by the cabinet (Council of Ministers); note - political parties allocated more than 30 percent of the PR seats are obliged to follow specified quotas for ethnic groups and within them equal percentages of men and women | elections: last held on 19 November 2013 (next to be held NA) | election results: percent of vote by party - NC 26%, CPN-UML 24%, Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) 15%, Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal 7%; other 28%; seats by party - NC 196, CPN-UML 175, UCPN(M) 80, Rastriya Prajantantra Party Nepal 24, other smaller parties 100; note - 26 seats filled by the new Cabinet have not yet been appointed

National anthem

name: "Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka" (Hundreds of Flowers) | lyrics/music: Pradeep Kumar RAI/Ambar GURUNG | note: adopted 2007; after the abolition of the monarchy in 2006, a new anthem was required because of the previous anthem's praise for the king

National holiday

Republic Day, 28 May (2008), the abdication of Gyanendra SHAH, last Nepalese monarch, and the establishment of a federal republic

National symbol(s)

rhododendron blossom; national color: red

Political parties and leaders

note: 120 political parties participated in the 19 November 2013 election and the 30 parties listed below were elected to serve in the Constituent Assembly | Akhanda Nepal Party [Kumar KHADKA] | Communist Party of Nepal-Marxist Leninist [C.P. MAINALI] | Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist or UML [Jhalanath KHANAL] | Communist Party of Nepal (United) [Chandra Dev JOSHI] | Dalit Janajati Party [Bishwendra PASHWAN] | Federal Socialist Party [Ashok RAI] | Jana Jagaran Party Nepal [Lok Mani DHAKAL] | Khambuwan Rastriya Morcha-Nepal [Ram Kumar RAI] | Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Democratic [Bijay Kumar GACHCHADAR] | Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Nepal [Upendra YADAV] | Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Republican [Raj Kishore YADAV] | Madhes Samata Party Nepal [Meghraj SAHANI] | National Madhes Socialist Party [Sharat Singh BHANDARI] | Nepal Pariwar Dal [Ek Nath DHAKAL] | Nepal Workers and Peasants Party [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE] | Nepali Congress [Sushil KOIRALA] | Nepali Janata Dal [Hari Charan SAH] | Nepa Rastriya Party [Keshav Man SHAKYA] | Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal [Chitra Bahadur K.C.] | Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA] | Rastriya Prajatantra Party [Surya Bahadur THAPA] | Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal [Kamal THAPA] | Sadbhavana Party [Rajendra MAHATO] | Samajbadi Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH] | Sanghiya Sadbhavana Party [Anil JHA] | Sanghiye Lokatantrik Rastriya Manch [Rukmini CHAUDARY] | Terai Madhes Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR] | Terai Madhes Sadbhavana Party-Nepal [Mahendra YADAV] | Tharuhat Terai Party Nepal [Bhanuram CHAUDARY] | Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) or UCPN(M) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: various groups advocating regional autonomy such as the Federal State Limbuwan Council in far eastern Nepal

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led by Maoists broke out in 1996. The ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and the re-assumption of absolute power by the king in 2002. 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 late 2006 peace accord and the 2007 promulgation of an interim constitution. Following a nationwide Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, the newly formed CA declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, abolished the monarchy, and elected the country's first president. After the CA failed to draft a constitution by a May 2012 deadline set by the Supreme Court, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. Months of negotiations ensued until March 2013 when the major political parties agreed to create an interim government headed by then-Chief Justice Khil Raj REGMI with a mandate to hold elections for a new CA. Elections were held in November 2013, in which the Nepali Congress won the largest share of seats in the CA and in February 2014 formed a coalition government with the second place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist and with Nepali Congress President Sushil KOIRALA as prime minister. The new government failed to meet its January 2015 deadline for a new constitution primarily due to continuing disagreement over federal restructuring.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 6,941,152 | females age 16-49: 7,618,397 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 5,260,878 | females age 16-49: 5,947,512 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 380,172 | female: 367,103 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Nepal Army (2012)

Military expenditures

NA% (2012) | 1.41% of GDP (2011) | NA% (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2014)

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.72% (male 4,937,627/female 4,755,972) | 15-24 years: 22.51% (male 3,580,083/female 3,522,047) | 25-54 years: 36.5% (male 5,552,621/female 5,964,599) | 55-64 years: 5.67% (male 874,350/female 913,683) | 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 668,760/female 781,563) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

20.64 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 2,467,549 | percentage: 34% (2008 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

29.1% (2011) | country comparison to the world: 17

Contraceptive prevalence rate

49.7% (2011)

Death rate

6.56 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 61.8% | youth dependency ratio: 52.9% | elderly dependency ratio: 9% | potential support ratio: 11.1% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 90.9% of population | rural: 91.8% of population | total: 91.6% of population | urban: 9.1% of population | rural: 8.2% of population | total: 8.4% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 87

Ethnic groups

Chhettri 16.6%, Brahman-Hill 12.2%, Magar 7.1%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.8%, Newar 5%, Kami 4.8%, Muslim 4.4%, Yadav 4%, Rai 2.3%, Gurung 2%, Damai/Dholii 1.8%, Thakuri 1.6%, Limbu 1.5%, Sarki 1.4%, Teli 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.3%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 19% | note: 125 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2011 national census (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,600 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

38,800 (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Health expenditures

6% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 125

Hospital bed density

5 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate

total: 39.14 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 39.24 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 39.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Languages

Nepali (official) 44.6%, Maithali 11.7%, Bhojpuri 6%, Tharu 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.2%, Magar 3%, Bajjika 3%, Urdu 2.6%, Avadhi 1.9%, Limbu 1.3%, Gurung 1.2%, other 10.4%, unspecified 0.2% | note: 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2011 national census; many in government and business also speak English (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 67.52 years | male: 66.18 years | female: 68.92 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 63.9% | male: 76.4% | female: 53.1% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever | vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever (2013)

Major urban areas - population

KATHMANDU (capital) 1.183 million (2015)

Median age

total: 23.4 years | male: 22.8 years | female: 24 years (2015 est.)

Nationality

noun: Nepali (singular and plural) | adjective: Nepali

Net migration rate

3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 33

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

2.9% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 189

Population

31,551,305 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

Population growth rate

1.79% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Religions

Hindu 81.3%, Buddhist 9%, Muslim 4.4%, Kirant 3.1%, Christian 1.4%, other 0.5%, unspecifed 0.2% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 56% of population | rural: 43.5% of population | total: 45.8% of population | urban: 44% of population | rural: 56.5% of population | total: 54.2% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years | male: 12 years | female: 12 years (2011)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female | total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.24 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Urbanization

urban population: 18.6% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 3.18% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 sq km 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

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): 23,059 (Bhutan); 15,000 (Tibet/China) (2014) | IDPs: 59,433 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; figure does not include people displaced since 2007 by inter-communal violence and insecurity in the Terai region; 2015 earthquakes) (2015) | stateless persons: undetermined (2013); note - in 2007-2008 the government distributed 2.6 million citizenship certificates to the 3.4 million people without one; the remaining 800,000 without citizenship certificates are not necessarily stateless, and the UNHCR is working with the Nepali Government to clarify their situation; lesser numbers of Bhutanese Hindu refugees of Nepali origin (the Lhotsampa) who were stripped of Bhutanese nationality and forced to flee their country in the late 1980s and early 1990s - and undocumented Tibetan refugees who arrived in Nepal prior to the 1990s - are considered stateless

Airports

47 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 95

Airports - with paved runways

total: 11 | over 3,047 m: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 | 914 to 1,523 m: 6 | under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 36 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 6 | 29 (2013)

Railways

total: 53 km | narrow gauge: 53 km 0.762-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 131

Roadways

total: 10,844 km | paved: 4,952 km | unpaved: 5,892 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 132