Nepal

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 224,184 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)

Broadcast media

state operates 3 TV stations, as well as national and regional radio stations; 88 independent TV channels are registered with only 25 in regular operation; 672 FM radio stations are licensed with 588 operational (2016)

Internet country code

.np

Internet users

total: 5,716,419 (July 2016 est.) | percent of population: 19.7% (July 2016 est.)

Telephone system

general assessment: mountainous topography hinders development of telecom infrastructure; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network (2016) | domestic: mobile service has been extended to all 75 districts covering 90% of Nepal’s land area; disparity between high coverage in cities and coverage available in underdeveloped rural regions (2016) | international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave and fiber landlines to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 861,299 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2017 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 32,120,305 (July 2016 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (July 2016 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: 5.925 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 5.945 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central bank discount rate

7% (30 July 2017) | 7% (30 July 2016)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

11.3% (31 December 2017 est.) | 8.9% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current account balance

-$93 million (2017 est.) | $1.339 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$5.849 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $4.321 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.8 (2010) | 47.2 (2008 est.)

Economy - overview

Nepal is among the 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 30% of GDP. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for almost two-thirds of the population but accounting for less than a 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. Nepal has signed trade and investment agreements with India, China, and other countries, but political uncertainty and a difficult business climate have hampered foreign investment. The United States and Nepal signed a $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact in September 2017 which will expand Nepal’s electricity infrastructure and help maintain transportation infrastructure. Massive earthquakes struck Nepal in early 2015, which damaged or destroyed infrastructure and homes and set back economic development. Although political gridlock and lack of capacity have hindered post-earthquake recovery, government-led reconstruction efforts have progressively picked up speed, although many hard hit areas still have seen little assistance. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its landlocked geographic location, inconsistent electricity supply, and underdeveloped transportation infrastructure.

Exchange rates

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - | 104 (2017 est.) | 107.38 (2016 est.) | 107.38 (2015 est.) | 102.41 (2014 est.) | 99.53 (2013 est.)

Exports

$818.7 million (2017 est.) | $761.6 million (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

India 53.1%, US 11.8%, Turkey 7.2% (2017)

Fiscal year

16 July - 15 July

GDP (official exchange rate)

$24.88 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$79.19 billion (2017 est.) | $73.39 billion (2016 est.) | $72.96 billion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 78% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 11.7% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 33.8% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 8.7% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 9.8% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -42% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 27% (2017 est.) | industry: 13.5% (2017 est.) | services: 59.5% (2017 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,700 (2017 est.) | $2,500 (2016 est.) | $2,500 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - real growth rate

7.9% (2017 est.) | 0.6% (2016 est.) | 3.3% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving

45.4% of GDP (2017 est.) | 40.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | 44% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$10 billion (2017 est.) | $8.764 billion (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

India 70.2%, China 7.5% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

12.4% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.5% (2017 est.) | 9.9% (2016 est.)

Labor force

16.81 million (2017 est.) | note: severe lack of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 69% | industry: 12% | services: 19% (2015 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$17.57 billion (31 October 2017 est.) | $19.4 billion (31 October 2016 est.) | $11.37 billion (31 October 2015 est.)

Population below poverty line

25.2% (2011 est.)

Public debt

26.4% of GDP (2017 est.) | 27.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$9.091 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $8.506 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of broad money

$5.505 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $4.857 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$103 million (31 July 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$21.99 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $17.94 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$5.505 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $4.857 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

3% (2017 est.) | 3.2% (2016 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

8.396 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

4.983 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

2.69 million kWh (FY 2017 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

92% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

2.175 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

943,100 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

4.244 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

population without electricity: 6.6 million (2013) | electrification - total population: 76% (2013) | electrification - urban areas: 97% (2013) | electrification - rural areas: 72% (2013)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

27,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

26,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Area

total: 147,181 sq km | land: 143,351 sq km | water: 3,830 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than New York state

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

mean elevation: 2,565 m | elevation extremes: 70 m lowest point: Kanchan Kalan | 8848 highest point: Mount Everest (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); forest degradation; soil erosion; contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); unmanaged solid-waste; 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

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

13,320 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 3,159 km | border countries (2): China 1389 km, India 1770 km

Land use

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

Population distribution

most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low

Terrain

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

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)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent only: yes | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest approved by the Second Constituent Assembly 16 September 2015, signed by the president and effective 20 September 2015 (2017) | amendments: proposed as a bill by either house of the Federal Parliament; bills affecting a state border or powers delegated to a state must be submitted to the affected state assembly; passage of such bills requires a majority vote of that state assembly membership; bills not requiring state assembly consent require at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of the Federal Parliament; parts of the constitution on the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty vested in the people cannot be amended; amended January 2016 (2017)

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 | etymology: the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas apparently gave their name to the country; the terms "Nepal," "Newar," "Nepar," and "Newal" are phonetically different forms of the same word

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Randy BERRY (since 25 October 2018) | embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal | mailing address: US Embassy, Maharajgunj Chakrapath, Kathmandu, Nepal 44600 | 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

head of government: Prime Minister Khadga Prasad (KP) Sharma OLI (since 15 February 2018); deputy prime ministers (vacant); note - Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA resigned on 15 February 2018 | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet dominated by the CPN-UML and MC | elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of the Federal Parliament and of the state assemblies for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament | election results: Bidhya Devi BHANDARI reelected president; electoral vote - Bidhya Devi BHANDARI (CPN-UML 39,275, Kumari Laxmi RAI (NC) 11,730 | head of state: President Bidhya Devi BANDHARI (since 29 October 2015); Vice President Nanda Bahadar PUN (since 31 October 2015)

Flag description

crimson 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 parliamentary 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 courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and up to 20 judges) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, a 5-member, high-level advisory body headed by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Judicial Council, a 5-member advisory body headed by the chief justice; the chief justice serves a 6-year term; judges serve until age 65 | subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Appeal; district courts | note: Nepal's judiciary was restructured under its 2007 Interim Constitution

Legal system

English common law and Hindu legal concepts; note - new criminal and civil codes come into effect mid-August 2018

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of: National Assembly (59 seats; 56 members, including at least 3 women, 1 Dalit, 1 member with disabilities, or 1 minority indirectly elected by an electoral college of state and municipal government leaders, and 3 members, including 1 woman, nominated by the president of Nepal on the recommendation of the government; members serve 6-year terms with renewal of one-third of the membership every 2 years) House of Representatives (275 seats; 165 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) | elections: first election for the National Assembly held on 7 February 2018 (next to be held in 2024) first election for House of Representatives held on 26 November and 7 December 2017 (next to be held in 2022) | election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-ML 27, CPN-MC 13, NC 12, FSFN 2, RJPN 2; composition - men 37, women 22, percent of women 37.3% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-UML 121, NC 63, CPN-MC 53, RJPN 17, FSFN 16, other 4, independent 1; composition - men 185, women 90, percent of women 32.7%; note - total Federal Parliament percent of women 33.5%

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

Constitution Day, 20 September (2015); note - marks the promulgation of Nepal’s constitution in 2015 and replaces the previous 28 May Republic Day as the official national day in Nepal; the Gregorian day fluctuates based on Nepal’s Hindu calendar

National symbol(s)

rhododendron blossom; national color: red

Political parties and leaders

note: the Election Commission of Nepal granted ballot access under the proportional system to 88 political parties for the November-December 2017 House of Representatives election to the Federal Parliament; of these, the following 9 parties and 1 independent won seats

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

During the late 18th-early 19th centuries, the principality of Gorkha united many of the other principalities and states of the sub-Himalayan region into a Nepalese Kingdom. Nepal retained its independence following the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16 and the subsequent peace treaty laid the foundations for two centuries of amicable relations between Britain and Nepal. (The Brigade of Gurkhas continues to serve in the British Army to the present day.) 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. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. 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. Nepal's new constitution came into effect in September 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament. Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI served as the first post-constitution prime minister from October 2015-August 2016, when a new coalition led by Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (aka "Prachanda") took over the premiership. The constitution provided for a transitional period during which three sets of elections – local, provincial, and national – needed to take place. The first local elections in 20 years occurred in three phases between May and September 2017, while state and federal elections proceeded in two phases in November and December 2017. A coalition led by OLI and DAHAL swept the elections, and OLI was sworn in as prime minister in February 2018.

Military branches

Nepal Army (2018)

Military expenditures

1.52% of GDP (2016) | 1.54% of GDP (2015) | 1.63% of GDP (2014) | 1.54% of GDP (2013) | 1.43% of GDP (2012)

Military service age and obligation

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.54% (male 4,578,768 /female 4,198,913) | 15-24 years: 21.52% (male 3,250,614 /female 3,145,807) | 25-54 years: 37.18% (male 4,987,071 /female 6,061,616) | 55-64 years: 6.42% (male 917,342 /female 991,937) | 65 years and over: 5.34% (male 785,893 /female 799,626) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × South Asia :: Nepal Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Nepal. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

19.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

27% (2016)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

52.6% (2017)

Death rate

5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 61.4 (2015 est.) | youth dependency ratio: 52.5 (2015 est.) | elderly dependency ratio: 8.8 (2015 est.) | potential support ratio: 11.3 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

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

Education expenditures

3.7% of GDP (2015)

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% (2011 est.) | note: 125 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2011 national census

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,300 (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

31,000 (2017 est.)

Health expenditures

5.8% of GDP (2014)

Hospital bed density

3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 26.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 28.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | female: 25.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

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% (2011 est.) | note: 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2011 national census; many in government and business also speak English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.3 years (2018 est.) | male: 70.6 years (2018 est.) | female: 72 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

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

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high (2016) | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever (2016) | vectorborne diseases: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever (2016)

Major urban areas - population

1.33 million KATHMANDU (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality rate

258 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

total: 24.5 years | male: 23.2 years | female: 25.8 years (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.8 years (2016 est.) | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.1% (2016)

Physicians density

0.6 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

29,717,587 (July 2018 est.)

Population distribution

most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low

Population growth rate

1.09% (2018 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years (2015) | male: 12 years (2015) | female: 13 years (2015)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 25-54 years: 0.82 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.07 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 3.5% (2008 est.) | male: 4.2% (2008 est.) | female: 2.9% (2008 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 19.7% of total population (2018) | rate of urbanization: 3.15% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Terrorist groups - foreign based

Indian Mujahedeen (IM): aim(s): enhance networks in Nepal to carry out attacks against Indians in Nepal and India area(s) of operation: maintains active hubs of small, loosely connected networks (April 2018)

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 RiverIndia has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of 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): 13,509 (Tibet/China), 7,422 (Bhutan) (2017) | IDPs: 50,000 (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) (2016) | stateless persons: undetermined (2016); note - the UNHCR is working with the Nepali Government to address the large number of individuals lacking citizenship certificates in Nepal; smaller numbers of Bhutanese Hindu refugees of Nepali origin (the Lhotshampa) 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)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 11 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2017) | 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2017) | under 914 m: 1 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9N (2016)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 4 (2015) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 15 (2015) | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 510,341 (2015) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4,536,371 mt-km (2015)

Railways

total: 53 km (2014) | narrow gauge: 53 km 0.762-m gauge (2014)

Roadways

total: 27,990 km (2016) | paved: 11,890 km (2016) | unpaved: 16,100 km (2016)