World Facts Index
 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
nine-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. The newly formed interim parliament declared Nepal a democratic
federal republic at its first meeting in May 2008, the king vacated the throne
in mid-June 2008, and parliament elected the country's first president the
following month.
Geography of Nepal
|
Location:
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Southern Asia, between
China and India |
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Coordinates:
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28 00 N, 84 00 E |
|
Area:
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total: 140,800 sq km
water: 4,000 sq km
land: 136,800 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
slightly larger than
Arkansas |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,926 km
border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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varies from cool summers
and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in
south |
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Terrain:
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Terai or flat river plain
of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999) |
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Natural resources:
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quartz, water, timber,
hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt,
iron ore |
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Natural hazards:
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severe thunderstorms,
flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing,
intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons |
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Environment current issues:
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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 |
|
Geography - note:
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landlocked; strategic
location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest
peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border
with China
|
Population of Nepal
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Population:
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29,519,114 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 38.7% (male 5,648,959/female 5,291,447)
15-64 years: 57.6% (male 8,365,526/female 7,925,941)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 513,777/female 541,497) |
|
Median age:
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20.3 years |
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Growth rate:
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2.17% |
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Infant mortality:
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65.32 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 60.18 years
male: 60.43 years
female: 59.91 years |
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Fertility rate:
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4.1 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Nepalese |
|
Ethnic groups:
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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% |
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Religions:
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Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%,
other 0.9%
note: only official Hindu state in the world |
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Languages:
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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% |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.9%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of
Nepal |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy and constitutional
monarchy |
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Capital:
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Kathmandu |
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Administrative divisions:
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14 zones (anchal, singular and plural);
Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi,
Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti |
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Independence:
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1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah) |
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National holiday:
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Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946) |
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Constitution:
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9 November 1990 |
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Legal system:
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based on Hindu legal concepts and English
common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (as of 18 August 2008);
Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev GAUTAM
cabinet: selected by the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament |
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Legislative branch:
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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) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or 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) |
Economy
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 38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly
involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane,
tobacco, and grain. Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led
to a decrease in tourism, 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, its
landlocked geographic location, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to
natural disaster.
|
GDP:
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$29.29 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
2.7% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$1,000 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 38%
industry: 21%
services: 41% |
|
Inflation rate:
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7.8% |
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Labor force:
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10.4 million
note: severe lack of skilled labor |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 76%
industry: 6%
services: 18% |
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Unemployment:
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42% |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 8.5%
hydro: 91.5%
other: 0% |
|
Industries:
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tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute,
sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production |
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Agriculture:
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rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops;
milk, water buffalo meat |
|
Exports:
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carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute
goods, grain |
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Export partners:
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India 54.4%, US 16.8%, Germany 7% |
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Imports:
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gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum
products, fertilizer |
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Import partners:
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India 48.4%, China 10.7%, UAE 10.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.5% |
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Currency:
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Nepalese rupee (NPR) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |