Country Guide

Nepal Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

Location:
Southern Asia, between China and India


Geographic coordinates:
28 00 N, 84 00 E


Map references:
Asia


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


Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arkansas


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


Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)


Maritime claims:
lowest point:Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point:Mount Everest 8,850 m (highest point in Asia)


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


Land use:
arable land:16%
permanent crops:0.8%
other:83.2% (2011)


    Irrigated land:
11,680 sq km (2003)


Total renewable water resources:
210.2 cu km (2011)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
210.2 cu km (2011)

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


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


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

People and Society

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


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%


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%


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


Population:
30,986,975 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 42


Age structure:
0-14 years:31.6% (male 4,989,268/female 4,805,381)
15-24 years:22.6% (male 3,521,421/female 3,484,203)
25-54 years:35.7% (male 5,273,079/female 5,775,404)
55-64 years:5.6% (male 847,431/female 886,760)
65 years and over:4.5% (male 648,917/female 755,111) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:64 %
youth dependency ratio:55.4 %
elderly dependency ratio:8.6 %
potential support ratio:11.7 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:22.9 years
male:22.2 years
female:23.6 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
1.82% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 66


Birth rate:
21.07 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 79


Death rate:
6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 144


Net migration rate:
3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 32


Urbanization:
urban population:17% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:3.62% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
KATHMANDU (capital) 1.015 million (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years:0.91 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.87 male(s)/female
total population:0.96 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Mother's mean age at first birth:
20.1


Maternal mortality rate:
170 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


    Infant mortality rate:
total:40.43 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 53
male:40.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female:40.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


Life expectancy at birth:
total population:67.19 yearscountry comparison to the world: 165
male:65.88 years
female:68.56 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
2.3 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 93


Contraceptive prevalence rate:
49.7% (2011)


Health expenditures:
5.4% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2004)


Hospital bed density:
4.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 90.3% of population
rural: 87.6% of population
total: 88.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 9.7% of population
rural: 12.4% of population
total: 11.9% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 51.2% of population
rural: 33.7% of population
total: 36.7% of population
unimproved:
urban: 48.8% of population
rural: 66.3% of population
total: 63.3% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 99


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
48,700 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 61


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,100 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 44


Major infectious diseases:


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
1.4% (2008)country comparison to the world: 189


Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
29.1% (2011)country comparison to the world: 18


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

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:57.4%
male:71.1%
female:46.7% (2011 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:12 years
male:12 years
female:13 years (2011)


Child labor - children ages 5-14:

Government

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


Government type:
federal democratic republic


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)


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:
Republic Day, 29 May


Constitution:
several previous; latest entered into force 15 January 2007 (interim); note -a Constituent Assembly (CA) elected in 2008 to draft and promulgate a new constitution was unsuccessful and was disolved in mid-2012; a new CA was elected in late 2013 and the parties have committed to promulgating a new constitution by mid-February 2015 (2014)


Legal system:
English common law and Hindu legal concepts


International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


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:Prime Minister Koirala on 25 February 2014 appointed the cabinet ministers; the cabinet is dominated by the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist
elections:president elected by Parliament; term extends until the new constitution is promulgated; president elected on 21 July 2008 (next election NA)
election results:Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the Constituent Assembly in second round; Ram Baran YADAV 308 votes, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282


Legislative branch:
unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 members elected by direct popular vote, 335 by proportional representation, and 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers); note - interim government Chairman REGMI convened Nepal's second Constituency Assembly on 22 January 2014
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 26%; 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


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


    Political parties and leaders:
The Communist Party of Nepal - Maoist (CPN-M); note - this party split from the UCPN(M) in June 2012,opposed the November 2013 elections, and is not represented in the current Constituent Assembly
other:a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy such as the Federal State Limbuwan Council in far eastern Nepal


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


Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Rishi Ram GHIMIRE (since 22 January 2014)
chancery:2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:[1] (202) 667-4550
FAX:[1] (202) 667-5534
consulate(s) general:New York


Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Peter W. BODDE (since 21 September 2012)
embassy:Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
mailing address:use embassy street address
telephone:[977] (1) 423-4000
FAX:[977] (1) 400-7272


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


National symbol(s):
rhododendron blossom


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

Economy

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.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$42.06 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
$40.57 billion (2012 est.)
$38.7 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$19.34 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
4.9% (2012 est.)
3.4% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,500 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
$1,500 (2012 est.)
$1,400 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:81.2%
government consumption:10%
investment in fixed capital:21.6%
investment in inventories:14.6%
exports of goods and services:10.3%
imports of goods and services:-37.7%
(2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:36.8%
industry:14.5%
services:48.7% (2013 est.)


Agriculture - products:
pulses, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat


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


Industrial production growth rate:
1.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136

Labor force:
16 million
country comparison to the world: 39
note:severe lack of skilled labor (2011 est.)



Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:75%
industry:7%
services:18% (2010 est.)


Unemployment rate:
46% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
42% (2004 est.)


Population below poverty line:
25.2% (2011 est.)


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:3.2%
highest 10%:29.5% (2011)


    Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.8 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 102
47.2 (2008 est.)


Budget:
revenues:$3.3 billion
expenditures:$3.9 billion (FY12/13)


Taxes and other revenues:
17.1% of GDP (FY12/13)
country comparison to the world: 181

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-3.1% of GDP (FY12/13)
country comparison to the world: 125


Public debt:
28% of GDP (FY11/12)
country comparison to the world: 126

Fiscal year:
16 July - 15 July


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA% (2013 est.)
9.5% (2012 est.)


Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
6.5% (31 December 2009 est.)


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
8% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$3.553 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
$3.104 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$11.49 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
$11.71 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$13.46 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
$11.88 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.16 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Current account balance:
$648 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
$283.9 million (2012 est.)


Exports:
$1.06 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
$1.004 billion (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, juice, pashima, jute goods


Exports - partners:
India 93.9%, Bangladesh 4%, Italy 0.4% (2013 est.)


Imports:
$6.329 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
$5.951 billion (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, machinery and equipment, gold, electrical goods, medicine


Imports - partners:
India 79.4%, South Korea 3.1%, China 2.5% (2013 est.)


Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.574 billion (15 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
$5.833 billion (15 July 2013 est.)


Debt - external:
$3.956 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
$3.673 billion (31 December 2010 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$103 million
country comparison to the world: 107

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA


Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar -
87.96 (2013 est.)
85.2 (2012 est.)
73.16 (2010 est.)
77.44 (2009)
65.21 (2008)

Energy

Electricity - production:
3.431 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128


Electricity - consumption:
2.745 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133


Electricity - exports:
30 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86


Electricity - imports:
694 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
721,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
7.9% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
92.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107


Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163


Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172


Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
18,430 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132


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: 102


Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175


Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180


Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157


Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107


Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
3.173 million Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
834,000 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 83


Telephones - mobile cellular:
18.138 million (2013)
country comparison to the world: 54


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)



    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 hosts:
41,256 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 100


Internet users:
577,800 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 116

Transportation

Airports
47 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 94


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
under 914 m:
29 (2013)


    Railways
total:59 kmcountry comparison to the world: 129
narrow gauge:59 km 0.762-m gauge (2008)


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

Military

Military branches
Nepal Army (2012)


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


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

Transnational Issues

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


Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin):15,0000-20,000 (Tibet/China) (2013); 29,813 (Bhutan) (2014)
IDPs:up to 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) (2013)
stateless persons:800,000 (2011); 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



    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
 Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook