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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 37 usable: 37 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 8

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 7,080 km paved: 2,898 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 1,660 km; seasonally motorable tracks 2,522 km (1990)

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

52 km (1990), all 0.762-meter narrow gauge; all in Terai close to Indian border; 10 km from Raxaul to Birganj is government owned

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radio communication and broadcast service; international radio communication service is poor; 50,000 telephones (1990); broadcast stations - 88 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $34 million, 2% of GDP (FY91/92)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 5,003,661; fit for military service 2,598,507; reach military age (17) annually 241,405 (1994 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 60% of GDP and 93% of work force; farm products - rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, buffalo meat; not self-sufficient in food, particularly in drought years

Budget [time series]

revenues: $457 million expenditures: $725 million, including capital expenditures of $427 million (FY93 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Nepalese rupee (NR) = 100 paisa

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $304 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $2.23 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $30 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $286 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 300,000 kW production: 1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 50 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1 - 49.240 (January 1994), 48.607 (1993), 42.742 (1992), 37.255 (1991), 29.370 (1990), 27.189 (1989)

Exports [time series]

$369 million (f.o.b., FY93) but does not include unrecorded border trade with India commodities: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain partners: US, Germany, India, UK

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2 billion (FY93 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

16 July - 15 July

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$789 million (c.i.f., FY93 est.) commodities: petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10% partners: India, Singapore, Japan, Germany

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 6% (FY91 est.); accounts for 16% of GDP

Industries [time series]

small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette, textile, carpet, cement, and brick production; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

9% (September 1993)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $20.5 billion (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$1,000 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

2.9% (FY93)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 90% of the population and accounting for 60% of GDP. Industrial activity is limited, mainly involving the processing of agricultural produce (jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain). Production of textiles and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for 85% of foreign exchange earnings in FY94. Apart from agricultural land and forests, exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism. Agricultural production in the late 1980s grew by about 5%, as compared with annual population growth of 2.6%. More than 40% of the population is undernourished. Since May 1991, the government has been encouraging trade and foreign investment, e.g., by eliminating business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify domestic and foreign investment. The government also has been cutting public expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. Prospects for foreign trade and investment in the 1990s remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, and susceptibility to natural disaster. Nepal experienced severe flooding in August 1993 which caused at least $50 million in damage to the country's infrastructure.

Unemployment rate [time series]

5%; underemployment estimated at 25%-40% (1987)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 140,800 sq km land area: 136,800 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Arkansas

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: the almost total dependence on wood for fuel and cutting down trees to expand agricultural land without replanting has resulted in widespread deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution (use of contaminated water presents human health risks) natural hazards: vulnerable to severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

9,430 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 2,926 km, China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 17% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 13% forest and woodland: 33% other: 37%

Location [time series]

Southern Asia, in the Himalayas, between China and India

Map references [time series]

Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Kathmandu

Constitution [time series]

9 November 1990

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: (vacant) chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 667-4550 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 29 May 1991) chief of state: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (since 31 January 1972, crowned King 24 February 1985); Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, son of the King (born 21 June 1971) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the king on recommendation of the prime minister

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[977] (1) 419963

Flag [time series]

red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Legislative branch (House of Representatives) [time series]

elections last held on 12 May 1991 (next to be held May 1996); results - NCP 38%, CPN/UML 28%, NDP/Chand 6%, UPF 5%, NDP/Thapa 5%, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 4%, Rohit 2%, CPN (Democratic) 1%, independents 4%, other 7%; seats - (205 total) NCP 110, CPN/UML 69, UPF 9, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 6, NDP/Chand 3, Rohit 2, CPN (Democratic) 2, NDP/Thapa 1, independents 3; note - the new Constitution of 9 November 1990 gave Nepal a multiparty democracy system for the first time in 32 years

Independence [time series]

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal

Legislative branch (National Council) [time series]

consists of a 60-member body, 50 appointed by House of Representatives and 10 by the King

National holiday [time series]

Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Nepali Congress Party (NCP), president Krishna Prasad BHATTARAI, Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA, Supreme Leader Ganesh Man SINGH; The Conservative National Democratic Party (NDP/Thapa), Surya Bahadur THAPA; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist and Leninist (CPN/UML), Man Mohan ADHIKARI; Terai Rights Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party, Gajendra Narayan SINGH; United People's Front (UPF), Lila Mani POKHREL; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE; National Democratic Party/Chand (NDP/Chand), Lokendra Bahadur CHAND; Rohit Party, N. M. BIJUKCHHE; Communist Party of Nepal (Democratic-Manandhar), B. B. MANANDHAR

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Sandra VOGELGESANG embassy: Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 411179 or 412718, 411613, 413890

People

Birth rate [time series]

37.63 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

13.28 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas

Infant mortality rate [time series]

83.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

8.5 million (1991 est.) by occupation: agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry 2% note: severe lack of skilled labor

Languages [time series]

Nepali (official), 20 languages divided into numerous dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 52.53 years male: 52.35 years female: 52.73 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 26% male: 38% female: 13%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

21,041,527 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.44% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Hindu 90%, Buddhist 5%, Muslim 3%, other 2% (1981) note: only official Hindu state in world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu and Buddhist groups

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.24 children born/woman (1994 est.)