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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 88, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

50,000 telephones (1990); poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radio communication service local: NA intercity: NA international: international radio communication service is fair; 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

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 - $36 million, 1.2% of GDP (FY92/93) NETHERLANDS

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 5,163,703; males fit for military service 2,682,284; males reach military age (17) annually 247,978 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, buffalo meat; not self-sufficient in food, particularly in drought years

Budget [time series]

revenues: $455 million expenditures: $854 million, including capital expenditures of $427 million (FY93/94 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: 280,000 kW production: 920 million kWh consumption per capita: 41 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1 - 49.884 (January 1995), 49.398 (1994), 48.607 (1993), 42.742 (1992), 37.255 (1991), 29.370 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$593 million (f.o.b., 1993) but does not include unrecorded border trade with India commodities: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain partners: India, US, Germany, UK

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2 billion (1993 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]

$899 million (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10% partners: India, Singapore, Japan, Germany

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

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

9.6% (June 1994)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $22.4 billion (1994 est.)

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

$1,060 (1994 est.)

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

5% (1994 est.)

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 half 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 FY93/94. 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. The international community provides funding for 70% of Nepal's developmental budget and for 30% of total budgetary expenditures. The government, realizing that attempts to reverse three years of liberalization would jeopardize this vital support, almost certainly will move ahead with its reform program in 1995-96.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%; note - there is substantial underemployment (1994)

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: severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - 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, between China and India

Map references [time series]

Asia

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); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Pradeep KHATIWADA chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

head of government: Prime Minister Man Mohan ADHIKARI (since 30 November 1994) 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 15 November 1994 (next to be held NA); results - NCP 33%, CPN/UML 31%, NDP 18%, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 3%, NWPP 1%; seats - (205 total) CPN/UML 88, NCP 83, NDP 20, NWPP 4, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 3, independents 7; 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, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, 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]

Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist and Leninist (CPN/UML), Prime Minister Man Mohan ADHIKARI, Deputy Prime Minister Madhav Kumar NEPAL; Nepali Congress Party (NCP), president Krishna Prasad BHATTARAI, former Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA, Leader of the Opposition Sher Bahadur DEUBA; National Democratic Party (NDP), Surya Bahadur THAPA; Terai Rights Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party, Gajendra Narayan SINGH; United People's Front (UPF), Niranjan Govinda BAIDYA; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Narayan Man 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 L. VOGELGESANG embassy: Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 411179

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (female 4,479,950; male 4,692,575) 15-64 years: 55% (female 5,778,107; male 5,994,147) 65 years and over: 2% (female 305,502; male 310,588) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

37.31 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

12.9 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

81.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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: 53.09 years male: 52.86 years female: 53.34 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) 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 (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

21,560,869 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.44% (1995 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]

5.15 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 44 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 28 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 10

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 7,400 km paved: 3,000 km unpaved: 4,400 km

Ports [time series]

none

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

total: 101 km; note - all in Terai close to Indian border narrow gauge: 101 km 0.762-m gauge