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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.np

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

42,219 (2008)

Internet users [time series]

337,100 (2007)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2000)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network domestic: NA international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

766,400 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1.157 million (2006)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.153 billion expenditures: $1.927 billion (FY06/07)

Central bank discount rate [time series]

6.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

8% (31 December 2007)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Current account balance [time series]

$58 million (2007)

Debt - external [time series]

$3.07 billion (March 2006)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

47.2 (2004)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

2.276 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

165 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

380 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

2.703 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates [time series]

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - NA (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003)

Exports [time series]

$830 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2006)

Exports - commodities [time series]

carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners [time series]

India 69.3%, US 8.8%, Germany 4.1% (2007)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$9.627 billion (2007 est.)

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

$29.29 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 38% industry: 20% services: 42% (FY05/06 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$1,000 (2007 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3.2% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 40.6% (2004)

Imports [time series]

$2.398 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Imports - commodities [time series]

gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners [time series]

India 58.9%, China 13.6%, Japan 1.6% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

2.2% (FY05/06)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

6.4% (2007 est.)

Labor force [time series]

11.11 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 76% industry: 6% services: 18% (2004 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$963.5 million (2005)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

16,960 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports [time series]

11,530 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$NA

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$5.636 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$2.184 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$4.745 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

42% (2004 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 147,181 sq km land: 143,181 sq km water: 4,000 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

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)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%) per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

28 00 N, 84 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

11,700 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005)

Location [time series]

Southern Asia, between China and India

Map references [time series]

Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Total renewable water resources [time series]

210.2 cu km (1999)

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]

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)

Constitution [time series]

9 November 1990; note - a new interim constitution was promulgated in January 2007; the November 2006 peace agreement calls for the election of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new permanent constitution

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal local short form: Nepal

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200 FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Suresh Chandra CHALISE chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 consulate(s) general: New York:

Executive branch [time series]

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; term NA; election last held 21 July 2008 election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008; Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

democratic republic

Independence [time series]

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

International organization participation [time series]

ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

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)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers)) note: KOIRALA called the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly on 28 May 2008 elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum 52, Terai Madhesi Democratic Party/Nepal Sadbhawana Party 29, other smaller parties 61; note - 26 seats to be filled by the new Cabinet

National holiday [time series]

NA; note - in 2006, Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYANENDRA (7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays

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

Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI]; Communist Party of Nepal (ML) [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Unified) [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal (United) [Ganesh SHAH]; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Amrit Kumar BOHARA]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN]; Janamorcha Nepal [Amik SHERCHAN]; Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum [Upendra YADAV]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP); Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Vinod DANGI]; Nepal Rastriya Party [Khushilal YADAV]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi) [Shyam Sundar GUPTA]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress Party or NCP [Girija Prasad KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Bharat Prasad MAHATO]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA] (split from RPP in March 2005); Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party (Mahato) [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch [Kamal CHHARAHANG]; Terai Madhesi Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR]

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

other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for individual ethnic groups

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 7,322,965 females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 5,146,958 females age 16-49: 4,724,495 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 335,747 female: 312,297 (2008 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Nepalese Army, Armed Police Force (2008)

Military expenditures [time series]

1.6% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 38% (male 5,792,042/female 5,427,370) 15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,832,488/female 8,345,724) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 542,192/female 579,298) (2008 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

29.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.4% of GDP (2003)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

3,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

61,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages [time series]

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% (2001 census) note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 60.94 years male: 61.12 years female: 60.75 years (2008 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.6% male: 62.7% female: 34.9% (2001 census)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis and malaria (2008)

Median age [time series]

total: 20.7 years male: 20.5 years female: 20.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese

Net migration rate [time series]

NA (2008 est.)

Population [time series]

29,519,114 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.095% (2008 est.)

Religions [time series]

Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) note: only official Hindu state in the world

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years (2003)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.91 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer 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; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990

Illicit drugs [time series]

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 [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China) IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

47 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 30 (2007)

Railways [time series]

total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)

Roadways [time series]

total: 17,280 km paved: 9,829 km unpaved: 7,451 km (2004)