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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

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 [time series]

.np

Internet users [time series]

total: 3.8 million | percent of population: 12.1% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 6, FM 80, shortwave 4 (2008)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 840,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 23.2 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 75 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

9 (plus 9 repeaters) (2008)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $4.085 billion | expenditures: $3.834 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

1.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

Central bank discount rate [time series]

8% (31 October 2014) | 8% (31 December 2013) | country comparison to the world: 36

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

10.9% (31 December 2014 est.) | 12.4% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Current account balance [time series]

$908 million (2014 est.) | $805.7 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Debt - external [time series]

$3.549 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.648 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

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

32.8 (2010) | 47.2 (2008 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 and 2014. Nepal and India signed trade and investment agreements in 2014 that will increase Nepal’s hydropower potential.

Exchange rates [time series]

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - | 97.4 (2014 est.) | 93 (2013 est.) | 85.2 (2012 est.) | 74.02 (2011 est.) | 73.16 (2010 est.)

Exports [time series]

$1.124 billion (2014 est.) | $991.5 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 159

Exports - commodities [time series]

clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, juice, jute goods

Exports - partners [time series]

India 59.7%, US 8.6%, China 4.6% (2014)

Fiscal year [time series]

16 July - 15 July

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$19.64 billion (2014 est.)

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

$66.78 billion (2014 est.) | $63.31 billion (2013 est.) | $60.96 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 97

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

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

agriculture: 30.7% | industry: 13.6% | services: 55.7% (2014 est.)

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

$2,400 (2014 est.) | $2,300 (2013 est.) | $2,200 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 197

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

5.5% (2014 est.) | 3.9% (2013 est.) | 4.8% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44

Gross national saving [time series]

33.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | 33.1% of GDP (2013 est.) | 34.9% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 3.2% | highest 10%: 29.5% (2011)

Imports [time series]

$7.282 billion (2014 est.) | $6.502 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Imports - commodities [time series]

petroleum products, machinery and equipment, gold, electrical goods, medicine

Imports - partners [time series]

India 57%, China 29.6% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

2.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

8.4% (2014 est.) | 10.2% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Labor force [time series]

14.76 million | note: severe lack of skilled labor (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 75% | industry: 7% | services: 18% (2010 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$9.671 billion (31 October 2014 est.) | $5.812 billion (31 October 2013 est.) | $5.235 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Population below poverty line [time series]

25.2% (2011 est.)

Public debt [time series]

30% of GDP (FY 2012/13 est.) | 32% of GDP (FY 2011/12 est.) (FY11/12) | country comparison to the world: 126

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$5.439 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | $4.434 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94

Stock of broad money [time series]

$14.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $12.55 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$NA

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

$103 million (31 July 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$13.35 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $11.82 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$3.808 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.356 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

20.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Unemployment rate [time series]

46% (2008 est.) | 42% (2004 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

3.638 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 206

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173

Electricity - consumption [time series]

2.832 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Electricity - exports [time series]

31 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

7.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 198

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

92.4% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - imports [time series]

721 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

746,000 kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131

Electricity - production [time series]

3.431 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

19,260 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

21,960 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182

Geography

Area [time series]

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

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 (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level)

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: 9.5 cu km/yr (2%/0%/98%) | per capita: 334.7 cu m/yr (2006)

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 mountains - on the borders with China and India respectively

Irrigated land [time series]

11,680 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 3,159 km | border countries (2): China 1,389 km, India 1,770 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 28.8% | arable land 15.1%; permanent crops 1.2%; permanent pasture 12.5% | forest: 25.4% | other: 45.8% (2011 est.)

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 with rugged Himalayas in north

Total renewable water resources [time series]

210.2 cu km (2011)

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]

several previous; latest approved by the Constituent Assembly 16 September 2015, entered into force 20 September 2015 (2015)

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 Peter W. BODDE (since 10 September 2012) | embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu | mailing address: use embassy street address | telephone: [977] (1) 423-4000 | FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Arjun Kumar KARKI (since 18 May 2015) | chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 | FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 | consulate(s) general: Cleveland (OH), New York

Executive branch [time series]

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: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet dominated by the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist | elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Constituency Assembly; term extends until the new constitution is promulgated; president elected on 21 July 2008 (next election NA); prime minister indirectly elected by the Constituent Assembly | election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president; Constituent Assembly vote count in second round - Ram Baran YADAV (Nepali Congress) 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH (UCPN(M)) 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 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 | note: Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular or square

Government type [time series]

federal democratic republic

Independence [time series]

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

International law organization participation [time series]

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

English common law and Hindu legal concepts

Legislative branch [time series]

description: unicameral Constituent Assembly or Sambidhan Sabha (601 seats; 240 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 335 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation (PR) vote and 26 appointed by the cabinet (Council of Ministers); note - political parties allocated more than 30 percent of the PR seats are obliged to follow specified quotas for ethnic groups and within them equal percentages of men and women | 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 28%; 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

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 28 May (2008), the abdication of Gyanendra SHAH, last Nepalese monarch, and the establishment of a federal republic

National symbol(s) [time series]

rhododendron blossom; national color: red

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

note: 120 political parties participated in the 19 November 2013 election and the 30 parties listed below were elected to serve in the Constituent Assembly | Akhanda Nepal Party [Kumar KHADKA] | Communist Party of Nepal-Marxist Leninist [C.P. MAINALI] | Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist or UML [Jhalanath KHANAL] | Communist Party of Nepal (United) [Chandra Dev JOSHI] | Dalit Janajati Party [Bishwendra PASHWAN] | Federal Socialist Party [Ashok RAI] | Jana Jagaran Party Nepal [Lok Mani DHAKAL] | Khambuwan Rastriya Morcha-Nepal [Ram Kumar RAI] | Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Democratic [Bijay Kumar GACHCHADAR] | Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Nepal [Upendra YADAV] | Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Republican [Raj Kishore YADAV] | Madhes Samata Party Nepal [Meghraj SAHANI] | National Madhes Socialist Party [Sharat Singh BHANDARI] | Nepal Pariwar Dal [Ek Nath DHAKAL] | Nepal Workers and Peasants Party [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE] | Nepali Congress [Sushil KOIRALA] | Nepali Janata Dal [Hari Charan SAH] | Nepa Rastriya Party [Keshav Man SHAKYA] | Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal [Chitra Bahadur K.C.] | Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA] | Rastriya Prajatantra Party [Surya Bahadur THAPA] | Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal [Kamal THAPA] | Sadbhavana Party [Rajendra MAHATO] | Samajbadi Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH] | Sanghiya Sadbhavana Party [Anil JHA] | Sanghiye Lokatantrik Rastriya Manch [Rukmini CHAUDARY] | Terai Madhes Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR] | Terai Madhes Sadbhavana Party-Nepal [Mahendra YADAV] | Tharuhat Terai Party Nepal [Bhanuram CHAUDARY] | Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) or UCPN(M) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA]

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

other: various groups advocating regional autonomy such as the Federal State Limbuwan Council in far eastern Nepal

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led by Maoists broke out in 1996. The ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and the re-assumption of absolute power by the king in 2002. 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 late 2006 peace accord and the 2007 promulgation of an interim constitution. Following a nationwide Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, the newly formed CA declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, abolished the monarchy, and elected the country's first president. After the CA failed to draft a constitution by a May 2012 deadline set by the Supreme Court, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. Months of negotiations ensued until March 2013 when the major political parties agreed to create an interim government headed by then-Chief Justice Khil Raj REGMI with a mandate to hold elections for a new CA. Elections were held in November 2013, in which the Nepali Congress won the largest share of seats in the CA and in February 2014 formed a coalition government with the second place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist and with Nepali Congress President Sushil KOIRALA as prime minister. The new government failed to meet its January 2015 deadline for a new constitution primarily due to continuing disagreement over federal restructuring.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 6,941,152 | females age 16-49: 7,618,397 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 5,260,878 | females age 16-49: 5,947,512 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 380,172 | female: 367,103 (2010 est.)

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

Nepal Army (2012)

Military expenditures [time series]

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

Military service age and obligation [time series]

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

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 30.72% (male 4,937,627/female 4,755,972) | 15-24 years: 22.51% (male 3,580,083/female 3,522,047) | 25-54 years: 36.5% (male 5,552,621/female 5,964,599) | 55-64 years: 5.67% (male 874,350/female 913,683) | 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 668,760/female 781,563) (2015 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

20.64 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]

total number: 2,467,549 | percentage: 34% (2008 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

29.1% (2011) | country comparison to the world: 17

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

49.7% (2011)

Death rate [time series]

6.56 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 61.8% | youth dependency ratio: 52.9% | elderly dependency ratio: 9% | potential support ratio: 11.1% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

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

Ethnic groups [time series]

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% | note: 125 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2011 national census (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

2,600 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

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

38,800 (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

6% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 125

Hospital bed density [time series]

5 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 39.14 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 39.24 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 39.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Languages [time series]

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% | note: 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2011 national census; many in government and business also speak English (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 67.52 years | male: 66.18 years | female: 68.92 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 63.9% | male: 76.4% | female: 53.1% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever | vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever (2013)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

KATHMANDU (capital) 1.183 million (2015)

Median age [time series]

total: 23.4 years | male: 22.8 years | female: 24 years (2015 est.)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 33

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

2.9% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 189

Population [time series]

31,551,305 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

Population growth rate [time series]

1.79% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Religions [time series]

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

Sanitation facility access [time series]

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

total: 12 years | male: 12 years | female: 12 years (2011)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.24 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 18.6% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 3.18% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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

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): 23,059 (Bhutan); 15,000 (Tibet/China) (2014) | IDPs: 59,433 (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; 2015 earthquakes) (2015) | stateless persons: undetermined (2013); 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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

47 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 95

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

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 [time series]

total: 36 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 6 | 29 (2013)

Railways [time series]

total: 53 km | narrow gauge: 53 km 0.762-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 131

Roadways [time series]

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