Nepal

total: 1.27 million (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2020 est.)

state operates 3 TV stations, as well as national and regional radio stations; 117 television channels are licensed, among those 71 are cable television channels, three are distributed through Direct-To-Home (DTH) system, and four are digital terrestrial; 736 FM radio stations are licensed and at least 314 of those radio stations are community radio stations (2019)

.np

total: 15.6 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 52% (2021 est.)

general assessment: in relation to its telecom sector, Nepal has several topographical and economic constraints which have impeded efforts to expand network infrastructure and improve the quality of service for end-users; the fixed line market remains underdeveloped, and as a result most traffic is channeled via mobile networks; fixed broadband penetration remains very low, though to address this the government has initiated several programs as part of the Digital Nepal Framework and the wider Optical Fiber Backbone Network Expansion Project, started in 2012; supported by the Rural Telecommunications Development Fund, the programs include building out fiber backbone infrastructure and using this to provide broadband to schools and community centers nationally; telcos have also invested in fiber networks, and competition in the market is intensifying; cheap fiber-based services launched in mid-2021 prompted responses from other ISPs to provide faster and more competitively priced offers; Nepal s mobile market is relatively developed, with a focus on LTE; in 2021, the regulator considered a range of spectrum bands which could be used for 5G (2021) domestic: fixed-line is 2 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular nearly 130 per 100 persons (2021) international: country code - 977; Nepal, China and Tibet connected across borders with underground and all-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) fiber-optic cables; radiotelephone communications; microwave and fiber landlines to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019)

total subscriptions: 726,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions: 38.213 million (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2021 est.)

rice, vegetables, potatoes, sugarcane, maize, wheat, bison milk, milk, mangoes/guavas, fruits (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

revenues: $7.625 billion (2021 est.) expenditures: $7.163 billion (2021 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

$939.38 million (2023 est.) -$2.518 billion (2022 est.) -$5.363 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$5.677 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

low-income South Asian economy; post-conflict fiscal federalism increasing stability; COVID-19 hurt trade and tourism; widening current account deficits; environmentally fragile economy from earthquakes; growing Chinese relations and investments

Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 132.115 (2023 est.) 125.199 (2022 est.) 118.134 (2021 est.) 118.345 (2020 est.) 112.609 (2019 est.)

$2.999 billion (2023 est.) $2.733 billion (2022 est.) $2.52 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

palm oil, soybean oil, garments, synthetic fibers, knotted carpets (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

India 67%, US 11%, Germany 3%, Turkey 2%, UK 2% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$40.908 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 85.9% (2023 est.) government consumption: 6.6% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 6.6% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 7% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -34.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 21.2% (2023 est.) industry: 12.1% (2023 est.) services: 55.4% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

$14.098 billion (2023 est.) $15.462 billion (2022 est.) $16.993 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, natural gas, gold, rice, soybean oil (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

India 64%, China 13%, UAE 3%, Indonesia 2%, US 2% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

1.38% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

7.11% (2023 est.) 7.65% (2022 est.) 4.15% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

8.937 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

39.92% of GDP (2021 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$144.31 billion (2023 est.) $141.546 billion (2022 est.) $134 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

1.95% (2023 est.) 5.63% (2022 est.) 4.84% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$4,700 (2023 est.) $4,600 (2022 est.) $4,500 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

26.89% of GDP (2023 est.) 22.56% of GDP (2022 est.) 22.28% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$12.456 billion (2023 est.) $9.319 billion (2022 est.) $9.639 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

17.49% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

10.69% (2023 est.) 10.92% (2022 est.) 12.32% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 20.4% (2023 est.) male: 18.7% (2023 est.) female: 23.3% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

10.515 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.179 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 8.336 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

production: 15,000 metric tons (2022 est.) consumption: 1.095 million metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 1.015 million metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 8 million metric tons (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity: 2.389 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 9.327 billion kWh (2022 est.) exports: 347.784 million kWh (2022 est.) imports: 1.601 billion kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.738 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population: 91.3% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 97.7% electrification - rural areas: 93.7%

solar: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) hydroelectricity: 98.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

5.881 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 62,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 36.43 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 9.11 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 41.15 megatons (2020 est.)

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

deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); forest degradation; soil erosion; contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); unmanaged solid-waste; wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation

agricultural land: 28.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 15.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 12.5% (2018 est.) forest: 25.4% (2018 est.) other: 45.8% (2018 est.)

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin

Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.45% of GDP (2018 est.)

210.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal: 150 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 9.32 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

urban population: 21.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,768,977 tons (2016 est.)

total : 147,181 sq km land: 143,351 sq km water: 3,830 sq km

slightly larger than New York state

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

0 km (landlocked)

highest point: Mount Everest (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level) 8,849 m lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m mean elevation: 2,565 m

28 00 N, 84 00 E

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

13,320 sq km (2012)

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

agricultural land: 28.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 15.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 12.5% (2018 est.) forest: 25.4% (2018 est.) other: 45.8% (2018 est.)

Southern Asia, between China and India

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin

Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km)

Asia

none (landlocked)

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

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

most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low

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

7 provinces (pradesh, singular - pradesh); Bagmati, Gandaki, Karnali, Koshi, Lumbini, Madhesh, Sudurpashchim

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) etymology: name derives from the Kasthamandap temple that stood in Durbar Square; in Sanskrit, kastha means "wood" and mandapa means "pavilion"; the three-story structure was made entirely of wood, without iron nails or supports, and dated to the late 16th century; it collapsed during a 2015 earthquake

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years

history: several previous; latest approved by the Second Constituent Assembly 16 September 2015, signed by the president and effective 20 September 2015 amendments: proposed as a bill by either house of the Federal Parliament; bills affecting a state border or powers delegated to a state must be submitted to the affected state assembly; passage of such bills requires a majority vote of that state assembly membership; bills not requiring state assembly consent require at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of the Federal Parliament; parts of the constitution on the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty vested in the people cannot be amended; amended 2016, 2020

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Nepal local long form: none local short form: Nepal etymology: the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas apparently gave their name to the country; the terms "Nepal," "Newar," "Nepar," and "Newal" are phonetically different forms of the same word

chief of mission: Ambassador Dean R. THOMPSON (since October 2022) embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu mailing address: 6190 Kathmandu Place, Washington DC 20521-6190 telephone: [977] (1) 423-4000 FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272 email address and website: usembktm@state.gov https://np.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d'Affaires Kumar Raj KHAREL (since 26 June 2024) chancery: 2730 34 th Place NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 email address and website: info@nepalembassyusa.org https://us.nepalembassy.gov.np/ consulate(s) general: New York

chief of state: President Ram Chandra POUDEL (since 13 March 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma OLI (since 15 July 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet split between Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre, and various coalition partners elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of the Federal Parliament and of the state assemblies for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 9 March 2023 (next to be held in 2028) election results: 2023: Ram Chandra POUDEL elected president; electoral college vote - Ram Chandra POUDEL (NC) 33,802, Subash Chandra NEMBANG (CPN-UML) 15,518 2018: Bidhya Devi BHANDARI reelected president; electoral vote - Bidhya Devi BHANDARI (CPN-UML) 39,275, Kumari Laxmi RAI (NC) 11,730

crimson 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

federal parliamentary republic

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

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

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, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSOM, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and up to 20 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, a 5-member, high-level advisory body headed by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Judicial Council, a 5-member advisory body headed by the chief justice; the chief justice serves a 6-year term; judges serve until age 65 subordinate courts: High Court; district courts

English common law and Hindu legal concepts; note - new criminal and civil codes came into effect on 17 August 2018

description: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of: National Assembly (59 seats; 56 members, including at least 3 women, 1 Dalit, 1 member with disabilities, or 1 minority indirectly elected by an electoral college of state and municipal government leaders, and 3 members, including 1 woman, nominated by the president of Nepal on the recommendation of the government; members serve 6-year terms with renewal of one-third of the membership every 2 years) House of Representatives (275 seats statutory, current 272; 165 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed-list proportional representation vote, with a threshold of 3% overall valid vote to be allocated a seat; members serve 5-year terms); note - the House of Representatives was dissolved on 22 May 2021, but on 13 July, the Supreme Court directed its reinstatement elections: National Assembly - last held on 25 January 2024 (next to be held in January 2026) House of Representatives - last held on 20 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2027) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-MC 17, NC 16, CON-UML 10, CPN-US 8, other 5, nominated members 3; composition - men 37, women 22, percentage women 37.3% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NC 89, CPN-UML 78, CPN-MC 32, RSP 20, RPP 14, PSP-N 12, CPN (Unified Socialist) 10, Janamat Party 6, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party 4, other 10 other 10; composition - men 182, women 90, percentage women 33.1%; total Federal Parliament percentage women 33.5%

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

total World Heritage Sites: 4 (2 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Kathmandu Valley (c); Sagarmatha National Park (n); Chitwan National Park (n); Lumbini, Buddha Birthplace (c)

Constitution Day, 20 September (2015); note - marks the promulgation of Nepal’s constitution in 2015 and replaces the previous 28 May Republic Day as the official national day in Nepal; the Gregorian day fluctuates based on Nepal’s Hindu calendar

rhododendron blossom; national color: red

Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) or CPN-MC Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) or CPN-UML Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) or CPN-US Janamat Party Janata Samajbaadi Party or JSP Loktantrik Samajwadi Party or LSP Naya Shakti Party, Nepal Nepali Congress or NC Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party (Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party) or NWPP Rastriya Janamorcha (National People's Front) Rastriya Prajatantra Party (National Democratic Party) or RPP Rastriya Swatantra Party or RSP

18 years of age; universal

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the principality of Gorkha united many of the other principalities and states of the sub-Himalayan region into a Nepali Kingdom. Nepal retained its independence after the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16, and the subsequent peace treaty laid the foundations for two centuries of amicable relations between Britain and Nepal. (The Brigade of Gurkhas continues to serve in the British Army to the present day.) In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of hereditary rule and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but it was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist-led insurgency broke out in 1996. During the ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces, the monarchy dissolved the cabinet and parliament. In 2001, Crown Prince DIPENDRA first massacred the royal family and then shot himself. His brother GYANENDRA became king, and the monarchy reassumed absolute power the next year. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. After 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. When the CA failed to draft a Supreme Court-mandated constitution, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. An interim government held elections in 2013, in which the Nepali Congress (NC) won the largest share of seats. In 2014, NC formed a coalition government with the second-place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML). Nepal's new constitution came into effect in 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament and Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI the first post-constitution prime minister (2015-16). He resigned ahead of a no-confidence motion, and Parliament elected Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL as prime minister. The parties headed by OLI and DAHAL ran in coalition and swept the parliamentary elections in 2017, and OLI was sworn in as prime minister in 2018. OLI's efforts to dissolve parliament and hold elections were declared unconstitutional in 2021, and the opposition-supported NC leader Sher Bahadur DEUBA was named prime minister. The NC won a majority of seats in the parliamentary elections in 2022, but DAHAL then broke with the ruling coalition and partnered with OLI and the CPN-UML to become prime minister. DAHAL's first cabinet lasted about two months, until OLI withdrew his support over disagreements about ministerial assignments. In early 2023, DAHAL survived a vote of confidence and formed a coalition with the NC to remain prime minister.

the Nepali Army is a lightly equipped force responsible for territorial defense, although it has some domestic duties such as disaster relief/humanitarian assistance and nature conservation efforts; during the 10-year civil war that ended in 2006, it conducted extensive counterinsurgency operations against Maoist guerrillas; the Army also has a long and distinguished history of supporting UN missions, having sent its first UN observers to Lebanon in 1958 and its first troop contingent to Egypt in 1974; as of 2024, about 150,000 Nepali military personnel had deployed on over 40 UN missions; the Army conducts training with foreign partners, including China, India, and the US the British began to recruit Nepalese citizens (Gurkhas) into the East India Company Army during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816); the Gurkhas subsequently were brought into the British Indian Army and by 1914, there were 10 Gurkha regiments, collectively known as the Gurkha Brigade; following the partition of India in 1947, an agreement between Nepal, India, and Great Britain allowed for the transfer of the 10 regiments from the British Indian Army to the separate British and Indian armies; four regiments were transferred to the British Army, where they have since served continuously as the Brigade of Gurkhas; six Gurkha (aka Gorkha in India) regiments went to the new Indian Army; a seventh regiment was later added; Gurkhas are also recruited into the Singaporean Police and a special guard in the Sultanate of Brunei known as the Gurkha Reserve Unit (2024)

Nepalese Armed Forces (Ministry of Defense): Nepali Army (includes Air Wing) Ministry of Home Affairs: Nepal Police, Nepal Armed Police Force (2024) note: the Nepal Police are responsible for enforcing law and order across the country; the Armed Police Force is responsible for combating terrorism, providing security during riots and public disturbances, assisting in natural disasters, and protecting vital infrastructure, public officials, and the borders; it also conducts counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations and would assist the Army in the event of an external invasion

approximately 95,000 active troops (including a small air wing of about 500 personnel) (2023)

1240 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,150 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 400 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 225 Liberia (UNSMIL); 100 South Sudan/Sudan (UNISFA); 1,725 (plus about 220 police) South Sudan (UNMISS); note - Nepal has over 6,000 total personnel deployed on 15 UN missions (2024)

the Army's inventory includes a mix of mostly older equipment largely of British, Chinese, Indian, Russian, and South African origin; in recent years, Nepal has received limited amounts of newer hardware from several countries, including China, Indonesia, Italy, and Russia (2023)

1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2023) note: as of 2023, about 7,000 women served in the Nepalese Armed Forces

0-14 years: 25.8% (male 4,125,244/female 3,909,135) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 10,153,682/female 10,957,011) 65 years and over: 6.4% (2024 est.) (male 961,717/female 1,015,598)

total: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

17 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

women married by age 15: 7.9% women married by age 18: 32.8% men married by age 18: 9% (2019 est.)

18.7% (2022)

46.7% (2019)

5.2% of GDP (2020)

74.6% (2023 est.)

5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio: 54.9 youth dependency ratio: 45.5 elderly dependency ratio: 9.4 potential support ratio: 10.7 (2021 est.)

improved: urban: 92.7% of population rural: 94.4% of population total: 94.1% of population unimproved: urban: 7.3% of population rural: 5.6% of population total: 5.9% of population (2020 est.)

4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Chhettri 16.5%, Brahman-Hill 11.3%, Magar 6.9%, Tharu 6.2%, Tamang 5.6%, Bishwokarma 5%, Musalman 4.9%, Newar 4.6%, Yadav 4.2%, Rai 2.2%, Pariyar 1.9%, Gurung 1.9%, Thakuri 1.7%, Mijar 1.6%, Teli 1.5%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.4%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 20% (2021 est.) note: 141 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2021 national census

0.9 (2024 est.)

0.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)

total: 24 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 25.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Nepali (official) 44.9%, Maithali 11.1%, Bhojpuri 6.2%, Tharu 5.9%, Tamang 4.9%, Bajjika 3.9%, Avadhi 3%, Nepalbhasha (Newari) 3%, Magar Dhut 2.8%, Doteli 1.7%, Urdu 1.4%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.2%, Gurung 1.1%, other 8.9% (2021 est.) major-language sample(s): विश्व तथ्य पुस्तक,आधारभूत जानकारीको लागि अपरिहार्य स्रोत (Nepali) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2021 national census; many in government and business also speak English

total population: 73 years (2024 est.) male: 72.2 years female: 73.7 years

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.2% male: 81% female: 63.3% (2021)

1.571 million KATHMANDU (capital) (2023)

174 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

total: 27.6 years (2024 est.) male: 26.5 years female: 28.6 years

20.4 years (2016 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

noun: Nepali (singular and plural) adjective: Nepali

-4.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

4.1% (2016)

0.85 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

total: 31,122,387 male: 15,240,643 female: 15,881,744 (2024 est.)

most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low

0.7% (2024 est.)

Hindu 81.2%, Buddhist 8.2%, Muslim 5.1%, Kirat 3.2%, Christian 1.8%, other 0.5% (2021 est.)

improved: urban: 95.1% of population rural: 85.7% of population total: 87.7% of population unimproved: urban: 4.9% of population rural: 14.3% of population total: 12.3% of population (2020 est.)

total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2020)

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 30.4% (2020 est.) male: 47.9% (2020 est.) female: 12.8% (2020 est.)

1.85 children born/woman (2024 est.)

urban population: 21.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Indian Mujahedeen note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West; destination country for Indian-produced heroin smuggled in for domestic consumption

refugees (country of origin): 12,540 (Tibet/China), 6,365 (Bhutan) (mid-year 2022) stateless persons: undetermined (mid-year 2021)

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Nepal was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/nepal/

51 (2024)

9N

14 (2024)

number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,296,953 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4.66 million (2018) mt-km

total: 59 km (2018) narrow gauge: 59 km (2018) 0.762-m gauge

total: 64,500 km (2020)