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Facts
About Nepal
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Background:
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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 ten-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. Following a
nation-wide election in April 2008,
the newly formed Constituent Assembly
declared Nepal a federal democratic
republic and abolished the monarchy at
its first meeting the following month.
The Constituent Assembly elected the
country's first president in July. The
Maoists, who received a plurality of
votes in the Constituent Assembly
election, formed a coalition
government in August 2008, but
resigned in May 2009 after the
president overruled a decision to fire
the chief of the army staff.
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Location:
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Southern
Asia, between China and India
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Geographic
coordinates:
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28 00 N,
84 00 E
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Map
references:
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Asia
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Area:
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total: 147,181
sq km
country
comparison to the world: 93
land: 143,351
sq km
water: 3,830
sq km
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Area
- comparative:
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slightly
larger than Arkansas
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Land
boundaries:
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total: 2,926
km
border
countries: China
1,236 km, India 1,690 km
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Coastline:
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0 km
(landlocked)
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Maritime
claims:
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none
(landlocked)
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Climate:
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Current
Weather
varies
from cool summers and severe winters
in north to subtropical summers and
mild winters in south
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Terrain:
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Tarai or
flat river plain of the Ganges in
south, central hill region, rugged
Himalayas in north
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Elevation
extremes:
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lowest
point: Kanchan
Kalan 70 m
highest
point: Mount
Everest 8,850 m
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Natural
resources:
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quartz,
water, timber, hydropower, scenic
beauty, small deposits of lignite,
copper, cobalt, iron ore
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Land
use:
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arable
land: 16.07%
permanent
crops: 0.85%
other: 83.08%
(2005)
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Irrigated
land:
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11,700 sq
km (2003)
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Total
renewable water resources:
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210.2 cu
km (1999)
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Freshwater
withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 10.18
cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%)
per
capita: 375
cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural
hazards:
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severe
thunderstorms; flooding; landslides;
drought and famine depending on the
timing, intensity, and duration of the
summer monsoons
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Environment
- current issues:
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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
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Environment
- international agreements:
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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
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Geography
- note:
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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
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Population:
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28,951,852
(July 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 43 |
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Age
structure:
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0-14
years: 35.6%
(male 5,253,150/female 5,056,249)
15-64
years: 60.1%
(male 8,328,202/female 9,074,562)
65 years
and over: 4.3%
(male 581,872/female 657,817) (2010
est.)
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Median
age:
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total: 21.2
years
male: 20.2
years
female: 22.1
years (2010 est.)
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Population
growth rate:
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1.419%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 88 |
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Birth
rate:
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22.43
births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 80 |
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Death
rate:
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6.89
deaths/1,000 population (July 2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 142 |
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Net
migration rate:
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-1.35
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 129 |
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Urbanization:
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urban
population: 17%
of total population (2008)
rate of
urbanization: 4.9%
annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex
ratio:
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at birth: 1.04
male(s)/female
under 15
years: 1.04
male(s)/female
15-64
years: 0.92
male(s)/female
65 years
and over: 0.88
male(s)/female
total
population: 0.96
male(s)/female (2010 est.)
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Infant
mortality rate:
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total: 46
deaths/1,000 live births
country
comparison to the world: 56
male: 45.97
deaths/1,000 live births
female: 46.04
deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
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Life
expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 65.81
years
country
comparison to the world: 163
male: 64.62
years
female: 67.05
years (2010 est.)
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Total
fertility rate:
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2.53
children born/woman (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 89 |
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HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate:
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0.5% (2007
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 79 |
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HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS:
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70,000
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 56 |
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HIV/AIDS
- deaths:
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5,000
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 45 |
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Major
infectious diseases:
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degree of
risk: high
food or
waterborne diseases: bacterial
diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid
fever
vectorborne
disease: Japanese
encephalitis, malaria, and dengue
fever (2009)
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Nationality:
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noun: Nepalese
(singular and plural)
adjective:
Nepalese
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Ethnic
groups:
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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)
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Religions:
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Hindu
80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%,
Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)
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Languages:
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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.)
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Literacy:
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definition:
age
15 and over can read and write
total
population: 48.6%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.9%
(2001 census)
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School
life expectancy (primary to tertiary
education):
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total: 9
years
male: 10
years
female: 8
years (2003)
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Education
expenditures:
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3.4% of
GDP (2003)
country
comparison to the world: 134
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Country
name:
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conventional
long form: Federal
Democratic Republic of Nepal
conventional
short form: Nepal
local long
form: Sanghiya
Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal
local
short form: Nepal
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Government
type:
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federal
democratic republic
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Capital:
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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)
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Administrative
divisions:
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14 zones (anchal,
singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur,
Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha,
Seti
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Independence:
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1768
(unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)
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National
holiday:
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Republic
Day, 29 May; Democracy Day, 24 April
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Constitution:
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15 January
2007 (interim Constitution); note - in
April 2008, a Constituent Assembly was
elected to draft and promulgate a new
constitution by May 2010
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Legal
system:
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based on
Hindu legal concepts and English
common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal
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Executive
branch:
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chief of
state: President
Ram Baran YADAV (since 23 July 2008);
Vice President Paramananda JHA (since
23 July 2008)
head of
government: Prime
Minister Madhav Kumar NEPAL (since 25
May 2009); Deputy Prime Ministers
Bijay Kumar GACHHADAR and Sujata
KOIRALA
cabinet: cabinet
was formed in May 2009 by a majority
coalition made up of the Communist
Party of Nepal-United
Marxist-Leninist, Nepali Congress,
Madhesi People's Rights Forum,
Nepal-Democratic, and several smaller
parties
(For
more information visit the World Leaders
website )
elections:
president
elected by Parliament; term extends
until the new constitution is
promulgated; election last held on 21
July 2008; date of next election NA
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
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Legislative
branch:
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unicameral
Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240
members elected by direct popular
vote, 335 by proportional
representation, and 26 appointed by
the Cabinet (Council of Ministers))
elections:
last
held on 10 April 2008 (next to be held
NA)
election
results: percent
of vote by party - CPN-M 38%, NC 19%,
CPN-UML 19%,Madhesi People's Right
Forum 9%, Terai-Madhes Democratic
Party and Sadbhawana Party 5%, other
15%; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC
110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi People's
Rights Forum 52, Terai-Madhes
Democratic Party 20, Sadbhawana Party
9, other smaller parties 56; note - 26
seats filled by the new Cabinet and
are included in the seat totals above
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Judicial
branch:
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Supreme
Court or Sarbochha Adalat (the
president appoints the chief justice
on recommendation of the
Constitutional Council; the chief
justice appoints other judges on the
recommendation of the Judicial
Council)
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Political
parties and leaders:
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Chure
Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav
Prasad MAINALI]; Communist Party of
Nepal (Maoist) [Matrika YADAV];
Communist Party of Nepal (ML) [C.P.
MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal
(Unified) [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist
Party of Nepal (United) [Chandra Dev
JOSHI]; Communist Party of
Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML
[Jhalanath KHANAL]; Dalit Janajati
Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN]; Madhesi
People's Rights Forum, Nepal [Upendra
YADAV]; Madhesi People's Rights Forum,
Nepal-Democratic [Bijay Kumar
GACHHEDAR]; National Democratic Party
or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also
called Rastriya Prajatantra Party or
RPP); Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra
GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Eknath
DHAKAL]; Nepal Rastriya Party [Keshav
Man SHAKYA]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi
Devi) [Sarita GIRI]; Nepal Workers and
Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man
BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija
Prasad KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Harish
Chandra SHA]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra
BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti
Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya
Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur
THAPA]; Rastriya Prajatantra Party
Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party
(Mahato) [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi
Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem
Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik
Rastriya Manch [Laxman THARU];
Terai-Madhes Democratic Party [Mahantha
THAKUR]; Unified Communist Party of
Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL,
also known as PRACHANDA]
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Political
pressure groups and leaders:
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other: several
small armed Madhesi groups along the
southern border with India; a variety
of groups advocating regional autonomy
for individual ethnic groups
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International
organization participation:
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ADB,
BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, 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, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic
representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador
Shankar Prasad SHARMA
chancery: 2131
Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1]
(202) 667-4550
FAX: [1]
(202) 667-5534
consulate(s)
general: New
York
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Diplomatic
representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador
Scott H. DELISI
embassy: Maharajgunj,
Kathmandu
mailing
address: use
embassy street address
telephone:
[977]
(1) 400-7200
FAX: [977]
(1) 400-7272
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Flag
description:
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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
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Economy
- overview:
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Nepal is
among the poorest and least developed
countries in the world, with almost
one-quarter 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 about
one-third of GDP. Industrial activity
mainly involves the processing of
agricultural products, including
pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and
grain. During the global recession of
2009, remittances from foreign workers
abroad increased 47% to $2.8 billion
while tourist arrivals only decreased
1% compared to the previous year.
Nepal has considerable scope for
exploiting its potential in
hydropower, with an estimated 42,000
MW of feasible capacity, but political
instability hampers foreign
investment. Additional challenges to
Nepal's growth include its
technological backwardness, landlocked
geographic location, civil strife and
labor unrest, and its susceptibility
to natural disaster.
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GDP
(purchasing power parity):
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$33.25
billion (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 102
$31.76
billion (2008 est.)
$30.16
billion (2007 est.)
note:
data
are in 2009 US dollars
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GDP
(official exchange rate):
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$12.47
billion (2009 est.)
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GDP
- real growth rate:
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4.7% (2009
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 29
5.3% (2008
est.)
3.3% (2007
est.)
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GDP
- per capita (PPP):
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$1,200
(2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 207
$1,100
(2008 est.)
$1,100
(2007 est.)
note:
data
are in 2009 US dollars
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GDP
- composition by sector:
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agriculture:
35%
industry: 16%
services: 49%
(FY09 est.)
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Labor
force:
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18 million
country
comparison to the world: 33
note:
severe
lack of skilled labor (2009 est.)
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Labor
force - by occupation:
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agriculture:
76%
industry: 6%
services: 18%
(2004 est.)
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Unemployment
rate:
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46% (2008
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 190
42% (2004
est.)
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Population
below poverty line:
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24.7%
(2008)
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Household
income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest
10%: 6%
highest
10%: 40.6%
(2008)
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Distribution
of family income - Gini index:
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47.2
(2008)
country
comparison to the world: 34
36.7
(1996)
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Budget:
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revenues: $2.3
billion
expenditures:
$3.7
billion (FY10)
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Inflation
rate (consumer prices):
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13.2%
(September 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 210
7.7% (2008
est.)
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Central
bank discount rate:
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6.5% (31
December 2009)
country
comparison to the world: 64
6.5% (31
December 2008)
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Commercial
bank prime lending rate:
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NA%
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Stock
of money:
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$2.53
billion (31 July 2009)
country
comparison to the world: 86
$2.106
billion (31 December 2008)
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Stock
of quasi money:
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$7.49
billion (1 April 2009)
country
comparison to the world: 71
$6.99
billion (31 December 2008)
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Stock
of domestic credit:
|
$6.11
billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 86
$5.556
billion (31 December 2008)
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Market
value of publicly traded shares:
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$5.721
billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 81
$4.894
billion (31 December 2008)
$4.909
billion (31 December 2007)
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Agriculture
- products:
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pulses,
rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute,
root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
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Industries:
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tourism,
carpets, textiles; small rice, jute,
sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes,
cement and brick production
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Industrial
production growth rate:
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1.8%
(FY08)
country
comparison to the world: 55 |
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Electricity
- production:
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2.6
billion kWh (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 128 |
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Electricity
- consumption:
|
2.243
billion kWh (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 132 |
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Electricity
- exports:
|
0 kWh
(2009 est.)
|
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Electricity
- imports:
|
213
million kWh (2008 est.)
|
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Oil
- production:
|
0 bbl/day
(2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 156 |
|
Oil
- consumption:
|
18,000
bbl/day (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 129 |
|
Oil
- exports:
|
0 bbl/day
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 160 |
|
Oil
- imports:
|
16,920
bbl/day (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 120 |
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Oil
- proved reserves:
|
0 bbl (1
January 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 152 |
|
Natural
gas - production:
|
0 cu m
(2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 159 |
|
Natural
gas - consumption:
|
0 cu m
(2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 160 |
|
Natural
gas - exports:
|
0 cu m
(2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 87 |
|
Natural
gas - imports:
|
0 cu m
(2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 150 |
|
Natural
gas - proved reserves:
|
0 cu m (1
January 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 153 |
|
Current
account balance:
|
$537
million (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 46
$241
million (2008)
|
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Exports:
|
$907
million (2008)
country
comparison to the world: 153
$868
million (2008)
|
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Exports
- commodities:
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clothing,
pulses, carpets, textiles, juice,
pashima, jute goods
|
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Exports
- partners:
|
India
54.8%, US 9.7%, Bangladesh 9.2%,
Germany 4.7% (2008)
|
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Imports:
|
$3.626
billion (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 129
$3.229
billion (2008)
|
|
Imports
- commodities:
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petroleum
products, machinery and equipment,
gold, electrical goods, medicine
|
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Imports
- partners:
|
India
55.2%, China 13.4%, Singapore 2%
(2008)
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Debt
- external:
|
$4.5
billion (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 105
$3.285
billion (2008)
|
|
Stock
of direct foreign investment - at
home:
|
$NA
|
|
Stock
of direct foreign investment - abroad:
|
$NA
|
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Exchange
rates:
|
Nepalese
rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 77.44
(2009), 65.21 (2008), 70.35 (2007),
72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005)
|
|
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Telephones
- main lines in use:
|
805,100
(2008)
country
comparison to the world: 87 |
|
Telephones
- mobile cellular:
|
4.2
million (2008)
country
comparison to the world: 94 |
|
Telephone
system:
|
general
assessment: poor
telephone and telegraph service; fair
radiotelephone communication service
and mobile-cellular telephone network
domestic: combined
fixed-line and mobile-cellular
telephone service subscribership base
only about 15 per 100 persons
international:
country
code - 977; radiotelephone
communications; microwave landline to
India; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)
|
|
Radio
broadcast stations:
|
AM 6, FM
80, shortwave 4 (2008)
|
|
Television
broadcast stations:
|
9 (plus 9
repeaters) (2008)
|
|
Internet
country code:
|
.np
|
|
Internet
hosts:
|
43,411
(2009)
country
comparison to the world: 87 |
|
Internet
users:
|
499,000
(2008)
country
comparison to the world: 108
|
|
|
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Airports:
|
47 (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 93 |
|
Airports
- with paved runways:
|
total: 11
over 3,047
m: 1
914 to
1,523 m: 9
under 914
m: 1
(2009)
|
|
Airports
- with unpaved runways:
|
total: 36
1,524 to
2,437 m: 1
914 to
1,523 m: 5
under 914
m: 30
(2009)
|
|
Railways:
|
total: 59
km
country
comparison to the world: 130
narrow
gauge: 59
km 0.762-m gauge (2008)
|
|
Roadways:
|
total: 17,282
km
country
comparison to the world: 119
paved: 10,142
km
unpaved: 7,140
km (2007)
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Military
branches:
|
Nepal Army
(2010)
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Military
service age and obligation:
|
18 years
of age for voluntary military service;
15 years of age for military training;
no conscription (2008)
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Manpower
available for military service:
|
males age
16-49: 6,699,614
females
age 16-49: 7,388,240
(2010 est.)
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Manpower
fit for military service:
|
males age
16-49: 5,053,600
females
age 16-49: 5,730,116
(2010 est.)
|
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Manpower
reaching militarily significant age
annually:
|
male: 374,882
female: 361,848
(2010 est.)
|
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Military
expenditures:
|
1.6% of
GDP (2006)
country
comparison to the world: 93
|
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Transnational
Issues ::Nepal |
Disputes
- international:
|
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
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Refugees
and internally displaced persons:
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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)
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Illicit
drugs:
|
illicit
producer of cannabis and hashish for
the domestic and international drug
markets; transit point for opiates
from Southeast Asia to the West
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