|
Country Fact Sheet
| Capital: |
 |
Kathmandu. The capital, with a population density of approximately 2.2 million is a broad valley at 1, 310 meters elevation. |
|
| Geography: |
|
Flanked by India in the South and the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China in the North, Nepal is a landlocked country. Nepal is located in between the latitude 260 22' N to 300 27' North and longitude 800 4' E to 880 12' East and elevation ranges from 90 to 8848 meters. The average length being 885 km. east to west and average breadth is about 193 km. north to south. The high Himalayas stand in the northern belt, including the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest (29,035 ft; 8,850 m). Along its Southern border is the flat and fertile Terai region. The central hills have terraced cultivation and swiftly flowing mountain rivers. Eight of the world's highest peaks including Mount Everest are in Nepal. |
|
| Land boundaries: |
|
52,819 sq mi (136,801 sq km); Total area: 56,136 sq mi (147,181 sq km) |
|
| Climate: |
|
Subtropical in the south to cool summers and severe winters in the northern mountains. The monsoon season is from June through September, during which showers occur almost every day, bringing 75 to 150 centimeters (30-60 in.) of rainApril 21, 2006. |
|
| Natural resources: |
|
Water, hydropower, scenic beauty, limited but fertile agricultural land, timber, quartz, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore. |
|
| Cultivated land: |
|
25% |
|
| Population: |
|
26, 427, 399 (2007 est.) |
|
| Birth Rate: |
|
30.5/1000 (2007 est) |
|
| Population growth rate: |
|
2.1% (2007 est.) |
|
| Infant mortality rate: |
|
63.7 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
| Life Expectancy: |
|
62.9 years for males and 63.7 years for females (2007 est.) |
|
| Monetary Unit: |
|
Nepalese Rupees |
|
| Economy: |
|
Nepal figures among world's poorest counties. There are various factors that have contributed to the economic backwardness of Nepal. Its topography, lack of resource endowment, land locked position, lack of institutions for modernization, weak infrastructure, and lack of policies conducive to development are some of the factors that have hindered the Nepalese economy. Due to its landlocked situation, Nepal relies heavily on its neighbors India and China for its trade, especially on India. Nepal's economy has been subject to fluctuations resulting from changes in its relationship with India as a result of its geographical position and the scarcity of natural resources. |
|
| Industries: |
|
tourism, carpet, textile, jute, sugar, rice and flour mills, oilseed mills, cigarettes, handicraft, readymade garments, cement and brick production |
|
| Exports: |
|
carpets, pashmina, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain |
|
| Imports: |
|
gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer |
|
| Work Force: |
|
Agriculture-71%; services-11%; industry-3%; others-15%. |
|
| Former System of government: |
|
Monarchy- Hereditary
Prime Minister - elected through legislative parliament |
|
| Administrative Divisions: |
|
- 5 development regions,
- 14 zones, and
- 75 district development committees,
- 58 municipalities,
- 3,913 village development committees, and 36,023 ward committees.
|
|
| Current System of government: |
|
An Interim Parliament was formed on January 15, 2007 after the Seven Party Alliance signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the CPN-Maoists, a former rebel group, making it an 8 party coalition. In April 2006, Girija Prasad Koirala was nominated the Prime Minister through political consensus and a Council of Ministers was chosen. On January 15, 2007 Interim Constitution promulgated an interim parliament of 330 seats established, including the Maoists.
Nepal was declared a Federal Republic under a 23 point agreement signed by the Seven-Party Alliance and the Maoists on Dec 23, 2007. According to the agreement the declaration would be confirmed by a simple majority at the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly. The number of the seats in the Constituent Assembly would be 601.
|
|
| Main Political Parties: |
|
Nepali Congress Party, Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Rastirya Janshakti Party (RJP), Nepal Sadbhavna Party-Anandi Devi (NSP-A), People's Front Nepal, United Left Front, and others. |
|
| State Bodies: |
|
- Executive: Prime Minister, head of state and interim Council of Ministers.
- Legislative: Interim Parliament: Distribution of the Interim Parliament, which has 330 seats altogether:
- Nepali Congress- 133 MPS,
- CPN-UML- 83
- CPN-Maoists-84
- Rastriya Prajatantra Party- 9
- Nepal Sadbhavna Party (Anandi Devi)-5
- Janamorcha Nepal- 4
- Nepal Workers and Peasants Party- 4
- Rastriya Janamorcha-3
- Communist Party of Nepal- Unified-2
- United Left Front- 2
- Rastriya Janashakti Party- 1
- Judicial: The judiciary is divided into the following divisions:
- Supreme Court
- 16 appellate courts,
- 75 district courts.
|
|
| Ethnic Groups: |
|
Brahmans-(Hill) 12.74%, Chettri 15.8%, Magar 7.14%, Tharu 6.75%, Tamang 5.64%, Newar 5.48%, Muslim 4.27%, Kami 3.94%, Yadav 3.94%,Rai 2.79 other 41.51(2001) |
|
| Religions: |
|
Hindu 81%, Buddhist 11%, Islam 4%, Kirant 4% (2001). There is also a small Christian population in Nepal. The interim constitution promulgated on January 15, 2007, declared Nepal a secular state. |
|
| Languages: |
|
Nepali 48% (official), Maithali 12%, Bhojpuri 7%, Tharu 6%, Tamang 5%, others. English spoken by many in government and business (2001) |
|
| Literacy: |
|
49% (63% male, 35% female) |
|
