$Unique_ID{COW02567}
$Pretitle{235D}
$Title{Nepal
Some Facts About Nepal}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Embassy of Nepal, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{Government of Nepal}
$Subject{nepal
major
festivals

}
$Date{1989}
$Log{Table A.*0256701.tab
}
Country:     Nepal
Book:        Brief Facts on Nepal
Author:      Embassy of Nepal, Washington DC
Affiliation: Government of Nepal
Date:        1989

Some Facts About Nepal

Geography

Location:

     South Asia. Bordered on the North by China and on the South, West and
East by India.

Latitude:

     26 degrees 20' North to 30 degrees 10' North

Longitude:

     80 degrees 15' East to 88 degrees 15' East

Area:

     147, 141 Sq. Km. (56,885 sq. miles)

Main Geographical Features:

     Northern Himalayan Mountains 19%

     Central Hilly regions and Valleys 64%

     Southern Terai Plains 17%

Major Rivers:

     Mechi, Arun, Tamar, Koshi, Bagmati, Kankai, Trishuli, Gandaki, Rapti,
Karmali, Bheri Seti, Mahakali

Climate

     Alpine in the North, Temperate in the Midlands and Sub-Tropical in the
South.

[See Table A.: Temperatures for Various Regions]

Rainfalls:

     Average 1395.2 mm (60 inches)

Capital:

     Kathmandu (Population: Around 300,000)

Major Cities and Towns:

     Illam, Bhadrapur, Damak, Dhankutta, Dharan, Biratnagar, Lahan, Inarwa,
Rajbiraj, Janakpur, Jaleshwor, Malangawa, Kalaiya, Birgunj, Hitaura,
Bharatpur, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Banepa, Dhulikhel, Bidur, Pokhara,
Tansen, Sidharthnagar, Butwal, Taulihawa, Tribhuwan Nagar, Nepal Gunj,
Dhangadhi, Dipayel and Mahendranagar.

Mountains:

     Eight out of ten highest peaks of the world including Mt. Everest (Mt.
Sagarmatha in Nepali),

People

Population:

     18 million (1989)

Population Growth Rate:

     2.6%

     Density:

     Average 98.10 per sq. km. (157.12 per sq. mile)

Language and Local Dialects:

     Nepali (official), Newari, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tamang, Tharu, Rai, Gurung
etc.

Religion:   Hinduism        78%        Islam        2.25
            Budhism         18%        Others       1%

Government

Type of Government:

     Constitutional Monarchy with Multi Party Democracy

Head of State:

     His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev

Head of Government:

     Prime Minister The Rt. Hon. Mr. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai

Main Political Parties:

     Nepali Congress, United Left Front (coalition of Communist Party
fractions), National Democratic Party, Praja Parishad, Janata Dal, Sadvawana
Party, etc.

Economy

Gross Domestic Product:

     $3.01 Billion (1989-90)

Per Capita:

     $160 U.S. dollar

Foreign Exchange Reserve:

     $382 Million (1990 August)

Major Exports:

     Carpets, Handicrafts, Ready Made Garments, Hides, Skins, Oil Seeds,
Purified Butter, Timber, Jute, Rice, etc.

Major Imports:

     POL products, Textiles, Machineries and parts, Transport equipment,
Fertilizers, Iron and Steel, Cement, Electrical Goods, Medicines, etc.

Currency Rate:

     US $1 is equivalent to Nepali Rs. 29.10 (1990 September)

Staple Food:

     Rice, Wheat and Corn

Total Cultivated Land:

     2800 thousand hectares (1980)

     19.26% of the total area

Major Cash Crops:

     Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Oil Seeds

Major Industries:

     Jute, Sugar, Cigarettes, Leather, Cement, Rice, Flour Mills, Handicrafts,
Carpet, Garments, Tourism

Number of Tourists:

     266,000 per annum (Mid-January 1988)

Religion and Culture

     Nepal is the only Hindu Kingdom in the world where other religions are
freely practiced. Religious and communal harmony in the country is considered
unique.

     Nepal is a rare combination of the old and new art, culture and
civilization. Its population is made up of an assortment of races and tribes
living in different regions, wearing different costumes and speaking different
languages and dialects.

     Nepal is also a land of festivals. For Nepalese, festivals are not merely
spectacles, but glorious cultural heritage. Festivals bind together the
Nepalese people of diverse cultural background, and beliefs into one nation.
Most of the festivals are related to the gods and godesses and they are
celebrated on such days as are consecrated for them by religion and tradition.
Some national festivals are like Dashain and Tihar.

US-Nepal Ties and Some Dates

Establishment of Diplomatic Relation:

     April 25,1947

Office of US Operation Mission Opened in Nepal:

     1951

Nepal and USA established residential embassies:

     1959

Former Vice-President Spiro Agnew visited Nepal:

     1969

Their Majesties the King and Queen of Nepal paid a State Visit to the USA:

     December 1983