$Unique_ID{bob00399} $Pretitle{} $Title{Nepal Statistical Profile of Nepal} $Subtitle{} $Author{Central Intelligence Agency} $Affiliation{United States Government} $Subject{km nepalese rate million population government groups india nepal king hear audio hear sound see pictures see figures } $Date{1990} $Log{Hear National Anthem*56402010.aud See Map of Nepal*0039901.scf See Flag of Nepal*0039902.scf } Title: Nepal Book: CIA World Factbook Author: Central Intelligence Agency Affiliation: United States Government Date: 1990 [Hear National Anthem] [See Map of Nepal] [See Flag of Nepal] Statistical Profile of Nepal Geography Total area: 140,800 km2; land area: 136,800 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than Arkansas Land boundaries: 2,926 km total; China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km Coastline: none--landlocked Maritime claims: none--landlocked Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winter in south Terrain: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydroelectric potential, scenic beauty; small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore Land use: 17% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 13% meadows and pastures; 33% forest and woodland; 37% other; includes 2% irrigated Environment: contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution Note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India People Population: 18,699,884 (July 1989), growth rate 2.4% (1989) Birth rate: 40 births/1,000 population (1989) Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1989) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1989) Infant mortality rate: 101 deaths/1,000 live births (1989) Life expectancy at birth: 50 years male, 49 years female (1989) Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (1989) Nationality: noun--Nepalese (sing. and pl.); adjective--Nepalese Ethnic divisions: Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas, as well as many smaller groups Religion: only official Hindu state in world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu (about 88% of population) and Buddhist groups; small groups of Muslims and Christians Language: Nepali (official); 20 languages divided into numerous dialects Literacy: 20% Labor force: 4,100,000; 93% agriculture, 5% services, 2% industry; severe lack of skilled labor Organized labor: Teachers' Union, not officially recognized Government Long-form name: Kingdom of Nepal Type: nominally a constitutional monarchy; King Birendra exercises autocratic control over multitiered system of government Capital: Kathmandu Administrative divisions: 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti Independence: 1768, unified by Prithyi Narayan Shah Constitution: 16 December 1962 Legal system: based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945) Branches: Council of Ministers (appointed by king); Rastriya Panchayat (National Assembly); 140 members, including 112 directly elected and 28 appointed by king, who serve five-year terms Leaders: Chief of State Head of Government BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, King (since 1973); Marich Man Singh SHRESTHA, Prime Minister (since 1986) Suffrage: universal over age 21 Elections: general election last held May 1986; National Assembly election scheduled for spring 1991 Political parties and leaders: all political parties outlawed but operate more or less openly; Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Ganesh Man Singh, K. P. Bhattarai, G. P. Koirala Communists: Communist Party of Nepal (CPN); factions include V. B. Manandhar, Man Mohan Adhikari/Sahana Pradhan, Bharat Raj Joshi, Rai Majhi, Tulsi Lal, Krishna Raj Burma Other political or pressure groups: numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; Indian merchants in Tarai and capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups operating from north India Member of: ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UN Security Council 1988-89, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Mohan Man SAINJU; Chancery at 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 667-4550; there is a Nepalese Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador Milton FRANK; Embassy at Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu; telephone [977] 411179 or 412718, 411601 Flag: 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 Economy Overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with a per capita income of only $170. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 90% of the population, and accounting for 60% of GDP and about 75% of exports. Industrial activity is limited, and what there is involves the processing of agricultural produce (jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain). Apart from agricultural land and forests, the only other exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism. Despite considerable investment in the agricultural sector, production in the 1980s has not kept pace with the population growth of 2.7%, which has led to a reduction in exportable surpluses and balance-of-payments difficulties. GDP: $3.1 billion, per capita $170; real growth rate 7.1% (FY88) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.9% (FY88) Unemployment rate: 5%; underemployment estimated at 25-40% (1987) Budget: revenues $388 million; expenditures $813 million, including capital expenditures of $553 million (FY89) Exports: $139 million (f.o.b., FY87), but does not include unrecorded border trade with India; commodities--clothing, carpets, leather goods, grain; partners--India 43%, US 26%, UK 10%, other Europe 17% Imports: $507 million (c.i.f., FY87); commodities--petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10%; partners--India 40%, Europe 13%, Japan 13%, US 2% External debt: $1.1 billion (December 1988) Industrial production: growth rate 10.4% (FY88 est.) Electricity: 203,000 kW capacity; 530 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1988) Industries: small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette, textiles, cement, brick; tourism Agriculture: rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, oilseeds; an illegal producer of cannabis for the international drug trade Aid: NA Currency: Nepalese rupee (plural--rupees); 1 Nepalese rupee (NR) = 100 paisa Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1--25.250 (January 1989), 23.289 (1988), 21.819 (1987), 21.230 (1986), 18.246 (1985) Fiscal year: 16 July-15 July Communications Railroads: 52 km (1985), all 0.762-meter narrow gauge; all in Tarai close to Indian border; 10 km from Raxaul to Birganj is government owned Highways: 5,958 km total (1986); 2,645 km paved, 815 km gravel or crushed stone, 2,257 km improved and unimproved earth; also 241 km of seasonally motorable tracks Civil air: 5 major and 11 minor transport aircraft Airports: 38 total, 38 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radio communication and broadcast service; international radio communication service is poor; 30,000 telephones (1987); stations--4 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 satellite ground station Defense Forces Branches: Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force Military manpower: males 15-49, 4,403,354; 2,279,700 fit for military service; 216,890 reach military age (17) annually Military budget: $39 million, 15.2% of central government budget (FY89)