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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. A Maoist insurgency, launched
in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring
down the regime, especially after a negotiated
cease-fire between the Maoists and government forces
broke down in August 2003. In 2001, the crown prince
massacred ten members of the royal family, including the
king and queen, and then took his own life. In October
2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his
cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the
parliament and were subsequently unable to hold
elections because of the ongoing insurgency. While
stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the king in
June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime
minister who formed a four-party coalition government,
which the king subsequently tasked with paving the way
for elections to be held in spring of 2005. Citing
dissatisfaction with the government's lack of progress
in addressing the Maoist insurgency, the king in
February 2005 dissolved the government and assumed
power. |
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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:
140,800 sq km
land: 136,800 sq km
water: 4,000 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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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: 21.68%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 77.68% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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11,350 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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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, 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 - the world's tallest - on the border with
China |
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Population:
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27,676,547 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 39% (male 5,575,157/female 5,221,794)
15-64 years: 57.3% (male 8,137,410/female
7,720,691)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 499,039/female
522,456) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
20.07 years
male: 19.91 years
female: 20.24 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.2%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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31.45
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.47
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
66.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 65.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 59.8 years
male: 60.09 years
female: 59.5 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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4.19
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.5%
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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61,000
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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3,100
(2003 est.) |
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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)
note: only official Hindu state in the world |
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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 |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45.2%
male: 62.7%
female: 27.6% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
conventional short form: Nepal |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy |
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Capital:
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Kathmandu
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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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Birthday
of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946) |
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Constitution:
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9
November 1990 |
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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: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded
to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his
nephew, King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)
head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur
DEUBA; note - the Prime Minister resigned in Februrary
2005
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the
recommendation of the prime minister; note - the King
dissolved the Cabinet in February 2005
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a
bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that
also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King
BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to
have been responsible for the shootings before fatally
wounding himself; immediately following the shootings
and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned
king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his
uncle |
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Legislative branch:
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: bicameral Parliament consists of the National
Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of
Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an
electoral college; one-third of the members elected
every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House
of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 3
and 17 May 1999 (next election NA); note - Nepal's
Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002
election results: House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP
10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta
Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by
party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana
Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by
the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional
Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch
on the recommendation of the Judicial Council) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Communist
Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav
Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic
Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or
RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; People's Front
Nepal (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra BAHADUR, chairman];
Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur DEUBA,
president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA,
party president; Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary];
Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad
MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and
Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party
chairman]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Maoist
guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also
known as PRAHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, from
Communist Party of Nepal/Maoist, chief negotiator];
numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the
capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist
groups |
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International organization participation:
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AsDB, CP,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MICAH, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB,
OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO, WTO (observer)
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Kedar Bhakta SHRESTHA
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 James F. MORIARTY
embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [977] (1) 411179
FAX: [977] (1) 419963 |
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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 40% of its population living below the
poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the
economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the
population and accounting for 40% of GDP. Industrial
activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural
produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.
Security concerns in the wake of the Maoist conflict
have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of
foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for
exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism,
areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects
for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will
remain poor, however, because of the small size of the
economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness,
its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife,
and its susceptibility to natural disaster. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$39.53
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2004
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 40%
industry: 20%
services: 40% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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10
million
note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 81%, industry 3%, services 16% |
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Unemployment rate:
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47% (2001
est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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42%
(1995-96) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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36.7
(FY95/96) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.9%
(2002 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $665 million
expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (FY99/00 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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rice,
corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo
meat |
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Industries:
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tourism,
carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
mills; cigarette; cement and brick production |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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8.7%
(FY99/00) |
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Electricity - production:
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2.054
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 8.5%
hydro: 91.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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2.005
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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142
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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237
million kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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16,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Exports:
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$568
million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border
trade with India (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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carpets,
clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain |
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Exports - partners:
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India
47.4%, US 22.7%, Germany 8.4% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$1.419
billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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gold,
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer
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Imports - partners:
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India
46.3%, China 10.8%, UAE 9.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2004)
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Debt - external:
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$2.7
billion (2001) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$424
million (FY00/01) |
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Currency (code):
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Nepalese
rupee (NPR) |
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Currency code:
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NPR |
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Exchange rates:
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Nepalese
rupees per US dollar - 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003),
77.877 (2002), 74.949 (2001), 71.094 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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16 July -
15 July |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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371,800
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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50,400
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph
service; fair radiotelephone communication service and
mobile cellular telephone network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 977; radiotelephone
communications; microwave landline to India; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 6, FM
5, shortwave 1 (January 2000) |
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Radios:
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840,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (plus 9
repeaters) (1998) |
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Televisions:
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130,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.np |
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Internet hosts:
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917
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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6 (2000)
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Internet users:
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80,000
(2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
59 km
narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
13,223 km
paved: 4,073 km
unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.) |
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Airports:
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46 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Royal
Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air
Service), Nepalese Police Force |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age for voluntary military service (2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 6,107,091 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 4.193 million (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
308,031 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$99.2
million (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.5%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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joint
border commission continues to work on small disputed
sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a
stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist
insurgents and illegal cross-border activities |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 104,235 (Bhutan)
IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between
government forces and Maoist rebels; displacement spread
across the country) (2004) |
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Illicit drugs:
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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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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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