Population: 30,430,267 (July 2013 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.6% (male 5,045,989/female 4,859,274) 15-24 years: 22.6% (male 3,444,428/female 3,431,127) 25-54 years: 34.9% (male 5,015,145/female 5,593,248) 55-64 years: 5.5% (male 820,014/female 860,439) 65 years and over: 4.5% (male 630,853/female 729,750) (2013 est.) population pyramid:
Median age: total: 22.1 years male: 21.2 years female: 22.9 years (2012 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.768% (2012 est.)
Birth rate: 21.85 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Death rate: 6.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 43.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.51 years male: 65.26 years female: 67.82 years (2012 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.36 children born/woman (2013 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 64,000 (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,700 (2009 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nepali (singular and plural) adjective: Nepali
Ethnic groups: 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)
Religions: Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)
Languages: Nepali (official) 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.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60.3% male: 73% female: 48.3% (2010 census).
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal local short form: Nepal
Government type: federal democratic republic
Capital: 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)
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 Prithvi Narayan SHAH)
National holiday: Republic Day, 29 May
Constitution: 15 January 2007 (interim Constitution); note - in April 2008, the Constituent Assembly (CA) was elected as an interim parliament to draft and promulgate a new constitution by May 2010; the deadline was extended four times, mostly recently until May 2012 when the CA was dissolved without completing a new constitution
Legal system: English common law and Hindu legal concepts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (since 23 July 2008); Vice President Paramananda JHA (since 23 July 2008) head of government: note: on 14 March 2013, the chief justice of Nepal's Supreme Court, Khil Raj REGMI, was sworn in as Chairman of the Interim Council of Ministers for Elections to lead an interim government and charged with holding Constituent Assembly elections by December 2013 cabinet: cabinet was formed in August-September 2011 by a majority coalition made up of the United Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Democratic, Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Republic, Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Nepal, Terai-Madhes Democratic Party, 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; president elected 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
Legislative branch: note: in May 2012 Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the previous unicameral Constituent Assembly 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; note - the Constituent Assembly failed to draft a new constitution by the 27 May 2012 deadline; as of early 2013, the parties were in negotiations to hold elections for a new Constituent Assembly election results: percent of vote by party - CPN-M 38%, NC 19%, CPN-UML 18%, Madhesi People's Right Forum 9%, other 11%; seats by party - CPN-M 229, NC 115, CPN-UML 108, Madhesi People's Rights Forum 54, Terai Madhes Democratic Party 21, other smaller parties 74; note - 26 seats filled by the new Cabinet are included in the totals above
Judicial branch: 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)
Political parties and leaders: Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Himalaya Bhakta PRADHANGA]; Communist Party of Nepal-Marxist Leninist or CPN-ML [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal-Marxist Leninist Samaibadi [Jaqat Bahadur BOGATI]; Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist [Mohan BAIDYA, also known as KIRAN]; Communist Party of Nepal-Unified [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal-United [Chandra Dev JOSHI]; Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist or CPN-UML [Jhalanath KHANAL]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN]; Federal Democratic National Forum [Khagendra MAKHAIM]; Federal Democratic National Forum - Tharuhat [Rukmini CHAUDHARY]; Federal Democratic National Party [Ravindra THING]; Federal Socialist Party [Ashok RAI]; Federal Sadbhayana Party [Anil JHAL]; Janta Dal United [Biswonath Prasad AGRAWAL]; Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Democratic [Bijay Kumar GACHHADAR]; Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Nepal [Upendra YADAV]; Madhesi People's Rights Forum-Republic [Raj Kishore YADAV]; National Madhes Socialist Party [Sharat Singh BHANDARI]; Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Laxmi Lal CHAUDBARY]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Eknath DHAKAL]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress or NC [Sushil KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Hari Charan SAH]; Newa Rastriya Party [Keshav Man SHAKYA]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra Bahadur K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA]; Rastriya Prajantantra Party [Pashupati Shumsher RANA]; Rastriya Prajantantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party [Rajendra MAHATO]; Sadbhavana Party-Anandi Devi [Sarita GIRI]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Social Democratic Party [Chaitanya SUBBA]; Terai Madhes Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR]; Terai Madhes Democratic Party-Nepal [Mahendra YADAVI]; Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: other: small armed groups along the southern border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for individual ethnic groups
International organization participation: ADB, BIMSTEC, CD, 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 (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: 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
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter W. BODDE embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200 FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272.
Economy
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world, with with about 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 a little over one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. 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 landlocked geographic location, civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (purchasing power parity): $40.49 billion (2012 est.) $38.7 billion (2011 est.) $37.25 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): GDP (official exchange rate): $19.42 billion (2012 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.6% (2012 est.) 3.9% (2011 est.) 4.8% (2010 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,300 (2012 est.) $1,300 (2011 est.) $1,200 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38.1% industry: 15.3% services: 46.6% (2012 est.)
Labor force: 18 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2009 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry: 7% services: 18% (2010 est.)
Unemployment rate: 46% (2008 est.) 42% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25.2% (2011 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 29.5% (2011)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 32.8 (2010) 47.2 (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.3% (2012 est.) 7.7% (2011 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3.5 billion expenditures: $4.7 billion (FY11/12)
Agriculture - products: pulses, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Industries: tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate: 2.9% (FY11/12)
Electricity - production: 3.431 billion kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - consumption: 5.349 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Electricity - imports: 74 million kWh (2012 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2010 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2010 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2010 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2010 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
Current account balance: $93 million (2012 est.) $49 million (2011 est.)
Exports: $1 billion (2012 est.) $998.9 million (2011 est.)
Exports - commodities: clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, juice, pashima, jute goods
Exports - partners: India 57.4%, US 9.6%, Germany 5.4% (2011)
Imports: $6.15 billion (2012 est.) $5.665 billion (2011 est.)
Imports - commodities: petroleum products, machinery and equipment, gold, electrical goods, medicine
Imports - partners: India 57%, China 25.9% (2011)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.631 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $2.925 billion (2010 est.)
Debt - external: $3.774 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $3.673 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $NA
Market value of publicly traded shares: $4.529 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $4.843 billion (31 December 2010) $5.485 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 85.16 (2012 est.) 74.02 (2011 est.) 73.16 (2010 est.) 77.44 (2009) 65.21 (2008)
Fiscal year: 16 July - 15 July.
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Nepalese Rupee Converter
