Nepal
is a land-locked country bordering with the Tibet
Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of
China in the north and surrounded by India in the
east, south and west.
Language
Nepali is the
national language of Nepal. Educated people
understand and speak English as well. There are
hundreds of local dialects spoken by people from
various ethnic groups.
Climate
Nepal
has four major seasons, namely
1 Winter:
December-February
2 Spring: March-May
3
Summer: June-August and
4 Autumn:
September-November. Nepal can be visited all the
year round.
People and Religion
Nepalese
people are mainly divided into two distinct
groups, the Indo-Aryans and the Mangoloids (the
Kirats). Before 2007 AD, Nepal was regarded as the
only Hindu Kingdom in the world. But after that
the Government of Nepal has already announced the
country to be secular country. The Hindu Temples
and Buddhist Shrines are scattered all over the
Kingdom. Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha,
Herald of Peace, the Light of Asia. Hindus,
Buddhists, Muslims and Christians live together in
harmony. And other nature worshippers, too, exist
here.
Currency &
Foreign exchange
Nepali Rupee notes
come in Rs. 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500,
1000 denominations. Coins come in Rs. 1, 2 , 5 and
10 denominations. Foreign currencies must be exchanged only through banks or
authorized money exchangers. The receipts of such
transaction are to be obtained and retained.
Visitors can exchange foreign currency at the
foreign exchange counter at the airport upon
arrival. Visitors other than the Indian nationals
have to make the payment in foreign currency
(non-Indian currency) in hotel,Trekking agencies or
travel agencies and for air
tickets.
Location:
Southern Asia, between China and
India
Geographic
coordinates:
28 00 N, 84 00 E
Map
references:
Asia
Area:
total: 147,181 sq km
land: 143,181 sq km
water: 4,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arkansas
Land
boundaries:
total: 2,926 km
border countries: China 1,236 km
India 1,690 km
Coastline:
0 km landlocked
Maritime
claims:
none landlocked
Climates:
varies from cool summers and
severe winters in north to subtropical summers and
mild winters in south
Terrain:
Tarai or flat river plain of the
Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged
Himalayas in north
Elevation
extremes:
lowest point: Kanchan
Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount
Everest 8,850 m
Natural
resources:
quartz, water, timber, hydropower,
scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper,
cobalt, iron ore
total: 10.18 cu km/yr
(3%/1%/96%)
per capita: 375 cu m/yr
(2000)
Natural
hazards:
severe thunderstorms, flooding,
landslides, drought, and famine depending on the
timing, intensity, and duration of the summer
monsoons
Environment - current
issues:
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
Environment -
international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
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
Geography -
note:
landlocked; strategic location
between China and India; contains eight of world's
10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and
Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third
tallest - on the borders with China and India
respectively
People
Population:
28,901,790 July 2007 est.
Age
structure:
0-14 years: 38.3% (male
5,721,720/female 5,360,391)
15-64
years: 57.9% (male 8,597,037/female
8,134,115)
65 years and over: 3.8%
(male 528,113/female 560,414) (2007 est.
Median
age:
total: 20.5 years
male: 20.3 years
female: 20.6 years 2007 est.
Population growth
rate:
2.132% 2007 est.
Birth
rate:
30.46 births/1,000 population
2007 est.
Death
rate:
9.14 deaths/1,000 population 2007
est.
Net migration
rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
2007 est.
Sex
ratio:
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.067
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.057
male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.942 male(s)/female
total
population: 1.056 male(s)/female 2007 est.
Infant mortality
rate:
total: 63.66 deaths/1,000
live births
male: 61.87 deaths/1,000
live births
female: 65.54
deaths/1,000 live births 2007 est.
Life expectancy at
birth:
total population: 60.56
years
male: 60.78 years
female: 60.33 years 2007 est.
Total fertility
rate:
4.01 children born/woman 2007
est.
Nationality:
noun: Nepalese (singular
and plural)
adjective: Nepalese
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)
note: only official Hindu state in
the world
Languages:
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 (2001 est.)
Literacy:
definition:age 15 and
over can read and write
total
population: 48.6%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.9% (2001 census)
Government
Country
name:
conventional long and short
form: Nepal local long and short
form: Nepal
Government
type:
constitutional monarchy
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 (Unification lead by Prithvi
Narayan SHAH)
Constitution:
9 November 1990; note - a new
interim constitution was promulgated in January
2007; the November 2006 peace agreement calls for
the election of a constituent assembly to draft a
new permanent constitution
Legal
system:
based on Hindu legal concepts and
English common law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive
branch:
chief of state: Girija
Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006) head
of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad
KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006) cabinet: Cabinet historically
appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
the prime minister; note - the prime minister
selected the Cabinet in May 2006 in consultation
with the political parties elections: following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition
historically has been appointed prime minister by
the monarch
Legislative
branch:
a 330 seat Interim Parliament was
formed on 15 January 2007 following the
promulgation of an interim constitution elections: Constituent Assembly
elections orginally scheduled for June 2007 are
expected to be held on 10 April 2008 election results: Interim Parliament
seats by party - NC 85, CPN/M 83, CPN/UML 83, NC/D
48, RPP 9, NSP/AD 5, NWPP 4, People's Front Nepal
(Amik Sherchan Group) 4, People's Front Nepal
(Chitra Bahadur K.C. Group) 3, UFL 3, People's
Front Nepal (Chitra Bahadur Ale Group) 2, NSP 1
Judicial
branch:
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)
Political parties and
leaders:
Communist Party of Nepal/United
Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL];
National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati
Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajantra
Party or RPP); Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party
or NSP - Mandal [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL]; Nepal
Sadbhavana Party - Ananda Devi [Ananda DEVI];
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan
Man BIJUKCHHE]; People's Front Nepal (Amik
Sherchan Group); People's Front Nepal (Chitra
Bahadur Ale Group); People's Front Nepal (Chitra
Bahadur K.C. Group); Rastriya Janashakti Party or
RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA] (split from RPP in March
2005); Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal (merged with
People's Front Nepal or PFN in 2002); United
Leftist Front or UFL [C.P. MAINALI]
Political pressure groups
and leaders:
Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency
[Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA,
chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI]; numerous small,
left-leaning student groups in the capital;
several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist
groups
chief of mission: Ambassador Suresh Chandra CHALISE 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 Nancy J. POWELL embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu mailing
address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200 FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272
Flag
description:
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
