Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
*Navassa Island, Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
*Nepal, Geography
Location:
South Asia, in the Himalayas, between China and India
Map references:
Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
140,800 km2
land area:
136,800 km2
comparative area: slightly larger than Arkansas
Land boundaries:
total 2,926 km, China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none; landlocked
International disputes:
none
Climate:
varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers
and mild winters in south
Terrain:
Terai 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:
arable land:
17%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
13%
forest and woodland:
33%
other:
37%
Irrigated land:
9,430 km2 (1989)
Environment:
contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks; deforestation; soil erosion;
water pollution
Note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and India
*Nepal, People
Population:
20,535,466 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.43% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
37.99 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
13.66 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
85.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
51.98 years male:
51.84 years
female:
52.12 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.33 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Nepalese
Ethnic divisions:
Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus,
Sherpas
Religions:
Hindu 90%, Buddhist 5%, Muslim 3%, other 2% (1981)
note:
only official Hindu state in world, although no sharp distinction between
many Hindu and Buddhist groups
Languages:
Nepali (official), 20 languages divided into numerous dialects
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
26%
male:
38%
female:
13%
Labor force:
8.5 million (1991 est.)
by occupation:
agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry 2%
note:
severe lack of skilled labor
*Nepal, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Nepal
conventional short form:
Nepal
Digraph:
NP
Type:
parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991
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 Prithvi Narayan Shah)
Constitution:
9 November 1990
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)
Political parties and leaders:
ruling party:
Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Party president Krishna Prasad BHATTARAI, Prime
Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA, Ganesh Man SINGH
center:
the NDP has two factions: National Democratic Party/Chand (NDP/Chand),
Lokendra Bahadur CHAND; and National Democratic Party/Thapa (NDP/Thapa),
Surya Bahadur THAPA; Terai Rights Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party, Gayendra
Narayan SINGH
Communist:
Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist and Leninist (CPN/UML), Man Mohan
ADIKHARY; United People's Front (UPF), N. K. PRASAI, Lila Mani POKHAREL;
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, leader NA; Rohit Party, N. M. BIJUKCHHE;
Democratic Party, leader NA
note:
the two factions of the NDP announced a merger in late 1991
Other political or pressure groups:
numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small,
radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
House of Representatives:
last held on 12 May 1991 (next to be held May 1996); results - NCP 38%,
CPN/UML 28%, NDP/Chand 6%, UPF 5%, NDP/Thapa 5%, Terai Rights Sadbhavana
Party 4%, Rohit 2%, CPN (Democratic) 1%, independents 4%, other 7%; seats -
(205 total) NCP 110, CPN/UML 69, UPF 9, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 6,
NDP/Chand 3, Rohit 2, CPN (Democratic) 2, NDP/Thapa 1, independents 3; note
- the new Constitution of 9 November 1990 gave Nepal a multiparty democracy
system for the first time in 32 years
Executive branch:
monarch, prime minister, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or National Council and a
lower house or House of Representatives
*Nepal, Government