Government type: parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991
National 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)
National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)
Constitution: 9 November 1990
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: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (succeeded to the throne 31 January 1972 following the death of his father King MAHENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, crowned king 24 February 1975); Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 15 April 1998); note-Prime Minister KOIRALA-the country's seventh prime minister since 1991-replaces Prime Minister Surya Bahadur THAPA, who served from October 1997 until April 1998, when he resigned as part of a power-sharing agreement with his coalition partners cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the king on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the king
Legislative branch: 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 15 November 1994 (next to be held by 15 November 1999) election results: House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NCP 33%, CPN/UML 31%, NDP 18%, Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3%, NWPP 1%; seats by party - CPN/UML 88, NCP 83, NDP 20, NWPP 4, Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3, independents 7