Natural hazards: violent storms coming down from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
Environment—current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Environment—international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography—note: landlocked; strategic location between China and
India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
People
Population: 1,951,965 (July 1999 est.)
note: other estimates range as low as 600,000
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 405,745; female 376,738)
15-64 years: 56% (male 561,754; female 530,420)
65 years and over: 4% (male 39,251; female 38,057) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.25% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 36.76 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 14.26 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)