1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 29 May; Democracy Day, 24 April

Constitution:

15 January 2007 (interim Constitution); note - in April 2008, a Constituent Assembly was elected to draft and promulgate a new constitution by May 2010, but the deadline has been extended to May 2011

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: