Nepal

Nepal

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Nepál Adhirajya/Kingdom of Nepal Area 147,181 sq km/56,826 sq mi Capital Kathmandu Language Nepali (official), Tibetan, numerous local languages Religion Hindu 90%; Buddhist 5%, Muslim 3%, Christian Time difference GMT +5.5 Major holidays 11 January, 19 February, 8 November, 16, 29 December; variable: New Year (Sinhala/Tamil, April), Maha Shivarata (February/March)


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Moráng, Biratnagar, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Birganj Physical features descends from the Himalayas in the north through foothills to the River Ganges plain in the south; Mount Everest, Mount Kanchenjunga Airports one international airport and about 45 other airports and airfields, of which five have paved runways; total passengers carried: 625,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 101 km/63 mi; total passenger journeys: 1.6 million (1999) Roads total road network: 15,905 km/9,883 mi, of which 53.9% paved (2003 est); passenger cars: 10.1 per 1,000 people (1999)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev from 2001 Head of government Girija Prasad Koirala from 2006 Political system emergent democracy Political executive parliamentary Administrative divisions 14 zones and 75 districts Political parties Nepali Congress Party (NCP), left of centre; United Nepal Communist Party (UNCP; Unified Marxist–Leninist), left wing; Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), monarchist Death penalty abolished in 1997 Armed forces 69,000; plus paramilitary forces of 62,000 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 2 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 3.4 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 1.5 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Nepalese rupee GDP (US$) 8 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 1.9 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 7.3 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 1,530 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 7.9% (2006 est) Unemployment 5.2%; 47% underemployment rate (2004 est) Labour force 80% agriculture, 3% industry, 17% services (2003 est) Foreign debt (US$) 3.4 billion (2004 est) Major trading partners India, China, USA, Germany, Singapore, France, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Thailand, Canada, Malaysia Resources lignite, talcum, magnesite, limestone, copper, cobalt Industries bricks and tiles, carpets, clothing, paper, cotton fabrics, cement, leather, jute goods, electrical cable, soap, edible oils, sugar, tourism Exports clothing, woollen carpets, hides and skins, food grains, jute goods, timber, toothpaste, oil seeds, ghee, potatoes, medicinal herbs, cattle. Principal market: India 66.9% (2005) Imports petroleum products, basic manufactures, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, crude palm oil, pharmaceuticals. Principal source: India 59% (2005) Arable land 16.1% (2006 est) Agricultural products rice, maize, wheat, sugar cane, millet, potatoes, barley, tobacco, cardamoms, fruits, oil seeds; livestock rearing (cattle and pigs)


POPULATION

Population 27,677,600 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.9% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 188 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 16 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 39%, 15–59 55%, 60+ 6% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 80% of Indo-Nepalese origin, including the Gurkhas, Paharis, Newars, and Tharus; 20% of Tibeto-Nepalese descent (concentrated in the north and east) Life expectancy 63 (men); 64 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 76 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 5 Literacy rate 62% (men); 26% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 0.5 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 0.2 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.5 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 5,100 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 93 (urban); 82 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 1.7 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 0.9 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 39 (1998) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 11 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 0.5 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 0.4 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

8th century BC Kathmandu Valley occupied by Ahirs (shepherd kings), Tibeto-Burman migrants from northern India. c. 563 BC In Lumbini in far south, Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the historic Buddha, was born. AD 300 Licchavis dynasty immigrated from India and introduced caste system. 13th–16th centuries Dominated by Malla dynasty, great patrons of the arts. 1768 Nepal emerged as a unified kingdom after the ruler of the principality of the Gurkhas in the west, King Prithwi Narayan Shah, conquered Kathmandu Valley. 1792 Nepal's expansion halted by defeat at the hands of Chinese in Tibet; commercial treaty signed with Britain. 1815–16 Anglo-Nepali ‘Gurkha War’; Nepal became British-dependent buffer state with British resident stationed in Kathmandu. 1846 Fell under sway of Rana family, who became hereditary chief ministers, dominating powerless monarchy and isolating Nepal from outside world. 1923 Full independence formally recognized by Britain. 1951 Monarchy restored to power and Ranas overthrown in ‘palace revolution’ supported by Nepali Congress Party (NCP). 1959 Constitution created an elected legislature. 1960–61 Parliament dissolved by King Mahendra; political parties banned after NCP's pro-India socialist leader B P Koirala became prime minister. 1962 New constitution provided for tiered, traditional system of indirectly elected local councils (panchayats) and an appointed prime minister. 1972 King Mahendra died; succeeded by his son, King Birendra Bikram Shah Dev. 1980 Constitutional referendum held, following popular agitation led by B P Koirala; resulted in introduction of direct, but nonparty, elections to National Assembly. 1983 Monarch-supported prime minister overthrown by directly-elected deputies to National Assembly. 1986 New assembly elections returned majority opposed to panchayat system of partyless government. 1988 Strict curbs placed on opposition activity; over 100 supporters of the banned NCP arrested, and censorship imposed. 1989 Border blockade imposed by India during treaty dispute. 1990 Panchayat system collapsed after mass NCP-led violent pro-democracy demonstrations; new democratic constitution introduced, and ban on political parties lifted. 1991 Nepali Congress Party, led by Girija Prasad Koirala, won general election. 1992 Communists led antigovernment demonstrations in Kathmandu and Pátan. 1994 Koirala's government defeated on no-confidence motion; parliament dissolved. Minority communist government formed under Man Mohan Adhikari. 1995 Parliament dissolved by King Birendra at Prime Minister Adhikari's request; fresh elections called but Supreme Court ruled the move unconstitutional. 1996 Maoist guerillas began violent insurgency aimed at overthrowing government. 1998 Krishna Prasad Bhattarai became prime minister and formed new coalition government; declared priority to end Maoist insurgency. 2000 Vote of no confidence in Bhattarai led to his replacement by Girija Prasad Koirala. Secret unofficial talks with the Maoist guerillas began, but were broken off. 2001 King Birendra and eight other members of royal family shot dead by Crown Prince Dipendra. Dipendra, briefly named new king, died in hospital three days later from self-inflicted wounds; his brother Gyanendra subsequently crowned. 2002 In ongoing Maoist rebellion against constitutional monarchy, over 150 people killed in Mangelsen in far west; government offensive targeted rebel bases, killing more than 150 insurgents. 2003 Maoist insurgents agreed ceasefire with government; designed to lead to peace talks and end to fighting that had claimed over 7,000 lives. Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand resigned; replaced by Surya Bahadur Thapa. Maoist rebels pulled out of peace talks, ending seven-month truce. Resurgence of violence and clashes with police. 2004 Nepal became member of World Trade Organization (WTO). Following weeks of protests by opposition groups, royalist prime minister resigned; Sher Bahadur Deuba reappointed premier by king with task of holding elections. 2005 Claiming all efforts should focus on defeating Maoist rebels, king dismissed Prime Minister Deuba and his government; declared state of emergency and assumed direct power. Under international pressure, king lifted state of emergency. 2006 King agreed to reinstate parliament; G P Koirala appointed prime minister. King's political powers curtailed by parliament. Maoist rebels called three-month ceasefire. First peace talks in nearly three years, and first high-level meeting between rebel leader Prachanda and Prime Minister Koirala; Maoists to be included in interim government. Peace accord signed, formally ending ten-year insurgency; rebel weapons to be placed under UN supervision. 2007 Maoist leaders entered parliament; joined interim government and political mainstream. Violent protests broke out in southeast, demanding regional autonomy. Elections for constituent assembly postponed till November. Three bombs hit Kathmandu in September, first such attack since end of insurgency. Maoists left interim government, demanding end to monarchy.


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