210.2 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%)
per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
severe thunderstorms; flooding; landslides; drought and famine
depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer
monsoons
Environment - current issues:
deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);
contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural
runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular
emissions
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains
eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and
Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the
borders with China and India respectively
People ::Nepal
Population:
28,951,852 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.6% (male 5,327,484/female 5,127,178)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 8,094,494/female 8,812,675)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 566,666/female 634,880) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.2 years
male: 20.2 years
female: 22.1 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.419% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Birth rate:
22.43 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Death rate:
6.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Net migration rate:
-1.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Urbanization:
urban population: 17% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 46 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 56
male: 45.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 46.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.81 years
country comparison to the world: 163
male: 64.62 years
female: 67.05 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.53 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
70,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue
fever (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Nepalese
Ethnic groups:
Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang
5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%,
unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%
(2001 census)
Languages:
Nepali (official) 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu
(Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi
2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)
note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.9% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 8 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 116
Government ::Nepal
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
conventional short form: Nepal
local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal
local short form: Nepal
Government type:
federal democratic republic
Capital:
name: Kathmandu
geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E
time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
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:
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:
chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (since 23 July 2008); Vice
President Paramananda JHA (since 23 July 2008)
head of government: vacant; Prime Minister Madhav Kumar NEPAL
resigned on 30 June 2010 but leads a caretaker government
cabinet: cabinet was formed in May 2009 by a majority coalition made
up of the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist, Nepali
Congress, Madhesi People's Rights Forum, Nepal-Democratic, and
several smaller parties
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected by Parliament; term extends until the
new constitution is promulgated; election last held on 21 July 2008;
date of next election NA
election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the
Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008;
Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282
Legislative branch:
unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 members elected by
direct popular vote, 335 by proportional representation, and 26
appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers))
elections: last held on 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party - CPN-M 38%, NC 19%,
CPN-UML 19%,Madhesi People's Right Forum 9%, Terai Madhes Democratic
Party and Sadbhawana Party 5%, other 15%; seats by party - CPN-M
220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi People's Rights Forum 52, Terai
Madhes Democratic Party 20, Sadbhawana Party 9, other smaller
parties 56; note - 26 seats filled by the new Cabinet and are
included in the seat totals above
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (the president appoints the chief
justice on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the chief
justice appoints other judges on the recommendation of the Judicial
Council)
Political parties and leaders:
Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist
Party of Nepal-Maoist (inactive); Communist Party of Nepal-Marxist
Leninist or CPN-ML [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal-Unified
[Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal-United [Chandra Dev
JOSHI]; Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist-Leninist or CPN-UML
[Jhalanath KHANAL]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN];
Federal Democratic National Forum; Madhesi People's Rights
Forum-Democratic [Bijay Kumar GACHHADAR]; Madhesi People's Rights
Forum-Nepal [Upendra YADAV]; Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra
GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Eknath DHAKAL]; Nepal Sadbhavana
Party-Anandi Devi [Sarita GIRI]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or
[Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress or NC [Sushil KOIRALA];
Nepali Janata Dal [Harish Chandra SHA]; Newa Rastriya Party [Keshav
Man SHAKYA]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra Bahadur K.C.]; Rastriya
Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or
RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA]; Rastriya Prajantantra Party [Pashupati
Shumsher RANA]; Rastriya Prajantantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA];
Sadbhavana Party [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata
Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Terai Madhes Democratic Party
[Mahantha THAKUR]; Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa
Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern border
with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for
individual ethnic groups
International organization participation:
ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO,
NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Shankar Prasad SHARMA
chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI
embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200
FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272
Flag description:
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping
right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized
moon and the larger, lower triangle displays a white 12-pointed sun;
the color red represents the rhododendron (Nepal's national flower)
and is a sign of victory and bravery, the blue border signifies
peace and harmony; the two right triangles are a combination of two
single pennons (pennants) that originally symbolized the Himalaya
Mountains while their charges represented the families of the king
(upper) and the prime minister, but today they are understood to
denote Hinduism and Buddhism, the country's two main religions; the
moon represents the serenity of the Nepalese people and the shade
and cool weather in the Himalayas, while the sun depicts the heat
and higher temperatures of the lower parts of Nepal; the moon and
the sun are also said to express the hope that the nation will
endure as long as these heavenly bodies
note: Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not
rectangular or square
National anthem:
name: "Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka" (Hundreds of Flowers)
lyrics/music: Pradeep Kumar RAI/Ambar GURUNG
note: adopted 2007; after the abolition of the monarchy in 2006, a
new anthem was required because of the previous anthem's praise for
the king
Economy ::Nepal
Economy - overview:
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the
world, with almost one-quarter of its population living below the
poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing
a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for
about one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the
processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute,
sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Nepal has considerable scope for
exploiting its potential in hydropower, with an estimated 42,000 MW
of feasible capacity, but political instability hampers foreign
investment. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its
landlocked geographic location, civil strife and labor unrest, and
its susceptibility to natural disaster.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$35.31 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
$34.11 billion (2009 est.)
$32.58 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$15.11 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
4.7% (2009 est.)
5.3% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,200 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
$1,200 (2009 est.)
$1,200 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33%
industry: 15%
services: 52% (FY09 est.)
Labor force:
18 million
country comparison to the world: 32
note: severe lack of skilled labor (2009 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 75%
industry: 7%
services: 18% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
46% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
42% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
24.7% (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 6%
highest 10%: 40.6% (2008)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.2 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 34
36.7 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.6% (September 2010)
country comparison to the world: 193
13.2% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 66
6.5% (31 December 2009)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
8% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$3.03 billion (July 2010)
country comparison to the world: 110
$2.72 billion (July 2009)
Stock of broad money:
$10.01 billion (July 2010)
country comparison to the world: 99
$10.67 billion (July 2009)
Stock of domestic credit:
$9 billion (July 2010)
country comparison to the world: 96
$7.7 billion (July 2009)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.2 billion (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 78
$5.485 billion (31 December 2009)
$4.894 billion (31 December 2008)
Agriculture - products:
pulses, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water
buffalo meat
Industries:
tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate:
1.8% (FY08)
country comparison to the world: 135
Electricity - production:
2.6 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
Electricity - consumption:
2.243 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports:
213 million kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Oil - consumption:
18,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Oil - imports:
16,920 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Current account balance:
-$449 million (2010)
country comparison to the world: 114
$537 million (2009)
Exports:
$849 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 156
$907 million (2008)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, juice, pashima, jute goods
Exports - partners:
India 65.6%, US 8%, Bangladesh 6.04%, Germany 5% (2009)
Imports:
$5.26 billion (2009)
country comparison to the world: 110
$4.1 billion (2008)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, machinery and equipment, gold, electrical goods,
medicine
Imports - partners:
India 57%, China 13% (2009)
Debt - external:
$4.5 billion (2009)
country comparison to the world: 108
$3.285 billion (2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 72.56 (2010), 77.44 (2009),
65.21 (2008), 70.35 (2007), 72.446 (2006)
Communications ::Nepal
Telephones - main lines in use:
820,500 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 85
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.618 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 77
Telephone system:
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone
network
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone service
subscribership base only about 30 per 100 persons
international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;
microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean) (2008)
Broadcast media:
state operates 2 television stations as well as national and
regional radio stations; more than 60 independent radio stations and
a small number of independent television stations (2007)
Internet country code:
.np
Internet hosts:
43,928 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 91
Internet users:
577,800 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 116
Transportation ::Nepal
Airports:
47 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 93
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 31 (2010)
Railways:
total: 59 km
country comparison to the world: 130
narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 17,282 km
country comparison to the world: 119
paved: 10,142 km
unpaved: 7,140 km (2007)
Military ::Nepal
Military branches:
Nepal Army (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for
military training; no conscription (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,699,614
females age 16-49: 7,388,240 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,053,600
females age 16-49: 5,730,116 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 374,882
female: 361,848 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 93
Transnational Issues ::Nepal
Disputes - international:
joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of
boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over
the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter
border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal
cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas
(Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal
since 1990
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China)
IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that
officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country)
(2007)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and
international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast
Asia to the West
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Netherlands (Europe)
Introduction ::Netherlands
Background:
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in
1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and
commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world.
After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was
formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate
kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but
suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A
modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large
exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member
of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the
introduction of the euro in 1999. In October 2010, the former
Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands -
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba - became special municipalities in
the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint
Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent
countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Geography ::Netherlands
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 41,543 sq km
country comparison to the world: 134
land: 33,893 sq km
water: 7,650 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline:
451 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain:
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in
southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m (on the island of Saba in the
Caribbean, now considered an integral part of the Netherlands
following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles)
note: the highest point on continental Netherlands is Vaalserberg at
322 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel,
arable land
Land use:
arable land: 21.96%
permanent crops: 0.77%
other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
5,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
89.7 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%)
per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)
Natural hazards:
flooding
Environment - current issues:
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and
nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from
vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or
Meuse, and Schelde)
People ::Netherlands
Population:
16,783,092 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 1,485,873/female 1,416,999)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 5,720,387/female 5,604,014)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 1,070,496/female 1,418,230) (2010
est.)
Median age:
total: 40.8 years
male: 40 years
female: 41.6 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.39% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Birth rate:
10.3 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Death rate:
8.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Net migration rate:
2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Urbanization:
urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.052 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.66 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 193
male: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: