General Acknowledgement About Nepal

            General Acknowledgement About Nepal


Location: Southern Asia, between China and India



Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E


Map references: Asia


Area: total: 147,181 sq km


land: 143,181 sq km


water: 4,000 sq km


Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas


Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km


border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km


Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)


Maritime claims: none (landlocked)


Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south


Terrain: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north


Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m


highest point: Mount Everest 8,848 m


Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore


Land use: arable land: 16.07%


permanent crops: 0.85%


other: 83.08% (2005)


Irrigated land: 11,700 sq km (2003)


Total renewable water resources: 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


Population: 28,901,790 (July 2007 est.)


Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.3% (male 5,721,720/female 5,360,391)


15-64 years: 57.9% (male 8,597,037/female 8,134,115)


65 years and over: 3.8% (male 528,113/female 560,414) (2007 est.)


Median age: total: 20.5 years


male: 20.3 years


female: 20.6 years (2007 est.)


Population growth rate: 2.132% (2007 est.)


Birth rate: 30.46 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)


Death rate: 9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)


Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)


Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.067 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.057 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.942 male(s)/female


total population: 1.056 male(s)/female (2007 est.)


Infant mortality rate: total: 63.66 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 61.87 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 65.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)


Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.56 years


male: 60.78 years


female: 60.33 years (2007 est.)


Total fertility rate: 4.01 children born/woman (2007 est.)


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)


note: only official Hindu state in the world


Languages: Nepali 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)


Government


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 bears a white 12-pointed sun