Nepal (2001) | Tunisia (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti | 23 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), El Kef (Al Kaf), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
40.35% (male 5,267,234; female 4,933,910) 15-64 years: 56.16% (male 7,264,575; female 6,934,384) 65 years and over: 3.49% (male 437,813; female 446,547) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
28.74% (male 1,440,636; female 1,348,133) 15-64 years: 65.12% (male 3,157,988; female 3,161,596) 65 years and over: 6.14% (male 296,930; female 299,819) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat | olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds |
Airports | 45 (2000 est.) | 32 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
total:
15 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 29 (2000 est.) |
total:
17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
140,800 sq km land: 136,800 sq km water: 4,000 sq km |
total:
163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Arkansas | slightly larger than Georgia |
Background | In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. The refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of these displaced persons are housed in seven United Nations Offices of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. | Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib BOURGIUBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society. |
Birth rate | 33.4 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 17.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$536 million expenditures: $818 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.) |
revenues:
$7.5 billion expenditures: $8.1 billion, including capital expenditures to $1.6 billion (2000 est.) |
Capital | Kathmandu | Tunis |
Climate | varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south | temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 1,148 km |
Constitution | 9 November 1990 | 1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Kingdom of Nepal conventional short form: Nepal |
conventional long form:
Republic of Tunisia conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis |
Currency | Nepalese rupee (NPR) | Tunisian dinar (TND) |
Death rate | 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 4.99 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $2.4 billion (1997) | $13 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Ralph FRANK embassy: Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [977] (1) 411179, 410531 FAX: [977] (1) 419963 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Rust DEMMING embassy: 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] (1) 782-566 FAX: [216] (1) 789-719 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Damodar Prasad GAUTAM chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Hatem ATALLAH chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 |
Disputes - international | refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately 98,700 Bhutanese refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $411 million (FY97/98) | $933.2 million (1995); note - ODA, $90 million (1998 est.) |
Economy - overview | Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with nearly half of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 41% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Production of textiles and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in the past three years. Agricultural production is growing by about 5% on average as compared with annual population growth of 2.3%. Since May 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms, particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by reducing business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify investment procedures. The government has also been cutting expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. More recently, however, political instability - five different governments over the past few years - has hampered Kathmandu's ability to forge consensus to implement key economic reforms. Nepal has considerable scope for accelerating economic growth by exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth. | Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Real growth averaged 5.5% in the past four years, and inflation is slowing. Growth in tourism and increased trade have been key elements in this steady growth. Tunisia's association agreement with the European Union entered into force on 1 March 1998, the first such accord between the EU and Mediterranean countries to be activated. Under the agreement Tunisia will gradually remove barriers to trade with the EU over the next decade. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, and improvements in government efficiency are among the challenges for the future. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.309 billion kWh (1999) | 8.677 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 68 million kWh (1999) | 19 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 210 million kWh (1999) | 165 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 1.255 billion kWh (1999) | 9.173 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
9.56% hydro: 90.44% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
99.2% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Kanchan Kalan 70 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.) |
lowest point:
Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m |
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 | toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and presents human health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
Ethnic groups | Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995) | Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
Exchange rates | Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 74.129 (January 2001), 71.104 (2000), 68.239 (1999), 65.976 (1998), 58.010 (1997), 56.692 (1996) | Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.3753 (January 2001), 1.4667 (November 2000), 1.1862 (1999), 1.1387 (1998), 1.1059 (1997), 0.9734 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah) head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 22 March 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle |
chief of state:
President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a third term without opposition; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI nearly 100% |
Exports | $485 million (f.o.b., 1998), but does not include unrecorded border trade with India | $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain | textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons |
Exports - partners | India 33%, US 26%, Germany 25% (FY97/98) | Germany 28%, France 22%, Italy 17%, Belgium 5%, Libya 4% (1999) |
Fiscal year | 16 July - 15 July | calendar year |
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 | red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $33.7 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $62.8 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
41% industry: 22% services: 37% (2000 est.) |
agriculture:
14% industry: 32% services: 54% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,360 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.7% (2000 est.) | 5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 28 00 N, 84 00 E | 34 00 N, 9 00 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks | strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration |
Highways | total:
13,223 km paved: 4,073 km unpaved: 9,150 km (April 1999) |
total:
23,100 km paved: 18,226 km unpaved: 4,874 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
3.2% highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96) |
lowest 10%:
2.3% highest 10%: 30.7% (1990) |
Illicit drugs | illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West | - |
Imports | $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998) | $8.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer | machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food |
Imports - partners | India 31%, China/Hong Kong 16%, Singapore 14% (FY97/98) | France 23%, Germany 23%, Italy 15%, Belgium 3% (1999) |
Independence | 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah) | 20 March 1956 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 4.1% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production | petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages |
Infant mortality rate | 74.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 29.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (FY99/00 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, BSEC (observer), CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 8,500 sq km (1993 est.) | 3,850 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council) | Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation |
Labor force | 10 million (1996 est.)
note: severe lack of skilled labor |
2.65 million (2000 est.)
note: shortage of skilled labor |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3% | services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km |
total:
1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km |
Land use | arable land:
17% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 42% other: 26% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
19% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 4% other: 44% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English (1995) | Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) |
Legal system | based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1 |
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (182 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - RCD 92%; seats by party - RCD 148, MDS 13, UDU 7, PUP 7, Al-Tajdid 5, PSL 2; note - reforms enabled opposition parties to win up to 20% of seats; the opposition increased number of seats from 19 to 34 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
58.22 years male: 58.65 years female: 57.77 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
73.92 years male: 72.35 years female: 75.62 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 27.5% male: 40.9% female: 14% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.7% male: 78.6% female: 54.6% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Asia, between China and India | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya |
Map references | Asia | Africa |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | contiguous zone:
24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 149,554 GRT/156,861 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police Force | Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $44 million (FY96/97) | $356 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.9% (FY96/97) | 1.5% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
6,295,990 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
2,739,566 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
3,272,077 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
1,561,484 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age | 20 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
292,589 (2001 est.) |
males:
105,146 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946) | Independence Day, 20 March (1956) |
Nationality | noun:
Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese |
noun:
Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian |
Natural hazards | severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons | NA |
Natural resources | quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore | petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km |
Political parties and leaders | Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Gajendra Narayan SINGH, president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chair]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president, Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Rastriya Jana Morcha [Chitra Bahadur K. C., chairman]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani POKHAREL, general secretary] | Al-Tajdid Movement [Adel CHAOUCH]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Democratic Socialists or MDS [Khamis CHAMMARI]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed Belhaj AMOR]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups | the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed |
Population | 25,284,463 (July 2001 est.) | 9,705,102 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 42% (FY95/96 est.) | 6% (2000 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.32% (2001 est.) | 1.15% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000) | AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 840,000 (1997) | 2.06 million (1997) |
Railways | total:
59 km; note - all in Kosi close to Indian border narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2000) |
total:
2,168 km standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,687 km 1.000-m gauge dual gauge: 10 km 1.000-m and 1.435-m gauges (three rails) |
Religions | Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%
note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995) |
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 20 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment:
above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches |
Telephones - main lines in use | 236,816 (January 2000) | 654,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 50,000 (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998) | 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north | mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara |
Total fertility rate | 4.58 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.99 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA%; substantial underemployment (1999) | 15.6% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |