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Compare Nepal (2002) - France (2003)

Compare Nepal (2002) z France (2003)

 Nepal (2002)France (2003)
 NepalFrance
Administrative divisions 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti 22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes


note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon)
Age structure 0-14 years: 40% (male 5,346,422; female 5,007,416)


15-64 years: 56.4% (male 7,476,202; female 7,125,471)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 453,263; female 465,143) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 18.6% (male 5,725,170; female 5,449,991)


15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,619,994; female 19,583,850)


65 years and over: 16.3% (male 4,006,857; female 5,794,667) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Airports 45 (2001) 477 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2002)
total: 273


over 3,047 m: 13


2,438 to 3,047 m: 28


1,524 to 2,437 m: 95


914 to 1,523 m: 80


under 914 m: 57 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 36


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 28 (2002)
total: 204


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 74


under 914 m: 128 (2002)
Area total: 140,800 sq km


land: 136,800 sq km


water: 4,000 sq km
total: 547,030 sq km


land: 545,630 sq km


water: 1,400 sq km


note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions
Area - comparative slightly larger than Arkansas slightly less than twice the size of Colorado
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. A maoist insugency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring down the regime. Ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, were massacred in a family dispute in 2001. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and his appointed cabinet until elections can be held at some unspecified future date. Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of the euro in January 2002. At present, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European defense and security apparatus.
Birth rate 32.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 12.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $665 million


expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
revenues: $286 billion


expenditures: $330 billion, including capital expenditures of $23 billion (2002 est.)
Capital Kathmandu Paris
Climate varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 3,427 km
Constitution 9 November 1990 28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws 1993
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal


conventional short form: Nepal
conventional long form: French Republic


conventional short form: France


local long form: Republique Francaise


local short form: France
Currency Nepalese rupee (NPR) euro (EUR)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate 10.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $2.55 billion (FY00/01) NA (1998)
Dependent areas - Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna


note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. MALINOWSKI


embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [977] (1) 411179


FAX: [977] (1) 419963
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH


embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08


mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777


telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22


FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83


consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Jai Pratap RANA


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 Jean-David LEVITTE


chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007


telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000


FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international formed Joint Border committee with India in 2001 to resolve 53 disputed sections of boundary covering an area of 720 sq km; approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and French Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia, claimed by France and Vanuatu
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $6.3 billion (1997)
Economic aid - recipient $424 million (FY00/01) -
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. Textile and carpet production, accounteing for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in recent years, contracted significantly in 2001 due to the overall slowdown in the world economy and pressures by Maoist insurgents on factory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wake of Maoist activity, the June massacre of many members of the royal family, and the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US led to a decrease in tourism, another key source of foreign exchange. 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 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. France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The Socialist-led government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, but still retains controlling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and remains dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. The current government has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment. At the end of 2002 the government was focusing on the problems of the high cost of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government was also pushing for pension reforms and simplification of administrative procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe. The current economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment remains listless because of low rates of capital utilization, high debt, and the steep cost of capital.
Electricity - consumption 1.431 billion kWh (2000) 415.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 95 million kWh (2000) 72.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 174 million kWh (2000) 4.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.454 billion kWh (2000) 520.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 10%


hydro: 90%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel: 8.2%


hydro: 14%


nuclear: 77.1%


other: 0.7% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m


highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m


highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 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 some forest damage from acid rain (major forest damage occurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995) Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities
Exchange rates Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 76.675 (January 2002), 74.961 (2001), 71.094 (2000), 68.239 (1999), 65.976 (1998), 58.010 (1997) euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
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 Lokendra Bahadur CHAND (since 11 October 2002)


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 Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in 2001); election last held 21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round NA April 2007, second round NA May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president


election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN (FN) 18.04%
Exports $757 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border trade with India (FY00/01 est.) 409,600 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners India 48%, US 26%, Germany 11% (FY00/01) Germany 15%, UK 9.8%, Spain 9%, Italy 9%, US 7.8%, Belgium 6.9% (2002)
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 three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent areas
GDP purchasing power parity - $35.6 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $1.558 trillion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 41%


industry: 22%


services: 37% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 26%


services: 71% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2001 est.) 1.2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 28 00 N, 84 00 E 46 00 N, 2 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with China largest West European nation
Heliports - 3 (2002)
Highways total: 13,223 km


paved: 4,073 km


unpaved: 9,150 km (April 1999)
total: 894,000 km


paved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 30% (1995-96)
lowest 10%: 2.8%


highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)
Illicit drugs illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics
Imports $1.6 billion f.o.b. (FY00/01 est.) 2.281 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
Imports - partners India 39%, Singapore 10%, China/Hong Kong 9%, (FY00/01) Germany 19.4%, Belgium 9.2%, Italy 8.8%, UK 7.3%, Netherlands 7%, US 6.8%, Spain 6.7% (2002)
Independence 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah) 486 (unified by Clovis)
Industrial production growth rate 8.7% (FY99/00) -0.3% (2002)
Industries tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Infant mortality rate 72.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% 1.8% (2002 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 6 (2000) 62 (2000)
Irrigated land 11,350 sq km (1998 est.) 20,000 sq km (1998 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) Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Labor force 10 million


note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)
26.6 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3% services 71%, industry 25%, agriculture 4% (1997)
Land boundaries total: 2,926 km


border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
total: 2,889 km


border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km
Land use arable land: 20.27%


permanent crops: 0.49%


other: 79.24% (1998 est.)
arable land: 33.3%


permanent crops: 2.11%


other: 64.59% (1998 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) French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
Legal system based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts
Legislative branch note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 and elections are scheduled for 13 November 2002

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 13 November 2002)


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
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2004); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 83, PS 68, UDF 37, DL 35, RDES 16, PCF 16, other 66; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22
Life expectancy at birth total population: 58.61 years


male: 59.01 years


female: 58.2 years (2002 est.)
total population: 79.28 years


male: 75.63 years


female: 83.11 years (2003 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: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (1980 est.)
Location Southern Asia, between China and India Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
Map references Asia Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply to the Mediterranean)


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 749,570 GRT/939,134 DWT


ships by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 9, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 4


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: French Polynesia 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Sweden 9 (2002 est.)
Military branches Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police Force Army (includes marines), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $51.5 million (FY01) $46.5 billion (2000)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (FY01) 2.57% (2002)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 6,484,343 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 14,523,208 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 3,369,454 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 12,079,413 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 17 years of age (2002 est.) 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 292,589 (2002 est.) males: 392,824 (2003 est.)
National holiday Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)


adjective: Nepalese
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)


adjective: French
Natural hazards severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
Natural resources quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, potash, timber, fish
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - gas 13,946 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2003)
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]; National People's Front (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra Bahadur, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party 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]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani POKHAREL, general secretary] Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly RAD and PRG) [leader NA]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Liberal Democracy or DL (originally Republican Party or PR; now merged into the UMP) [Alain MADELIN]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR (merged into UMP) [Serge LEPELTIER]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Martine BILLARD, Denis BAUPIN, Stephane POCRAIN, Maryse ARDITI]; Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of DL, CDS, UDF, RP, and other parties) [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL, and a part of UDF) [Alain JUPPE]
Political pressure groups and leaders Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed); left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, approximately 865,000 members (claimed, of which 810,000 are actively employed); independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)
Population 25,873,917 (July 2002 est.) 60,180,529 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 42% (FY95/96 est. ) 6.4% (1999)
Population growth rate 2.29% (2002 est.) 0.42% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors none Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nates, Paris, Rouen, Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000) AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios 840,000 (1997) -
Railways total: 59 km


narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge


note: all in Kosi close to Indian border (2001)
total: 32,682 km


standard gauge: 32,515 km 1.435-m gauge (14,104 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Religions Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%


note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
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: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 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: highly developed


domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
Telephones - main lines in use 236,816 (January 2000) 34.86 million (yearend 1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 11.078 million (yearend 1998)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998) 584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
Total fertility rate 4.48 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.85 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 47% (2001 est.) 9.1% (2002 est.)
Waterways none 14,932 km (6,969 km heavily traveled)
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