Nepal

Location

• Southern Asia, between China and India
• 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 mountains -- on the borders with China and India, respectively

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Kathmandu	1,442,271	Capital
Pokhara	599,504
Bharatpur	369,377
Pātan	299,283
Birgañj	268,273
Biratnagar	244,750
Dhangaḍhi̇̄	204,788
Hetauda	195,951
Janakpur	195,438
Butwāl	195,054

Size

• 54,363 square miles
• 140,800 square kilometers
• slightly larger than New York State

History

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the principality of Gorkha united many of the other principalities and states of the sub-Himalayan region into a Nepali Kingdom. Nepal retained its independence after the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16, and the subsequent peace treaty laid the foundations for two centuries of amicable relations between Britain and Nepal. In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of hereditary rule and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but it was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist-led insurgency broke out in 1996. During the ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces, the monarchy dissolved the cabinet and parliament. In 2001, Crown Prince DIPENDRA first massacred the royal family and then shot himself. His brother GYANENDRA became king, and the monarchy reassumed absolute power the next year. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. After a nationwide Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, the newly formed CA declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, abolished the monarchy, and elected the country's first president. When the CA failed to draft a Supreme Court-mandated constitution, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. An interim government held elections in 2013, in which the Nepali Congress (NC) won the largest share of seats. In 2014, NC formed a coalition government with the second-place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML). Nepal's new constitution came into effect in 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament and Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI the first post-constitution prime minister (2015-16). He resigned ahead of a no-confidence motion, and Parliament elected Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL as prime minister. The parties headed by OLI and DAHAL ran in coalition and swept the parliamentary elections in 2017, and OLI was sworn in as prime minister in 2018. OLI's efforts to dissolve parliament and hold elections were declared unconstitutional in 2021, and the opposition-supported NC leader Sher Bahadur DEUBA was named prime minister. The NC won a majority of seats in the parliamentary elections in 2022, but DAHAL then broke with the ruling coalition and partnered with OLI and the CPN-UML to become prime minister. DAHAL's first cabinet lasted about two months, until OLI withdrew his support over disagreements about ministerial assignments. In early 2023, DAHAL survived a vote of confidence and formed a coalition with the NC to remain prime minister.

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 with rugged Himalayas in north

Languages

Nepali (official) 44.9%, Maithali 11.1%, Bhojpuri 6.2%, Tharu 5.9%, Tamang 4.9%, Bajjika 3.9%, Avadhi 3%, Nepalbhasha (Newari) 3%, Magar Dhut 2.8%, Doteli 1.7%, Urdu 1.4%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.2%, Gurung 1.1%, other 8.9% (2021 est.)major-language sample(s): विश्व तथ्य पुस्तक,आधारभूत जानकारीको लागि अपरिहार्य स्रोत (Nepali)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.note: 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2021 national census; many in government and business also speak English

Religions

Hindu 81.2%, Buddhist 8.2%, Muslim 5.1%, Kirat 3.2%, Christian 1.8%, other 0.5% (2021 est.)

Government

federal parliamentary republic

• Constitution: history: several previous; latest approved by the Second Constituent Assembly 16 September 2015, signed by the president and effective 20 September 2015amendment process: proposed as a bill by either house of the Federal Parliament; bills affecting a state border or powers delegated to a state must be submitted to the affected state assembly; passage of such bills requires a majority vote of that state assembly membership; bills not requiring state assembly consent require at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of the Federal Parliament; parts of the constitution on the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty vested in the people cannot be amended
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: English common law and Hindu legal concepts
• Executive Branch: chief of state: President Ram Chandra POUDEL (since 13 March 2023)head of government: Prime Minister Sushila KARKI; note - KARKI was sworn in as interim prime minister on 12 September 2025 after Khadga Prasad Sharma OLI resigned on 9 September following violent protests; KARKI will serve until elections are held in March 2026cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet positions shared among Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre, and various coalition partnerselection/appointment process: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of the Federal Parliament and the state assemblies for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)most recent election date: 9 March 2023election results: 2023: Ram Chandra POUDEL elected president; electoral college vote - Ram Chandra POUDEL (NC) 33,802, Subash Chandra NEMBANG (CPN-UML) 15,5182018: Bidhya Devi BHANDARI reelected president; electoral vote - Bidhya Devi BHANDARI (CPN-UML) 39,275, Kumari Laxmi RAI (NC) 11,730expected date of next election: 5 March 2026
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and up to 20 judges)judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, a 5-member, high-level advisory body headed by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Council, a 5-member advisory body headed by the chief justice; the chief justice serves a 6-year term; judges serve until age 65subordinate courts: High Court; district courts
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: Federal Parliament (Sanghiya Sansad)legislative structure: bicameralnote: violent student-led protests in early September 2025 led to the resignation of the Prime Minister; the President dissolved Parliament on 12 September 2015 following the swearing in of an interim prime minister and set elections for 5 March 2026; the major political parties have demanded reinstatement of the Parliament

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• low-income South Asian economy; post-conflict fiscal federalism increasing stability; COVID-19 hurt trade and tourism; widening current account deficits; environmentally fragile economy from earthquakes; growing Chinese relations and investments
• Budget: revenues: $7.625 billion (2021 est.)expenditures: $9.1 billion (2021 est.)note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
• Industries: tourism, carpets, textiles, small rice, jute, sugar, oilseed mills, cigarettes, cement and brick production
• Agricultural Products: rice, vegetables, potatoes, sugarcane, maize, wheat, bison milk, milk, mangoes/guavas, bananas (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 26.1% (2022 est.)arable land: 12.6% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 1% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 12.5% (2022 est.)forest: 41.6% (2022 est.)other: 32.3% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, iron reductions, broadcasting equipment (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: India 71%, China 17%, UAE 3%, Singapore 2%, Germany 1% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: knotted carpets, garments, flat-rolled iron, synthetic fibers, palm oil (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: India 67%, USA 12%, Germany 3%, China 2%, UK 2% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports