Nepal

Map of Nepal

Country name	Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Capital	Kathmandu
Independence	1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)
National holiday	Republic Day, 29 May
Population	30,430,267 (July 2013 est.)
Sex ratio	1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Nationality	Nepali (singular and plural)
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)
Literacy	age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.4% male: 71.1% female: 46.7% (2011 est.)
Industries	tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
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: 143,351 sq km water: 3,830 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 8,850 m (highest point in Asia)
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	11,680 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