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Nepal
Education
 Education
and Cultural Activity
Nepal has never been colonized by another nation, and as such it
has developed a self-contained culture and society.
Education
School attendance is required for all Nepalese between the ages
of six and ten. Many more boys than girls attend school. In the
late 1980s the annual enrollment in primary schools was about
1.9 million and in secondary schools about 540,000. The
country's principal institution of higher education, Tribhuvan
University (1959), in Kathmandu, had an enrollment of some
65,000 per year in the late 1980s. Only about 20% of the
Nepalese population aged 15 or more years is literate.
Culture
 The
dominant Hindu religion pervades Nepali culture, along with some
Buddhist influence. Pagoda temples and buildings with carved
wood trim are found throughout Nepal. The National Museum of
Nepal (1928), in Kathmandu, has a variety of collections on the
culture and history of the country. The principal libraries also
are in Kathmandu.
Nepal, officially Kingdom of Nepal, constitutional monarchy of
southern Asia, bounded on the north by the Tibetan Autonomous
Region in China and on the east, south, and west by India. The
area of Nepal is 140,797 sq km (54,362 sq mi).
Nepal occupies one of the most mountainous parts of the world, a
characteristic that has contributed to its isolation. Because of
its landlocked position, however, Nepal must maintain friendly
relations with the neighboring nations of China and India. Since
the 1970s the country has attracted growing numbers of tourists
as well as skilled mountain climbers.
Land and Resources
Mountains dominate the landscape of Nepal. These physical
barriers have isolated the country and hindered development of
its natural resources. Of the ten highest mountains in the
world, nine—including Mount Everest (8848 m/29,028 ft), the
highest—are located entirely or partly within Nepal's borders.
Physiographic Regions
Nepal can be divided into three parallel bands trending
northwest to southeast. Closest to China is the Great Himalaya
Range (see HIMALAYA), where average elevations exceed 4570 m
(about 15,000 ft). The second band is dominated by the
Mahabharat and Churia ranges of the Himalaya; elevations in
these systems average about 2500 m (about 8200 ft). The third
and southernmost region is the Terai, an area of plains, swamps,
and forests. The alluvial soils of the Terai are fertile, unlike
those of the mostly barren uplands. Other than the Terai, the
only sizable area of flat land is the Valley of Kathmandu, a
basin in the center of the country.
Rivers and Lakes
Nepal's principal rivers flow generally north to south and empty
into the Ganges River. The three major streams crossing the
country are the Karnali, Kosi, and Narayani rivers. The country
has no sizable lakes.
Climate
Elevation plays a major role in the climate of Nepal. In the
high mountain ranges, temperatures remain cold throughout the
year. In the Terai and the Valley of Kathmandu, summers are hot
and rainy and winters are cool. Temperatures are highest from
late spring to midsummer. The higher mountain elevations are
always snow-covered.
Vegetation and Animal Life
The Terai supports extensive hardwood and bamboo forests in
areas where clearing for agriculture has not taken place. On the
lower slopes of the mountains, pines flourish amid oaks and wild
flowers. Firs and shrubs predominate in the higher regions, and
only small plants grow at elevations above 3660 m (about 12,000
ft).
The wildlife of the Terai includes tigers, leopards, deer, and
elephants, which inhabit humid areas. Wild goats, wild sheep,
and wolves live at higher elevations. A creature known as the
yeti, or Abominable Snowman, is believed by some to roam the
mountain peaks.
Mineral Resources
Because of Nepal's inaccessible terrain, the mineral wealth of
the country has not been thoroughly charted. Deposits of mica,
copper, iron ore, ochre, lignite, and cobalt are, however, known
to exist.
Population
Nepal's indigenous population consists of two major groups, the
numerically dominant Indo-Nepalese, whose ancestors migrated
into the country from the south, and the Tibeto-Nepalese, whose
forebears entered Nepal from the north. Much intermingling of
the two groups has occurred. Tibeto-Nepalese ethnic groups
include the Sherpas, who are noted as guides and porters for
mountain-climbing expeditions, and the Gurung, noted as
soldiers. The Gurkhas, skilled soldiers of various Nepalese
ethnic groups, have served in the British and Indian armed
forces.
Population Characteristics
Nepal's population (1990 estimate) was 18,916,000. The overall
population density in 1990 was about 134 persons per sq km
(about 348 per sq mi). Most of the people are concentrated in
the Kathmandu region and in the Terai region. The mountain areas
in the north are sparsely inhabited.
Principal Cities
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is the most populous, with
235,160 inhabitants (1981). Other urban centers are Biratnagar
(93,544), in the southeast; Lalitpur (79,875), near Kathmandu;
and Bhaktapur (48,472), also near Kathmandu.
Language and Religion
The official language of the country is Nepali, an Indo-European
tongue used by about half of Nepal's inhabitants. It is similar
to Hindi. At least 30 other languages are also used. Hinduism is
the official religion of Nepal and is professed by about 90% of
the population. The Nepalese practice of Hinduism includes
elements from Buddhism, which also is an important religion of
the country. The Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, probably was
born in what is now Nepal.
Communications
Government-controlled Radio Nepal broadcasts in Nepali and
English. About 2 million radios were in use in the late 1980s.
Television service began in 1986. Nepal has some 60 daily
newspapers, of which at least 20 are published in Kathmandu. An
influential daily is Gorkha Patra, issued in Kathmandu.
Government
Nepal is governed under a constitution promulgated in 1962 and
reaffirmed by referendum in 1980; substantial amendments were
also made in 1980. The government operates according to a system
that is called Panchayat Democracy, that is, guided democracy. A
new constitution providing for a limited monarchy was drafted in
1990.
Executive
The head of state and chief executive of Nepal is the monarch.
The monarch is assisted by a council of ministers, headed by a
prime minister, which is responsible to the Rashtriya Panchayat
(National Assembly).
Legislature
Below the national level, Nepal has a pyramidal, three-tier
system of panchayats, or councils. In ascending order of
importance are village, district, and zonal panchayats. Village
panchayats are directly elected, and members of councils at the
two higher levels are predominantly chosen by the panchayat at
the next lower tier. The unicameral 140-member Rashtriya
Panchayat is composed of 112 popularly elected representatives
and 28 appointees of the monarch. Although political parties
were banned from 1960 until 1990, the Nepali Congress party and
other groups have been permitted to function since the
mid-1980s.
Judiciary
The highest tribunal in Nepal is the supreme court, composed of
a chief justice and up to six other judges. The country also has
4 regional, 15 zonal, and 75 district courts.
Social Services
No organized social welfare system operates in Nepal. Christian
missionaries, however, have established hospitals and clinics in
the country. In the late 1980s Nepal had only about 860
physicians and 3840 hospital beds.
Defense and International Organizations
Military service in Nepal is voluntary. In the late 1980s the
country's army had about 35,000 members. Nepal joined the United
Nations in 1955.
Economy
In the late 1980s Nepal had one of the world's least developed
economies. About 90% of the labor force was employed in
agriculture. The gross domestic product was estimated at $2.9
billion, or only $180 per capita. The annual budget called for
$388 million in domestic revenue and $813 million in
expenditure.
Agriculture
About 17% of Nepal's land area is cultivated, primarily in the
Terai region. Rice, corn, wheat, potatoes, sugarcane, millet,
cotton, jute, and tobacco are grown, and poultry, cattle, goats,
sheep, and buffaloes are raised.
Forestry and Mining
The annual timber harvest in the late 1980s was 16.5 million cu
m (583 million cu ft). Mining has not been pursued on a major
scale because of transportation problems. Some lignite and mica,
however, have been extracted.
Manufacturing
Most of Nepal's manufacturing activity is based on the natural
resources and agricultural products of the country. Cotton
textiles, pulp and paper, construction materials, processed
food, cigarettes, and footwear are among Nepal's products.
Energy
Nepal's great hydroelectric power potential has not been
extensively developed because of the high cost of constructing
facilities. In the late 1980s only about 538 million kwh of
electricity was generated each year in Nepal; about 95% was
produced in hydroelectric plants.
Transportation
Porters and pack animals still carry much of the freight within
Nepal. The country has only about 2800 km (about 1740 mi) of
paved roads. Roads have been completed across the country and
from Kathmandu to Tibet. Two short railroad lines operate
between Nepal and India. The government operates Royal Nepal
Airlines; airports serve Kathmandu and Biratnagar. A 42-km
(26-mi) long ropeway carries freight between Hetauda and
Kathmandu.
Currency and Banking
The unit of currency, the Nepalese rupee (28.3 rupees equal
U.S.$1; 1990), is divided into 100 paisa. The Nepal Rastra Bank
(1956) is the government bank of issue. The Nepal Bank and the
Rastriya Banijya Bank are the country's main commercial banks.
Foreign Trade
Clothing, carpets, foodstuffs, and leather goods are exported by
Nepal, and consumer goods, transportation equipment, fertilizer,
petroleum products, and chemicals are imported. Nepal usually
imports more than it exports each year; in the late 1980s annual
imports cost about $571 million, and exports earned about $156
million. India is by far the leading trade partner. Tourism and
the earnings abroad of Gurkha soldiers are important sources of
foreign exchange.
History
Forces under a raja of the Rajput military caste, in flight from
invading Muslims, overran Nepal in 1324, and his descendants
continued to rule until 1768. In the latter year the country was
seized by invading Gurkhas. Following consolidation of their
power, the Gurkhas attempted (1790) the conquest of Tibet, but
they were defeated two years later by a Chinese force, which
briefly occupied part of Nepal. Relations between the Gurkhas
and the British in India were governed by treaty from 1791 to
1803, when, as a result of frontier disputes, the British
withdrew their representative from the Nepalese capital.
Friction increased steadily during the next decade, and finally,
in November 1814, the British declared war on Nepal. The ensuing
conflict ended (1815) in victory for the British. Under the
terms of the peace agreement, ratified in 1816, the Nepalese
government relinquished an extensive section of the Terai and
other border territories. Pro- and anti-British groups in the
ruling circles of Nepal contended for power during the next 30
years. In 1846 the pro-British army leader Sir Jung Bahadur of
the Rana family seized control of the government and became
prime minister. Jung Bahadur initiated a long period of
political domination by the Rana family, in which the office of
prime minister was made hereditary. In 1854 Jung Bahadur
launched a successful invasion of Tibet. By the provisions of
the peace treaty in 1856 Tibet granted diplomatic and commercial
rights to Nepal and agreed in addition to the payment of a
yearly tribute. Nepal rendered valuable assistance to the
British during the Sepoy Mutiny (1857-59) and during World War
I. The British government reaffirmed the independence of Nepal
by the terms of a treaty concluded in 1923. Nepal supported the
Allied cause during World War II. Nepal and the United States
established diplomatic relations in 1948.
The hereditary Rana regime was subjected to increasing criticism
during 1949, particularly by dissidents residing in India. The
political-reform movement, which was approved by the Indian
government and directed by the newly created Nepalese Congress
party, won the support of King Bir Bikram Tribhuvana. Like his
predecessors under the Ranas, he possessed purely nominal
powers. His intervention in domestic politics deepened the
crisis, however, and on November 7, 1950, Prime Minister
Maharaja Mohan Shumsher Rana removed him from the throne. A few
days later the king fled to India, and Nepalese Congress
insurgents began military operations along the southern
frontier. The Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, refusing
to recognize King Tribhuvana's deposition, requested the
reorganization of the Nepalese government along democratic lines
and the election of a constituent assembly.
Prime Minister Rana acceded to Nehru's suggestions on January 8,
1951. Within the next few weeks representatives of the Congress
party were installed in the cabinet. The king returned to the
Nepalese capital on February 15. Friction between the Rana and
Congress party factions culminated on November 16, 1951, in the
removal of Prime Minister Rana from power and the formation of a
Congress party-Independent cabinet headed by the Congress party
leader Matrika Prasad Koirala.
As a first step toward the establishment of constitutional rule,
the king convened an advisory assembly at Kathmandu on July 4,
1952. Supporters of the old aristocratic regime opposed the
democratic trend, and the new system began to break down. During
the remainder of the decade political unrest continued, with
several changes of government and intervals in which the king
resumed direct rule. King Tribhuvana died in 1955 and was
succeeded by his son Mahendra Bir Bikram. In February 1958, the
king promulgated the country's first democratic constitution,
and the next year the first Nepalese elections were held for a
parliament consisting of two houses. The result was an
overwhelming victory for the Congress party, and Bisheswar
Prasad Koirala, half brother of the former prime minister,
formed a government. In December 1960, declaring that the regime
had been corrupt and inefficient, King Mahendra dismissed the
government and suspended Parliament. The king, considering the
parliamentary system unsuited to Nepalese conditions, proclaimed
a new constitution in 1962. The government then instituted
social reforms, including land reform and modernizing the legal
code to remove the basis for caste discrimination.
When the king died in 1972, he was succeeded by his son Birendra
Bir Bikram, who was formally crowned in 1975. The young king
initially exercised strong control over the government,
attempting to repress the reform movement led by former prime
minister Bisheswar Prasad Koirala. As antimonarchist sentiments
grew in the late 1970s and serious riots challenged his
authority, the king relaxed his grip somewhat.
In a 1980 referendum on the form of government, the voters
decided to retain the present nonparty panchayat system with
certain modifications. Elections under the new provisions were
held in 1981 and 1986. After a new wave of prodemocracy protests
in early 1990, the king ended the 30-year ban on political
parties, and a multiparty coalition government took office in
April. In May 1991 the Nepali Congress party won the country's
first democratic election in 32 years, and the party's general
secretary, Girija Prasad Koirala, the brother of Bisheswar
Prasad Koirala, became prime minister. Koirala resigned in July
1994, and the king subsequently dissolved parliament and set
elections for later that year.
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