Nepal

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia   Nepal at a glance Did you know? Some yak farmers in remote regions in Nepal are using wifi (wireless frequency technology) to keep in touch with their families and also to sell livestock and exchange veterinary tips. Region South Asia Population 28,563,377 (July 2009 estimate) Land Geography: river plains in south; central hill region; rugged Himalayas in north Climate: subtropical in the south to alpine in the north People Religion: Hinduism 80%, Buddhism 11%, Islam 4%, Kirant 4%, Other 1% Language: Nepali 48% and 70 local languages and dialects Economy GDP per person (PPP): $1,100 (2008 est.) GDP by sector: Agriculture: 36%, Industry: 1.9%, Services:48% Government Federal democratic republic Land Physical geography Nepal occupies a landlocked area of 147,181 square kilometres(just more than half the size of Victoria 227,416 square kilometres) along the southern slopes of the Himalayas in south Asia. It is divided into three natural east-west geographical zones. Along the southern border with India is the Terai/Ganges River plain. In the centre are hills which rise to 2,700 metres and fertile valleys of which the Kathmandu Valley is the largest. In the north the glaciated Himalayas contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest (Sagarmatha, Napali), the world's tallest at 8850 metres. The Himalayas are cut by three principal river systems, the Karnali, Kosi and Gandak. Climate Nepal has a climate that ranges from subtropical with warm summers and mild winters in the southern lowlands to alpine with cool summers and severe winters in the mountains. Most land above 3300 metres is permanently frozen. The wet monsoonal season (June to September) affects the whole country, often flooding the southern plains. The average annual rainfall decreases from 1,778 mm in the east to 899 mm in the west. The average temperature ranges in Kathmandu are from 2 to 20 degrees Celsius in January to 20 to 29 degrees Celsius in July. Environment The spectacular Himalayan mountain chain is the youngest mountain range in the world. The rich river valleys and plains of the southern and central areas are suffering from population pressures - depletion of forest cover for crops, fuel, and fodder and contributing to erosion and flooding. Small mineral deposits are present but the steep mountain terrain currently makes mining difficult. Wildlife in Nepal includes the Bengal tiger, snow leopard, gaur, elephants, rhinoceros buffalo and deer but these are threatened by habitat degeneration and poaching. There are over 6500 species of trees, shrubs and wildflowers including the well known rhododendrons.   People According to the 2001 census, 50% of the total population resides in southern Terai region, 43% in the central region and 7% in the northern mountainous region. . Rapid urbanisation has increased the population density in the central hills and Kathmandu, the capital, is densely populated with more than a million population. Approximately 83% of Nepal’s population live in rural areas of the country. People Culture and identity Socially and culturally the Nepalese are divided into many ethnic groups (approximately 40) and communities some of which are further differentiated by caste. There are two broad ethnic groups: (1) The Indo-Nepalese, which make up nearly 80% of the population and include the Pahari, Newar and Tharu. (2) The Tibeto-Nepalese, include the Tamang, Rai, and Gurung tribes. The lives of the gods, saints, and heroes and the relationship of people to the universe are developed in sculpture, painting, architecture and drama. In the Kathmandu Valley there are about 2,500 temples and shrines. Drums and wind instruments are the common instruments dating back to ancient times. Health Life expectancy at birth is 63 years. The infant mortality has reduced from 79 deaths/1000 live births in 1996 to 48 deaths/1000 live births in 2006. Access to a safe water source is 90% while sanitation is only 35%. The incidence of malaria and tuberculosis have been greatly reduced and only 700,000 (0.05%) of people are living with HIV/AIDS. Religion and beliefs Nepal is about 80% Hindu, 11% Buddhist and 4% Islam. Common to all of these religions is the merging of religious expression with everyday life. They all involve codes for individual behaviour and daily rites of worship. In the morning, people gather at temples, sanctuaries or river banks to offer prayers and puja (offerings of rice, coins, flower petals, sweets, incense, fruits and placing red tikka powder over statues, stones, tree roots and other items representing forms of deities). Religious shrines, waving prayer flags and prayer wheels dominate the countryside. Food and shelter Nepal's food is as diverse as the country itself but the typical daily food for most people consists of a morning and evening meal of Dal Bhat which includes rice, bhat, lentil soup dal and vegetables in curry tarkari and/or meat masu and a small amount of pickle achar. Food may be served in a metal plate divided into separate compartments called Thal or simple plate. Nepali food is generally eaten by chunking everything together with the right hand. Nepalese villages consist of loosely grouped homes surrounded by farmland. The villages are generally situated near rivers or springs. Larger towns have temples or monasteries. Houses are usually made of mud-brick, stone, bamboo or wood with thatch, slate or tin roofs. The houses usually have two or more storeys. The bottom parts of the houses are painted with red clay and the top halves are whitewashed. Downstairs may be sectioned off for animals and the kitchen and living areas while the upper floor is mostly used for storing grains and other things. The open cooking fireplace warms the house and dries the grains. Windows may be latticed or have wooden shutters. Electricity and water are not generally connected so kerosene lamps are used for lighting and water is carried from the river. Most houses have porches and courtyards where people socialise and do chores such as weaving. Economy Wealth and poverty Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with 31% of its population living below the national poverty line. There are big differences between the rich and the poor with the poorest 10% sharing just 3.2% of the wealth while the highest 10% share 40%. Nepal is heavily dependent on overseas assistance. Education and work Only about 57% of the population can read (62% of males and 26% of females). Improved government expenditure on primary education through Education For All program has increased the enrolment and retention in primary schools. Net enrolment rate has increased from 83.5% in 2003 to 91.9% in 2008/09 Over three quarters of the population are subsistence farmers. Only the poorest families do not own land. The steep hills are terraced to grow wet rice. Dry rice, maize, millet and wheat are grown on the drier land. Farmers also cultivate vegetable gardens and raise buffalo and goats for meat and cows for milk. Nepal’s economy is dominated by subsistence agriculture, therefore, the labour force participation rate is high and the unemployment rate low. The overall unemployment rate in 2000 was less than 2%, but the urban unemployment rate was higher at 7%. Industries and products Industries revolve around the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco and grain. Tourism earns about 5% of GDP. Trade Nepal exports carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, pulses and grain mainly to India 69% and US 9%. It imports petroleum products, machinery and equipment, electrical goods from India (59%), China (14%), and Japan 2%. Achievements and challenges There have been improvements in health, education and governance since the 1990s yet poverty is the major issue facing Nepal today. Nepal is heavily dependent on overseas development assistance and prospects for foreign trade or investment remain poor because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, remoteness, landlocked geographic location, and susceptibility to natural disaster. After a decade long conflict a peace negotiation was held between the Maoist insurgents and the government in 2006 following a successful Constituent Assembly election in April 2008, it declared Nepal a federal democratic republic and abolished the monarchy. Links with Australia Australia and Nepal enjoy a warm and friendly relationship. The Australian Government’s current assistance to Nepal focuses on activities that support human development, strengthen and improve governance and assist peace building. There is assistance to improving access to basic education, basic health outcomes, reducing poverty, and promoting inclusive governance The main Australian exports to Nepal are gold, silver and platinum, internal combustion engines and animal fats and oils, which total A$36 million. Australia imports from Nepal floor coverings, jewellery and vegetables totalling A$5 million annually. An estimated 11,000 Australians visited Nepal in 2008. There are very few Nepalese living in Australia although there are increasing numbers of private students studying in Australia, predominantly in vocational studies. Main Sources: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/index.html http://www.nepalgov.gov.np/countryprofile.php http://www.worldbank.org.np http://www.adb.org/Nepal/default.asp http://www.cbs.gov.np/ 2009, ADB, Asian Development Outlook 2006, Ministry of health and Population, Demographic Health Survey report 2007/2008, UNAIDS, HIV Fact sheet

Transporting the millet harvest A boarding school in the Kathmandu valley