Country profile: Nepal

With its ancient culture and the Himalayas as a backdrop, landlocked Nepal has long been the destination of choice for travellers in search of adventure.

One of the world's poorest countries, it is striving to overcome the legacy of deadly 10-year Maoist rebellion.


Nepal has been under the sway of an hereditary monarchy or ruling family for most of its known history, largely isolated from the rest of the world. AT-A-GLANCE
Politics: Parliament reinstated in May 2006 after uprising against king; Maoists entered transitional government in January 2007; Nepal declared a republic in 2008
Economy: Civil strife wrecked the economy and Nepal is dependent on aid; tourism is a key foreign exchange earner



A brief experiment with multi-party politics in 1959 ended with King Mahendra suspending parliament and taking sole charge.

Democratic politics was introduced in 1991 after popular protests, but it was extremely factionalised with frequent changes of government. The current monarch twice assumed executive powers - in 2002 and 2005.

Meanwhile, Maoist rebels intent on setting up a communist republic waged a decade-long campaign against the constitutional monarchy.

The rebellion left more than 12,000 people dead. The UN said 100,000 people were displaced. Its envoy said the use of torture by government forces and rebels was routine.

When King Gyanendra's direct rule ended in April 2006 the rebels entered talks on how to end the civil war. A landmark peace deal was agreed in November and in early 2007 the Maoists joined an interim government.

The Maoists withdrew from the government in September, demanding abolition of the monarchy. Parliament agreed to this condition in December, and the rebels rejoined the government. The monarchy was abolished in 2008.

Nepal has been at odds with neighbouring Bhutan over the repatriation of thousands of refugees living in camps in Nepal. The refugees - Bhutanese of Nepalese descent - fled violence in their homeland in the early 1990s.

With the world's highest mountain, Everest, and spectacular scenery and wildlife, the country has great potential as a tourist destination.

It also boasts a distinctive Hindu and Buddhist culture. But its environmental challenges include deforestation, encroachment on animal habitats and vehicle pollution in the capital, Kathmandu.

Most of the population depend on agriculture, and around 40% of Nepalis are estimated to live in poverty.

Foreign aid is vital to the economy and Nepal is also dependent on trade with neighbouring India.


Population: 28.2 million (UN, 2007)
Capital: Kathmandu
Area: 147,181 sq km (56,827 sq miles)
Major language: Nepali
Major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism
Life expectancy: 63 years (men), 64 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Nepalese rupee = 100 paisa
Main exports: Carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
GNI per capita: US $290 (World Bank, 2006)
Internet domain: .np
International dialling code: +977


Prime minister: Girija Prasad Koirala (resigned)

Mr Koirala stepped down from the premiership in June 2008, after a political crisis erupted over who should be the next head of state.

Maoist ministers had quit the interim government several days earlier, accusing Mr Koirala of being unfit for office and clinging to his post despite the poor showing of his party, the Nepali Congress, in April's parliamentary elections.

The political instability in Nepal had been exacerbated by constitutional changes pushed through in December 2007 that did not clarify how power was to be divided between the president and prime minister after the monarchy was abolished and the country became a republic.

This meant that after the departure of the former king, Nepal was left without a head of state.

Mr Koirala was a veteran of Nepali politics. He first became prime minister in 1991 and went on to serve another four terms of office in that role.


Nepal's long-running civil conflict, and the efforts to suppress it, had a profound impact on the media.

Rights groups say attacks on media workers were perpetrated by both sides during the 10-year Maoist rebellion.

More recently, media freedom body Reporters Without Borders has raised concerns about communal violence in the south, which it says has forced some reporters to flee. In spite of the 2006 peace deal, Maoists "blow hot and cold" towards the media, it says.

Private TV and radio stations have flourished. The government operates radio and TV services and publishes a Nepali-language daily and an English-language newspaper.

There is a small film industry, nicknamed "Kollywood". But Indian films are staple fare in cinemas.

BBC World Service broadcasts on FM in Kathmandu.

The Press
The Kathmandu Post - private, English-language daily
The Rising Nepal - semi-official English-language daily
Gorkhapatra - semi-official daily, Nepal's oldest newspaper
Kantipur - daily, one of the first private newspapers
Annapurna Post - daily
The Himalayan Times - English-language
The Nepali Times - English-language weekly

Television
Nepal Television Corporation (NTV) - state-run, operates NTV and NTV Metro channels
Kantipur TV - private
Image Channel TV - private
Channel Nepal - private
Avenues TV - private

Radio
Radio Nepal - state-run, operates national and regional services
Hits FM - commercial, music-based
HBC 94 FM - operated by Himalayan Broadcasting Company
Radio Sagarmatha - FM, public, community station
Kantipur FM - commercial
Image FM - commercial

News agency/internet
National News Agency (RSS) - state-run
nepalnews.com - private, online news