Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to
subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Terrain: Terai 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 (1999 est.)

Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty,
small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 17%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 15%

forests and woodland: 42%

other: 26% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 8,500 sq km (1993 est.)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and
India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks

Nepal People

Population: 25,284,463 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.35% (male 5,267,234; female 4,933,910)

15-64 years: 56.16% (male 7,264,575; female 6,934,384)

65 years and over: 3.49% (male 437,813; female 446,547) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.32% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 33.4 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 74.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.22 years

male: 58.65 years

female: 57.77 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.58 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adu