ithali 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)
note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.9% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 8 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2003)

Government
Nepal

Country name:

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
conventional short form: Nepal
local long form: Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepal
local short form: Nepal

Government type:

democratic republic

Capital:

name: Kathmandu
geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E
time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri,
Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi,
Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence:

1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)

National holiday:

NA; note - in 2006, Parliament abolished the birthday of King
GYANENDRA (7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national
holidays

Constitution:

9 November 1990; note - a new interim constitution was promulgated
in January 2007; the November 2006 peace agreement calls for the
election of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new permanent
constitution

Legal system:

based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Ram Baran YADAV (as of 23 July 2008); Vice
President Paramananda JHA (as of 23 July 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (as of 18
August 2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev GAUTAM
cabinet: selected by the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament; term NA; election last
held 21 July 2008
election results: Ram Baran YADAV elected president by the
Constituent Assembly in a second round of voting on 21 July 2008;
Ram Baran YADAV 308, Ram Jaja Prasad SINGH 282

Legislative branch:

unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by
direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26
appoint