rbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti
______________________________________________________________________

NEPAL

@Nepal:Geography

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 140,800 sq km
land: 136,800 sq km
water: 4,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries:
total: 2,926 km
border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

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 8,848 m

Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower potential, 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: the almost total dependence on wood for
fuel and cutting down trees to expand agricultural land without
replanting has resulted in widespread deforestation; soil erosion;
water pollution (use of contaminated water presents human health
risks)

Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, 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: 23,107,464 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 4,994,992; female 4,692,691)
15-64 years: 55% (male 6,458,616; female 6,205,947)
65 years and over: 3% (male 376,962; female 378,256) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.53% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 35.99 births/1,000