liamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991

Capital: Kathmandu

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: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December
(1945)

Constitution: 9 November 1990

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: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (succeeded to the
throne 31 January 1972 following the death of his father King
MAHENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, crowned king 24 February 1975) is a
constitutional monarch; Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir
Bikram
head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA (since 12
September 1995); note - in 1994, the king appointed Man Mohan
ADHIKARI to be prime minister using the standard criterion - he was
the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
following the last election; however, in September 1995, a
parliamentary coalition of the Nepali Congress Party, the Rastriya
Prajantra Party, the Nepal Sadbhavana Party, and independents voted
against Prime Minister ADHIKARI; Sher Bahadur DEUBA, the leader of
the Nepali Congress Party, then formed the new government and was
appointed the new prime minister by the king
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the king on recommendation of the
prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
National Council: consists of 60 members (50 appointed by House of
Representatives and 10 by the king)
House of Representatives: elections last held 15 November 1994 (next
to be held NA); results - NCP 33%, CPN/UML 31%, NDP 18%, Terai
Rights Sadbhavana Party 3%, NWPP 1%; seats - (205 total) CPN/UML 88,
NCP 83, NDP 20, NWPP 4, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 3,
independents 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat), chief justice
is appointed by the king on recommendation of the Constitutional
Council, the other judges are appointed by the king on the
recommendation of the Judicial Council

Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Nepal/United
Marxist and Leninist (CPN/UML), Man Mohan ADHIKARI, president;
Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Krishna Prasad BHA