94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains
eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and
Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the
borders with China and India respectively

People Nepal

Population:
28,287,147 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.7% (male 5,648,959/female 5,291,447)
15-64 years: 57.6% (male 8,365,526/female 7,925,941)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 513,777/female 541,497) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.3 years
male: 20.1 years
female: 20.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.17% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
30.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
9.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 65.32 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 63.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.18 years
male: 60.43 years
female: 59.91 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.1 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
61,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups:
Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang
5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%,
unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

Religions:
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%
(2001 census)
note: only official Hindu state in the world

Languages:
Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.9% (2000-2004 est.)

Government Nepal

Country name:
conventiona