l long and short form: Nepal
local long and short form: Nepal

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

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

Constitution:
9 November 1990; the government began working on an interim
constitution in May 2006

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: Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30
April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Khadga Prasad OLI (since 2 May
2006) and Amik SHERCHAN since June 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet historically appointed by the monarch on the
recommendation of the prime minister; note - the prime minister
selected the Cabinet in May 2006 in consultation with the political
parties
elections: following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition historically has
been appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35
appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15
elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected
every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held in May 1999; note -
Parliament was dissolved in May 2002 but was finally reconvened in
April 2006 with most of the members that were elected in 1999
election results: House of Representatives (for 1999 parliament) -
percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP (RPP) 10.4%,
NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%,
NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69