n 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, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography--note: landlocked; strategic location between China and
India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks

People

Population: 24,302,653 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 5,182,829; female 4,869,895)
15-64 years: 55% (male 6,856,905; female 6,571,916)
65 years and over: 4% (male 407,797; female 413,311) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.51% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 35.32 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.18 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 73.58 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.42 years
male: 58.47 years
female: 58.36 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.78 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars,
Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas

Religions: Hindu 90%, Buddhist 5%, Muslim 3%, other 2% (1981)
note: only official Hindu state in th