第 189 页

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: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (as of 30 April 2006); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government; KOIRALA announced his resignation on 26 June 2008)

head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (as of 30 April 2006; note - KOIRALA announced his resignation on 26 June 2008)

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:

unicameral Constituent Assembly (601 seats; 240 seats decided by direct popular vote; 335 seats by proportional representation; 26 appointed by the Cabinet (Council of Ministers))

note: KOIRALA has called first sitting of the Assembly on 28 May 2008

elections: last held 10 April 2008 (next to be held NA)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPN-M 220, NC 110, CPN-UML 103, Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum 52, Terai Madhesi Democratic Party/Nepal Sadbhawana Party 29, other smaller parties 61; note - 26 seats to be filled by the new Cabinet

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:

Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party [Keshav Prasad MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI]; Communist Party of Nepal (ML) [C.P. MAINALI]; Communist Party of Nepal (Unified) [Raj Singh SHRIS]; Communist Party of Nepal (United) [Ganesh SHAH]; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Amrit Kumar BOHARA]; Dalit Janajati Party [Vishwendraman PASHWAN]; Janamorcha Nepal [Amik SHERCHAN]; Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum [Upendra YADAV]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajatantra Party or RPP); Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Dal [Upendra GACHCHHADAR]; Nepal Pariwar Dal [Vinod DANGI]; Nepal Rastriya Party [Khushilal YADAV]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi) [Shyam Sundar GUPTA]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress Party or NCP [Girija Prasad KOIRALA]; Nepali Janata Dal [Bharat Prasad MAHATO]; Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra BAHADUR K.C.]; Rastriya Janamukti Party [Malwar Singh THAPA]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA] (split from RPP in March 2005); Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal [Kamal THAPA]; Sadbhavana Party (Mahato) [Rajendra MAHATO]; Samajbadi Prajatantrik Janata Party Nepal [Prem Bahadur SINGH]; Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch [Kamal CHHARAHANG]; Terai Madhesi Democratic Party [Mahantha THAKUR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: several small armed Madhesi groups along the southern border with India; a variety of groups advocating regional autonomy for individual ethnic groups

International organization participation:

ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Suresh Chandra CHALISE

chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534

consulate(s) general:

New York:

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL

embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200

FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

Flag description:

red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy Nepal

Economy - overview:

Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for 38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$29.04 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$9.627 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,200 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 38%

industry: 20%

services: 42% (FY05/06 est.)

Labor force:

11.11 million

note: severe lack of skilled labor (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 76%

industry: 6%

services: 18% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

42% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

30.9% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 40.6% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

47.2 (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.4% (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.153 billion

expenditures: $1.927 billion (FY06/07)

Agriculture - products:

rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Industries:

tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate:

2.2% (FY05/06)

Electricity - production:

2.511 billion kWh (2006)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 8.5%

hydro: 91.5%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

1.96 billion kWh (2006)

Electricity - exports:

101 million kWh (2006)

Electricity - imports:

266 million kWh (2006)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

11,550 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

11,530 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

$58 million (2007)

Exports:

$830 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2006)

Exports - commodities:

carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners:

India 67.9%, US 11.7%, Germany 4.7% (2006)

Imports:

$2.398 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Imports - commodities:

gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners:

India 61.8%, China 3.8%, Indonesia 3.3% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$427.9 million (2005)

Debt - external:

$3.07 billion (March 2006)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$963.5 million (2005)

Currency (code):

Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code:

NPR

Exchange rates:

Nepalese rupees per US dollar - NA (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003)

Fiscal year:

16 July - 15 July

Communications Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:

595,800 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.042 million (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network

domestic: NA

international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2000)

Radios:

840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:

130,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.np

Internet hosts:

18,733 (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

6 (2000)

Internet users:

249,400 (2006)

Transportation Nepal

Airports:

47 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 10

over 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 37

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 30 (2007)

Railways:

total: 59 km

narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 17,280 km

paved: 9,829 km

unpaved: 7,451 km (2004)

Military Nepal

Military branches:

Nepalese Army, Armed Police Force (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,322,965

females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,146,958

females age 16-49: 4,724,495 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

males age 16-49: 335,747

females age 16-49: 312,297 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

1.6% (2006)

Transnational Issues Nepal

Disputes - international:

joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China)

IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West

This page was last updated on 15 July, 2008

The World Factbook

Netherlands

Introduction Netherlands

Background:

The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Netherlands

Location:

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:

52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 41,526 sq km

land: 33,883 sq km

water: 7,643 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 1,027 km

border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline:

451 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:

mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m

highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land

Land use:

arable land: 21.96%

permanent crops: 0.77%

other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,650 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

89.7 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural):

total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%)

per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards:

flooding

Environment - current issues:

water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:

located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population:

16,645,313 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 17.6% (male 1,496,348/female 1,427,297)

15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,705,003/female 5,583,787)