Country Profile: Nepal.

Map Of Nepal

Until Nepal became a republic in May 2008, it had been ruled by monarchs or a ruling family for most of its modern history in relative isolation. A brief experiment with multi-party politics in 1959 ended with King Mahendra suspending parliament and taking sole charge in 1962.

Democratic politics was introduced in 1991 after popular protests, but was marked by frequent changes of government. The last king of Nepal, Gyanendra, twice assumed executive powers - in 2002 and 2005.

Maoist rebels waged a decade-long campaign against the monarchy, leaving more than 12,000 people dead and 100,000 people displaced according to UN figures.

When King Gyanendra's direct rule ended under public pressure in April 2006, the rebels entered talks with the parliamentary government on how to end the civil war.

A peace deal was agreed in November, although the Maoists continued to press for abolition of the monarchy.

Parliament agreed to the condition in December 2007, and the Maoists emerged as the largest parliamentary party after elections in April 2008.

The monarchy was abolished a month later, and a Maoist-dominated government took office in August.

The Maoist-led coalition government disintegrated in May 2009, and was succeeded by another coalition excluding the Maoists.

Nepal has been at odds with neighboring Bhutan over the repatriation of thousands of Bhutanese refugees of Nepalese descent who fled violence in Bhutan in the early 1990s.

Nepal has a flourishing tourism industry, but faces problems of deforestation and encroachment on animal habitats.

Most of the population depends on agriculture, and the UN estimates that about 40% of Nepalis live in poverty.

Foreign aid is vital to the economy, and Nepal is also heavily dependent on trade with neighbouring India.  

• Population: 29.8 million (UN, 2010)
• Capital: Kathmandu
• Area: 147,181 sq km (56,827 sq miles)
• Major language: Nepali
• Major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism
• Life expectancy: 67 years (men), 69 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 Nepalese rupee = 100 paisa
• Main exports: Carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
• GNI per capita: US $440 (World Bank, 2009)
• Internet domain: .np
• International dialing code: +977 

President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav

President: Ram Baran Yadav  

Mr Yadav became the first president of republican Nepal in July 2008, nearly two months after the country's new constituent assembly had voted to abolish the 239-year-old monarchy.

He is an ethnic Madheshi from Nepal's southern lowlands and was backed by the centrist Nepali Congress - the second largest party in parliament - as well as two smaller parties.

Mr Yadav is a trained medical doctor and has twice served as health minister. He has also held senior positions in the Nepali Congress.

The presidency is a largely ceremonial position

Prime minister: Mr Jhala Nath Khanal, chief of the Communist UML party, was elected with the support of Maoist former rebels, who dominate parliament. Nepal had been without an effective government since June 2010.

Jhala Kath Khanal

Nepal was plunged into crisis in June when Madhav Kumar Nepal quit as prime minister under pressure from the Maoists after sparring over the control of the army and the integration of the former combatants into regular forces.

A 2006 peace deal ended the war between the Maoists and the then royal government, in which more than 16,000 people were killed.

The Maoists won the most seats in parliamentary elections in 2008 and the 239-year old monarchy was later abolished.