Country name
conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
conventional short form: Nepal

Data code NP

Government type parliamentary democracy as of 12 May 1991

National capital Kathmandu

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 Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)

Constitution 9 November 1990

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: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (succeeded to the throne 31 January 1972 following the death of his father King MAHENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, crowned king 24 February 1975); Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram
head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 15 April 1998); note - Prime Minister KOIRALA - the country's seventh prime minister since 1991 - replaces Prime Minister Surya Bahadur THAPA, who served from October 1997 until April 1998, when he resigned as part of a power-sharing agreement with his coalition partners
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the king on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the king

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 15 November 1994 (next to be held by 15 November 1999)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NCP 33%, CPN/UML 31%, NDP 18%, Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3%, NWPP 1%; seats by party - CPN/UML 88, NCP 83, NDP 20, NWPP 4, Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party 3, independents 7

Judicial branch Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat), chief justice is appointed by the king on recommendation of the Constitutional Council, the other judges are appointed by the king on the recommendation of the Judicial Council

Political parties and leaders Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist (CPN/UML), Man Mohan ADHIKARI, party president, Madhar KUMAR, general secretary; Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president, Daranath Rana DHATT, general secretary; National Democratic Party (NDP; also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP), Surya Bahadur THAPA; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party, Gajendra Narayan SINGH, president; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chair

Political pressure groups and leaders numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups

International organization participation AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFCTU, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
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 Ralph FRANK
embassy: Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [977] (1) 411179
FAX: [977] (1) 419963

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

NOTE: The information regarding Nepal on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Nepal Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Nepal Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.