About Nepal
THE PEOPLE
The majority of Nepalis are Hindus
81.3% Hindus , 9% Buddhist, 4.4% Muslim, 3.1% Kirant, 1.4% Christian
There are 125 different ethnic groups, with nearly every group speaking their own dialect
Almost half the population is under
25 years old
Nepalis are living
below the poverty line
below the poverty line
1
in 4
of the population lives
in regional or remote areas
in regional or remote areas
nearly
80
%
Less than one-fifth of Nepalis have access to safe and reliable drinking water
Just under half the population have access to safely managed toilet facilities
Nepal's Infant Mortality rate is seven times higher than Australia
World Bank Data, (2020).
Mortality rate, under 5 – Nepal
The average life expectancy from birth is 71 years
1 in 3 Nepali adults cannot read or write
Though outlawed in 2018, nearly two-thirds of Nepali women endure the custom of Chhaupadi each month
Over a million children are engaged in 'child labour'
THE ENVIRONMENT
1
sq km
Nepal is a land-locked country,
with a total land area equivalent to about half the size of the state of Victoria
The Northern Hill and Himalayan regions of Nepal experience cool summers and severe winters
The Southern Terai and the Ganges River plain regions experience subtropical summers and milder winters
Covering over 15% of Nepal, the Himalayas are home to eight of the world’s highest peaks
Sagaramatha (Mount Everest) 8848m, Kanchenjunga 8586m, Lhotse 8516m, Makalu 8485m, Cho Oyu 8188m, Dhaulagiri 8167m, Manaslu 8163m, Annapurna 8091m
Natural Resources
quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt and iron ore
Environmental Issues
deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives, forest degradation, soil erosion, contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents), unmanaged solid waste, wildlife conservation, vehicular emissions
Natural Hazards
severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought and famine depending on the timing, intensity and duration of the summer monsoons
