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Federal Democratic Republic of NEPAL
In1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led by Maoist extremists broke out in 1996. The ensuing ten-year civil war between insurgents and government forces witnessed the dissolution of the cabinet and parliament and assumption of absolute power by the king. Several weeks of mass protests in April 2006 were followed by several months of peace negotiations between the Maoists and government officials, and culminated in a November 2006 peace accord and the promulgation of an interim constitution. Following a nation-wide election in April 2008, the newly formed Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a federal democratic republic and abolished the monarchy at its first meeting the following month. The Constituent Assembly elected the country's first president in July. The Maoists, who received a plurality of votes in the Constituent Assembly election, formed a coalition government in August 2008.
 
Facts About NEPAL

Location:  Southern Asia, between China and India
 
Geographic coordinates:  28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references:   Asia 
 
Area:  Total: 147,181 sq km , Land: 143,181 sq km, water: 4,000 sq km
 
Area - comparative:   slightly larger than Arkansas
 
Land boundaries:   total: 2,926 km ; border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
 
Coastline:   0 km (landlocked)
 
Maritime claims:   none (landlocked)
 
Climate:   varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
 
Terrain:   Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
 
Elevation extremes:   lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m ; highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
 
Natural resources:   quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
 
Land use:   arable land: 16.07% ; permanent crops: 0.85% ; other: 83.08% (2005)
 
Irrigated land:    11,700 sq km (2003)
 
Total renewable water resources:  210.2 cu km (1999)
 
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):   
total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%)
per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)
 
Natural hazards:   
severe thunderstorms; flooding; landslides; drought and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
 
Environment - current issues:   
deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions
 
Environment - international agreements:   
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
 
Geography - note:   
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the borders with China and India respectively.
 
Info from CIA FactBook
 
 
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