FAX: (61) 229792

FAX: (202) 986-0443

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jeffrey A. BADER

embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: (61) 221601

Flag description: a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Namibia Economy

Economy - overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. Half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. Namibia must import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is four times the per capita GDP of Africa's poorer countries, the majority of Namibia's people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment, the great inequality of income distribution, and the large amount of wealth going to foreigners. The Namibian economy has close links to South Africa. GDP growth in 2000 was led by gains in the diamond and fish sectors. Agreement has been reached on the privatization of several more enterprises in coming years, which should stimulate long-run foreign investment. Growth in 2001 could be 5.5% provided the world economy remains stable.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12%

industry: 25%

services: 63% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.1% (2000)

Labor force: 500,000

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.)

Budget: revenues: $883 million

expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)

Industries: meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 1.198 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2%

hydro: 98%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 1.948 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 56 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 890 million kWh

note: supplied by South Africa (1999)

Agriculture - products: millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Exports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners: UK 43%, South Africa 26%, Spain 14%, France 8%,
Japan (1998 est.)

Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners: South Africa 81%, US 4%, Germany 2% (1997 est.)

Debt - external: $217 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $127 million (1998)

Currency: Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code: NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates: Namibian dollars per US dollar - 7.78307 (January 2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Namibia Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 100,848 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons

domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital

international: fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 34, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios: 232,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 60,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .na

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)

Internet users: 9,000 (1999)

Namibia Transportation

Railways: total: 2,382 km

narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge; single track (1995)

Highways: total: 63,258 km

paved: 5,250 km

unpaved: 58,008 km (1997 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Airports: 131 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 110

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 21

914 to 1,523 m: 69

under 914 m: 18 (2000 est.)

Namibia Military

Military branches: National Defense Force (Army), Police

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 427,067 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 255,016 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $104.4 million (2001)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (FY97/98)

Namibia Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

@Nauru

Nauru Introduction

Background: Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian forces in World War I. Upon achieving independence in 1968, Nauru became the smallest independent republic in the world; it joined the UN in 1999.

Nauru Geography

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the
Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates: 0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 21 sq km

land: 21 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 30 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources: phosphates

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 0%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 100% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

Nauru People

Population: 12,088 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.33% (male 2,510; female 2,365)

15-64 years: 57.97% (male 3,475; female 3,533)

65 years and over: 1.7% (male 103; female 102) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 27.22 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.2 years

male: 57.7 years

female: 64.88 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.61 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Nauruan(s)

adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups: Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%,
European 8%

Religions: Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman
Catholic)

Languages: Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes

Literacy: definition: NA

total population: NA%

male: NA%

female: NA%

Nauru Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Nauru

conventional short form: Nauru

former: Pleasant Island

Government type: republic

Capital: no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Administrative divisions: 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan,
Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok,
Uaboe, Yaren

Independence: 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and
UK-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution: 29 January 1968

Legal system: acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 19 April 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 19 April 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament

elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 8 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results: Bernard DOWIYOGO elected president by a vote in Parliament of nine to eight

note: former President Rene HARRIS was deposed in a no-confidence vote; this is the eighth change of government in Nauru since the fall of the Lagumont HARRIS government in a no-confidence motion in early November 1996; six of the last eight governments have resulted because of parliamentary no-confidence motions

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)

elections: last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2003)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 18

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: loose multiparty system; Democratic
Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal) [Bernard DOWIYOGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, ICAO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca,
SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone: (212) 937-0074

consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Flag description: blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

Nauru Economy

Economy - overview: Revenues of this tiny island have come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted within five to ten years. Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has fallen in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting the remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally competitive. While phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. The government has been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has called for a freezing of wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's per capita GDP varying widely.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $59 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -3.6% (1993)

Labor force - by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Unemployment rate: 0%

Budget: revenues: $23.4 million

expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Industries: phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 30 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 27.9 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: coconuts

Exports: $25.3 million (f.o.b., 1991)

Exports - commodities: phosphates

Exports - partners: Australia, NZ

Imports: $21.1 million (c.i.f., 1991)

Imports - commodities: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners: Australia, UK, NZ, Japan

Debt - external: $33.3 million

Economic aid - recipient: $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code: AUD

Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Nauru Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 2,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 450 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communications provided via Australian facilities

domestic: NA

international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 500 (1997)

Internet country code: .nr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Nauru Transportation

Railways: total: 5 km; note - used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast

Highways: total: 30 km

paved: 24 km

unpaved: 6 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Nauru

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Airports: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Nauru Military

Military branches: no regular armed forces; Directorate of the Nauru
Police Force

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,018 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,661 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Nauru Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

@Navassa Island

Navassa Island Introduction

Background: This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge.

Navassa Island Geography

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, about one-fourth of the way from Haiti to Jamaica

Geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 5.2 sq km

land: 5.2 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 8 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: marine, tropical

Terrain: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources: guano

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 10%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 90%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

Navassa Island People

Population: uninhabited

note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island (July 2001 est.)

Navassa Island Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse located on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island

Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Navassa Island Economy

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Navassa Island Transportation

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Navassa Island Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Navassa Island Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti

@Nepal

Nepal Introduction

Background: In 1951, 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. The refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of these displaced persons are housed in seven United Nations Offices of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

Nepal Geography

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 140,800 sq km

land: 136,800 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: Terai 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 (1999 est.)

Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 17%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 15%

forests and woodland: 42%

other: 26% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 8,500 sq km (1993 est.)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and
India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks

Nepal People

Population: 25,284,463 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.35% (male 5,267,234; female 4,933,910)

15-64 years: 56.16% (male 7,264,575; female 6,934,384)

65 years and over: 3.49% (male 437,813; female 446,547) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.32% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 33.4 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female

total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 74.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.22 years

male: 58.65 years

female: 57.77 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.58 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.29% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 34,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,500 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)

adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups: Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai,
Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)

Religions: Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%

note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)

Languages: Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English (1995)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 27.5%

male: 40.9%

female: 14% (1995 est.)

Nepal Government

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal

conventional short form: Nepal

Government type: parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

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 King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

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 GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)

head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 22 March 2000)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle

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 3 and 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1

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: Communist Party of Nepal/United
Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary];
National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra
Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana
(Goodwill) Party or NSP [Gajendra Narayan SINGH, president]; Nepal
Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party
chair]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party
president, Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Rastriya Jana Morcha
[Chitra Bahadur K. C., chairman]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila
Mani POKHAREL, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency; 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, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW,
SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Damodar Prasad GAUTAM

chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 667-4550