Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Nepal: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCB, ranked #97 of 195).
Nepal — in Southern Asia, between China and India. Political status: federal parliamentary republic. The country's capital is Kathmandu; it covers 147,181 sq km. Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH). Terrain: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south; central hill region with rugged Himalayas in north. Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south. Population: 31.3 million (2025 estimate). Population growth: +0.66% per year. Median age: 28.1 years. Life expectancy: 73 years (2024 est.). Languages: Nepali (official) 44.9%, Maithali 11.1%, Bhojpuri 6.2%, Tharu 5.9%, Tamang 4.9%, Bajjika 3.9%, Avadhi 3%, Ne…
| Capital | Kathmandu |
|---|---|
| Population | 31,334,402 (2025 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $149.643 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $5,000 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 3.7% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 7.1% |
| Unemployment | 10.8% |
| Public debt | 39.9% of GDP (2021 est.) |
| Exports | $3.744 billion (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $17.777 billion (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 73 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 28.1 |
| Urbanization | 21.9% of total population (2023) |
| Government | federal parliamentary republic |
| Independence | 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH) |
| Languages | Nepali (official) 44.9%, Maithali 11.1%, Bhojpuri 6.2%, Tharu 5.9%, Tamang 4.9%, Bajjika 3.9%, Avadhi 3%, Nepalbhasha (Newari) 3%, Magar Dhut 2.8%, Doteli 1.7%, Urdu 1.4%, Yakthung/Limbu 1.2%, Gurung 1.1%, other 8.9% (2021 est.) |
MCB · 48/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
Little moved in Jul–Sep 2026: no crisis, no windfall. The quarter simply confirmed the country's standing course.
Deeper forces — trade patterns, regional stability, institutional strength — will decide the trajectory; three months rarely do.
Timber, Hydropower, Copper, Cobalt, Iron ore.
Balen Shah — Prime Minister. President Ram Chandra POUDEL (since 13 March 2023)
Nepal maintains 32 embassies and 7 consulates abroad. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 32 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 7 |
Source: Outbound: Lowy Institute Global Diplomacy Index 2024 (via Wikipedia 'List of countries by number of diplomatic missions').
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Landlocked — no seacoast; exports move through transit corridors across neighbouring countries. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 51 + 14 heliports (registration prefix 9N) |
| Railways | 59 km |
Gautam Buddha International Airport (BWA) — Siddharthanagar (Bhairahawa); Pokhara International Airport (PHH) — Pokhara; Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) — Kathmandu; Biratnagar Airport (BIR) — Biratnagar; Janakpur Airport (JKR) — Janakpur; Nepalgunj Airport (KEP) — Nepalgunj; Pokhara Domestic Airport (PKR) — Pokhara; Taplejung Airport (TPJ) — Taplejung; Tenzing-Hillary Airport (LUA) — Lukla.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | federal parliamentary republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCB · 48 Ranked #97 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Nepal.
