Nepal economy: facts and figures
A reference page of economic indicators, entry points and laws that affect business and investment in Nepal.
These figures are historical. Each row shows its year, and most are from 2010 or earlier. Check the World Bank, Nepal Rastra Bank or the Central Bureau of Statistics for current data before you rely on them.
Background
Agriculture is the mainstay of Nepal’s economy. It supports most of the population, and much of the industry that exists processes agricultural produce such as jute, sugarcane, tobacco and grain. Hydropower and tourism are the sectors with the most potential for foreign investment. Nepal is landlocked, and its economy is exposed to natural disasters. (Summary of a 2013 blog post by Chandan Sapkota.)
Indicators
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Real GDP growth rate | 3% | 2004 est. |
| GDP per person, purchasing power parity | $1,500 | 2004 est. |
| GDP by sector | Agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% | 2002 est. |
| Population below poverty line | 42% | 1995 to 1996 |
| Income share: lowest 10% / highest 10% | 3.2% / 29.8% | 1995 to 1996 |
| Gini index | 36.7 | FY 1995/96 |
| Labour force | 10 million | 1996 est. |
| Labour force by occupation | Agriculture 81%, industry 3%, services 16% | 1996 est. |
| Unemployment rate | 47% | 2001 est. |
| Budget | Revenues $665 million, expenditures $1.1 billion | FY 1999/2000 est. |
| Industrial production growth | 8.7% | FY 1999/2000 |
| Electricity production / consumption | 2.054 / 2.005 billion kWh | 2002 |
| Electricity exports / imports | 142 / 237 million kWh | 2002 |
| Exports | $568 million f.o.b. (excluding unrecorded border trade with India) | 2002 est. |
| Main export partners | India 47.4%, US 22.7%, Germany 8.4% | 2004 |
| Imports | $1.419 billion f.o.b. | 2002 est. |
| Main import partners | India 46.3%, China 10.8%, UAE 9.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% | 2004 |
| External debt | $2.7 billion | 2001 |
| Economic aid received | $424 million | FY 2000/01 |
| Exchange rate, NPR per US dollar | 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003), 77.877 (2002), 74.949 (2001), 71.094 (2000) | 2000 to 2004 |
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,959,364 | 2010 |
| Population growth | 1.8% a year | 2010 |
| Population density | 209 people per sq. km | 2010 |
| Rural population | 81.8% of total | 2010 |
| Crude birth / death rate | 24.7 / 6 per 1,000 people | 2009 |
| Infant mortality | 41.4 per 1,000 live births | 2010 |
| Under-5 mortality | 49.5 per 1,000 | 2010 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 68 years | 2009 |
| Labour force / female share | 13,286,965 / 45.5% | 2009 |
| Poverty headcount, rural / national | 34.6% / 30.9% | 2004 |
| Income share held by lowest 20% | 5.9% | 2004 |
| Adult literacy (ages 15 and over) | 59.1% | 2009 |
| Health expenditure | 5.8% of GDP | 2009 |
| Physicians | 0.2 per 1,000 people | 2004 |
| Rural access to improved water / sanitation | 87% / 27% | 2008 |
| HIV prevalence (ages 15 to 49) | 0.4% | 2009 |
| Land area | 143,350 sq. km | 2010 |
| Forest area / arable land | 25.4% / 16.7% of land area | 2010 / 2009 |
| GNI per person, Atlas method | $440 | 2009 |
| GDP | $12.9 billion | 2009 |
| GDP per person growth | 2.7% | 2010 |
| Inflation, consumer prices | 10% | 2010 |
| Value added to GDP | Agriculture 36.1%, industry 15.4% (manufacturing 6.6%), services 48.5% | 2010 |
| Gross domestic savings | 7.4% of GDP | 2010 |
| Merchandise exports / imports | $860 million / $5.28 billion | 2010 |
| Balance of merchandise trade | -$4.42 billion | 2010 |
| Foreign direct investment, net inflows | $87.8 million | 2010 |
| Government revenue, excluding grants | 15.2% of GDP | 2010 |
| Official development assistance and aid | $855.5 million | 2009 |
| External debt | $3.70 billion | 2010 |
| Debt service | 10.5% of exports of goods, services and income | 2010 |
| Deposit / lending interest rate | 3.6% / 8% | 2010 |
| Internet users | 6.8 per 100 people | 2010 |
Main industries and products
Industries: tourism, carpets, textiles, small rice, jute, sugar and oilseed mills, cigarettes, cement and brick production. Agricultural products: rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk and water buffalo meat. Exports: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain. Imports: gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertiliser.
Entry and exit points for foreign visitors
Foreigners must enter and leave Nepal through prescribed points. Check the Department of Immigration for the current list and status before you travel.
- Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu
- Kakarvitta, Jhapa (eastern Nepal)
- Birgunj, Parsa (central Nepal)
- Kodari, Sindhupalchok (northern border)
- Belahia, Bhairahawa, Rupandehi (western Nepal)
- Jamunaha, Nepalgunj, Banke (mid-western Nepal)
- Mohana, Dhangadhi, Kailali (far-western Nepal)
- Gadda Chauki, Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur (far-western Nepal)
Laws and legal acts for trade and investment
- Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act (1992)
- Industrial Enterprises Act (1992)
- Customs Act (1962, amended 1997)
- Customs Regulation (1970)
- Customs Tariff (electronic format)
- Nepal Seeds Act, 2045 (1988)
- The Seeds Regulation, 2054 (1997)
- Company Act (1997)
- Plant Protection Act, 2029
- Plants Protection Rules, 2031 (1975)
- The Food Act (1966)
- Food Regulation (1970)
- Export and Import Control Act (1957)
- Export and Import Rules (1978)
- Patent, Design and Trade-Mark Act (1965)
- Summary Procedure Act (1972)
- Treaty of Transit, Treaty of Trade and Agreement of Co-operation to Control Unauthorised Trade between Nepal and India (1991, amended 1999)
- Schedules to Nepalese commitments in SAARC under the SAPTA Agreement
- Feed Act (Animal Concentrate) (1996)
- Copyright Act (First Amendment) (1997)
- Nepal Chartered Accountant Act (1998), First Amendment (2002)
- Copyright Act (2002)
Fiscal year
16 July to 15 July.
Sources to consult
Asian Development Bank (including the Nepal country partnership strategy 2013 to 2017), World Bank, CIA World Factbook, UNDP, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), National Planning Commission, Poverty Alleviation Fund Nepal, and Wikipedia.
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