Introduction
Nepal, the country of Buddha, is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one third of its population living below the poverty line. Nepal has been grappling with conflict for more than eight years. More than 10,000 people- mostly young - have been killed more have been injured. Over a million Nepalese children are working full time in Nepal.
Languages:
Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, (2001 census)
note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.)

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

Literacy:
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.9% (2001 census)

Population:
29,519,114 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38% (male 5,792,042/female 5,427,370)
15-64 years: 58.2% (male 8,832,488/female 8,345,724)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 542,192/female 579,298) (2008 est.)

Median age:
Total: 20.7 years
male: 20.5 years
female: 20.8 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.095% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,200 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
Agriculture: 38%
industry: 20%
services: 42% (FY05/06 est.)

Labour force:
11.11 million
note: severe lack of skilled labour (2006 est.)

Labour force - by occupation:
Agriculture: 76%
industry: 6%
services: 18% (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
Rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Industries:
Tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick productionUnemployment rate:
42% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
30.9% (2004)

Child Labour (5-14 years, 1999-2004) (source: UNICEF 2006):
Total 31%
Male 30%
Female 33%

Ratified Conventions ILO:
138 on Minimum Working Age
182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour (Source: ILO 2008)

Primary school enrolment (2000-2004) (source: UNICEF 2006):
Male 75%
Female 66%

Education expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.4% (2003)