ational
Democratic Party/Chand (NDP/Chand), Lokendra Bahadur CHAND; Rohit
Party, N. M. BIJUKCHHE; Communist Party of Nepal
(Democratic-Manandhar), B. B. MANANDHAR
Other political or pressure groups:
numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several
small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups
Member of:
AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM,
SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
(vacant)
chancery:
2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 667-4550
consulate(s) general:
New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Sandra VOGELGESANG
embassy:
Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[977] (1) 411179 or 412718, 411613, 413890
FAX:
[977] (1) 419963
Flag:
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping
right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized
moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

@Nepal, Economy

Overview:
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for
over 90% of the population and accounting for 60% of GDP. Industrial
activity is limited, mainly involving the processing of agricultural
produce (jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain). Production of textiles
and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for 85% of foreign
exchange earnings in FY94. Apart from agricultural land and forests,
exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism.
Agricultural production in the late 1980s grew by about 5%, as
compared with annual population growth of 2.6%. More than 40% of the
population is undernourished. Since May 1991, the government has been
encouraging trade and foreign investment, e.g., by eliminating
business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify
domestic and foreign investment. The government also has been cutting
public expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state
industries, and laying off civil servants. Prospects for foreign trade
and investment in the 1990s remain poor, however, because of the small
size of the economy, its te