Full country name: Kingdom of Nepal
Area: 140,800 sq km
Population: 24 million
Capital city: Kathmandu (pop 535,000)
People: Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas
Language: Nepali (also called Gurkhali)
Religion: 90% Hindu, 5% Buddhist, 3% Muslim, 2% other
Government: Parliamentary democracy
Prime Minister: Surya Bahadur Thapa
King: Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev

GDP: US$27.4 billion
GDP per head: US$1,100
Annual growth: 6%
Inflation: 2.1%
Major industries: Tourism, carpet, textile, small rice, jute, sugar, oilseed mills, cigarettes, cement and brick production, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, water buffalo meat
Major trading partners: India, US, Germany, UK, Singapore, Japan