Nepál

Political Status: Independent monarchy established 1769; limited constitutional system promulgated December 16, 1962; constitutional monarchy proclaimed under constitution of November 9, 1990; interim constitution promulgated January 15, 2007, changing country’s official name from Kingdom of Nepal to State of Nepal; monarchy formally ended and federal democratic republic proclaimed May 28, 2008, by a Constituent Assembly.

Area: 54,362 sq. mi. (140,797 sq. km.).

Population: 23,151,423 (2001C); 28,762,000 (2008E).

Major Urban Center (2005E): KATHMANDU (804,000).

Official Language: Nepali.

Monetary Unit: Nepalese Rupee (market rate December 1, 2009: 74.10 rupees = $1US).

President: Ram Baran YADAV (Nepali Congress); elected by the Constituent Assembly on July 21, 2008, and sworn in on July 23, following the abolition of the monarchy on May 28, and the abdication of King GYANENDRA on June ...