Facts and Figures

Nepal is located in the Himalayan mountains, between India in the south and the Tibetan region of China in the North. Nepal is a small country stretching 800 kilometres in length and just 241 kilometres at its widest point.

The country is divided into three distinct geographical regions: The extreme mountains in the north, home to eight of the highest peaks in the world including Mount Everest; The mountains, hills and valleys in the central region, including the fertile Kathmandu Valley; A vast plain (known as Terai) in the south, part of which is covered with dense forest. 

Due to its geographical location and dramatic landscape, Nepal is very susceptible to natural disasters including earthquakes, floods and landslides.

Nepal's population of approximately 26 million has an estimated growth rate of 1.9% per year to 2015. Most of the country’s population live in the hills and valleys or on the plain, where the population density is greatest. Just 7% of the country’s population live in the mountains to the north, although this region accounts for 35% of Nepal’s land area. 

Administratively, Nepal is divided into five development regions and 75 administrative districts. The districts are further divided into 3, 915 village development committees and 58 municipalities. Kathmandu is the capital and is located in the central south of the country.

There are more than 60 caste or ethnic groups in Nepal. The common national language is Nepali and the main religions are Hinduism and Buddhism. Nepal is an independent state under a constitutional monarchy.

The Fred Hollows Foundation supports the work of Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology throughout Nepal, specifically in the districts of Dhading, Nuwakot and Sindhupalchoku, which are located in the hilly central region of Nepal.

All three districts are rural and have poor road networks, particularly Dhading, where access
is limited to only a couple of dirt roads.

Economy

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and its economic development has been hindered by the lack of political stability, limited natural resources, rapid population growth and heavy reliance on agriculture. Over 80% of the population live subsistently in rural areas.

In 2004 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was just US$252 per capita, compared with US$640 per capita in neighbouring India and US$1,490 in China.

Political History

While proud of having maintained its independence, the country has endured a history of civil unrest and political upheaval. In May 1991, responding to increased - sometimes violent - opposition, the King of Nepal relinquished his absolute power, a new constitution was drawn and democratic elections were held.

In 1996 the Maoist United People’s Front began a violent insurgency that has caused more than 10,000 deaths to date and continues to disrupt life in many districts of the country.

In 2001 the country was shocked by the murder of several members of the Royal Family, including the King. The attack is thought to have been instigated by the now deceased Crown Prince.

In early 2005 King Gyanendra (the brother of the former King) dismissed the Prime Minister and appointed a ten-member Council of Ministers to govern the country. This was the fourth change of government in three years.

On 1 February 2005, the King dismissed Prime Minister Deuba and Nepal’s multiparty government, announcing that he would govern the country for a period of three years, and appointed a ten-member Council of Ministers the following day.

Following negotiations in November 2005, the seven major political parties agreed on a 12 point plan with the Maoists to "end the autocratic monarchy". Local elections held in February 2006 were boycotted by the major political parties and less than 20% of Nepalese people voted.

Political agitation on the streets of Kathmandu led to the King relinquishing direct rule and reinstating the Nepalese parliament which recommenced sitting on 28 April 2006. The King swore in the nominee of the seven major political parties, G P Koirala, as Prime Minister on 29 April 2006. Following the announcement by the King that parliament would be reinstated, the Maoists announced a three month unilateral ceasefire.

On 21 November 2006 Prime Minister Koirala and the Maoists signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, formally bringing an end to the decade-long "people's war". Key features of the agreement are that Constituent Assembly elections are to be held and the King will lose all formal authority, with a new Constituent Assembly to decide on the future of the institution of monarchy.

Sources: DFAT, Nepal Ministry of Health, Human Development Report 2006, National Planning Commission, UNDP

Population: 26.6 million
Life expectancy: 62.1 years
Infant mortality rate: 59 per 1,000 births
Percentage of population which is undernourished: 17%
Number of doctors: 21 per 100,000 people

The overall poor health of the Nepalese population is the result of inadequate health services, the inequitable distribution of these services and widespread poverty. Around 69% of the population lives on less than US$2 a day. There is also a great inequity in the health of the Nepalese, across the three geographical regions of the country.

While some progress has been made in the improvement of the population’s health there is still much more to be done. Life expectancy at birth has increased over the past three decades, from around 43 years in 1970-1975 to just over 62 years in 2004, which is low by world standards.

Similarly, infant mortality has dropped from 165 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1970 to 59 deaths per 1,000 in 2004. Despite this, nearly half of all children in Nepal under five years of age are underweight.

The main causes of mortality in Nepal are acute respiratory infections, encephalitis/meningitis, cardio-pulmonary disease, septicaemia and diarrhoea. Other diseases of concern include dysentery, cholera and typhoid.

Most of the money spent on health in Nepal is in the private sector. In 2003 it was 72% of all health expenditure, which is largely from individuals paying for services. That same year public health expenditure was US$64 per person.

Sources: Human Development Report 2006, UNDP, World Health Organization

Number of blind people: 185,000
Main causes of blindness: Cataract, glaucoma, corneal, trachoma, uncorrected refractive error and childhood blindness
Number of people with cataract blindness: Cataract blindness accounts for 72% of all cases or around 150,000 people and a further 25,000 people become cataract blind each year
Number of cataract operations performed annually: 149,000 with the cataract surgical rate (CSR) at 1,880 per million population per year
Number of ophthalmologists: 116
Population per ophthalmologist: 215,000
IOL implantation rate: 97% 
Percentage of blind population with glaucoma: 3.2%
Percentage of blind population with corneal scarring:  Approximately 8% (due to infection, trachoma, measles and trauma)
Percentage of blind population with childhood blindness: 4% (40% of Nepal’s population are children)

There are 16 eye hospitals in Nepal which include government, non-government and private sector eye care facilities, including the upgraded Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology.

Most of Nepal’s eye hospitals are located near the Indian border and offer a superior quality and affordable cost compared to services in northern India. Many Indians therefore come across the border to receive eye care services.

Sources: Nepal Ministry of Health, Vision 2020, World Health Organization