Capital: Kathmandu
Administrative divisions: 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)

Constitution: 9 November 1990

Legal system: based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 29 May 1991)
chief of state: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (since 31 January 1972, crowned King 24 February 1985); Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, son of the King (born 21 June 1971)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the king on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
National Council: consists of a 60-member body, 50 appointed by House of Representatives and 10 by the King
House of Representatives: elections last held on 12 May 1991 (next to be held May 1996); results - NCP 38%, CPN/UML 28%, NDP/Chand 6%, UPF 5%, NDP/Thapa 5%, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 4%, Rohit 2%, CPN (Democratic) 1%, independents 4%, other 7%; seats - (205 total) NCP 110, CPN/UML 69, UPF 9, Terai Rights Sadbhavana Party 6, NDP/Chand 3, Rohit 2, CPN (Democratic) 2, NDP/Thapa 1, independents 3; note - the new Constitution of 9 November 1990 gave Nepal a multiparty democracy system for the first time in 32 years

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat)

Political parties and leaders: Nepali Congress Party (NCP), president Krishna Prasad BHATTARAI, Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA, Supreme Leader Ganesh Man SINGH; The Conservative National Democratic Party (NDP/Thapa), Surya Bahadur THAPA; Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist and Leninist (CPN/UML), Man Mohan ADHIKARI; Terai Rights Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party, Gajendra Narayan SINGH; United People's Front (UPF), Lila Mani POKHREL; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE; National 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

NOTE: The information regarding Nepal on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Nepal Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Nepal Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.