Nepal

South Asia·Lower middle income

Population: 29.7M; 51st of 217
GDP: $42.9B; 103rd of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $1,447; 182nd of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 70.4; 150th of 217
Human development: 0.602; 141st of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Nepal

Bangladesh

India

Bhutan

Sri Lanka

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

low-income South Asian economy; post-conflict fiscal federalism increasing stability; COVID-19 hurt trade and tourism; widening current account deficits; environmentally fragile economy from earthquakes; growing Chinese relations and investments

Area: 147,181 km²
Resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper…
Borders: China 1,389 km; India 1,770 km

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Hindu81.2%
Buddhist8.2%▼ 0.8pt
Muslim5.1%▲ 0.7pt
Other3.8%
Christian1.8%

Religious diversity: 3.85 / 10 · moderate · 81st of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

NPL

BGD

IND

BTN

GDP

current US$

$42.9B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$72.7M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

33.8%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

21.9%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

11.4%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

–––

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

–––

Population

people

29.7M–––

Population density

people per km²

207.3–––

Urban population

% of total

21.9%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

2–––

Net migration

people

-401K–––

Population under 15

% of total

28.4%–––

Population 65+

% of total

6.5%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

6.7%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.7%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

1,935.3–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

360.1–––

Electricity generation

TWh

10.7–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

–––

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

3.85–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

1.1%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#103/214

$42.9B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#182/214

$1,4472024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#162/203

$5,395latest

GDP growth

annual %

#89/214

3.7%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#174/207

$1,4702024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#63/213

2.6%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#152/201

$72.7M2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#169/205

33.8%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#31/206

21.9%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#180/208

11.4%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#149/187

10.6%latest

Gini index

0–100

#35/168

30latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#81/168

2.4%latest

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

#134/165

$3,0142022

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

#123/144

1.932023

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#51/217

29.7Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#66/216

207.3latest

Urban population

% of total

#205/215

21.9%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#150/217

70.4latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#103/217

2latest

Net migration

people

#213/217

-401K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#81/217

28.4%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#130/217

6.5%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#134/196

23.3latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#132/196

26.5latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#96/192

6.7%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#122/195

0.9latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#131/160

71.2%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#125/199

3.7%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#135/194

17.8%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#131/139

16.1%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#159/210

55.8%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#53/214

133.32022

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#137/208

4.82022

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#121/215

541.22024

Access to electricity

% of population

#158/215

94%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#166/198

1,935.32023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#163/202

360.12022

Electricity generation

TWh

#108/202

10.72022

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#8/202

100%2022

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#7/202

0%2022

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#114/204

18.82024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#44/204

0.62024

Share of global CO₂

#91/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#33/193

2.12023

Inequality

Who gets what — top and bottom shares of income and wealth, from tax data and national accounts

theme overview →

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

#66/210

0.1%2024

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

#63/210

0.4%2024

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

#63/210

0.2%2024

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

#58/210

0.2%2024

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

#61/210

0.5292024

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#60/175

0.6562025

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#64/175

0.5052025

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

#88/175

0.7422025

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

#93/175

0.5612025

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

#45/175

0.8312025

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#112/178

342022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#122/193

-0.5332022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#159/193

-0.9172022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#116/193

-0.4492022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#115/193

-0.2522022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#80/175

0.7922025

Conflict & Security

Organized violence since 1989 — every battle death georeferenced by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program

theme overview →

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#69/126

12025

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#34/126

02025

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

#86/126

12025

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#81/193

3.852020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#189/193

0%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#141/189

0.6022021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#113/170

0.4522021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#106/164

5.152025

Global Peace Index

1–5

#76/158

2.012023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#119/161

1.1%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.