Economy - overview:
Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world, with about one-quarter of its population living below the poverty line. Nepal is heavily dependent on remittances, which amount to as much as 30% of GDP. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for almost two-thirds of the population but accounting for only one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower, with an estimated 42,000 MW of commercially feasible capacity. Nepal and India signed trade and investment agreements in 2014 that increase Nepal’s hydropower potential, but political uncertainty and a difficult business climate have hampered foreign investment.Nepal was hit by massive earthquakes in early 2015, which damaged or destroyed infrastructure and homes and set back economic development. Political gridlock in the past several years and recent public protests, predominantly in the southern Tarai region, have hindered post-earthquake recovery and prevented much-needed economic reform. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its landlocked geographic location, persistent power shortages, and underdeveloped transportation infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates:
$78.55 billion (2017 est.)
$73.07 billion (2016 est.)
$72.77 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 95
$24.07 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
7.5% (2017 est.)
0.4% (2016 est.)
3.3% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$2,700 (2017 est.)
$2,500 (2016 est.)
$2,600 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 196
42.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
40% of GDP (2016 est.)
44% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 76.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 11.7%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 33.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 10.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 9.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -42% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 27%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 13.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 51.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
pulses, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
10.9% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
15.6 million
note: severe lack of skilled labor (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture: 69%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 12%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 19% (2014 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
3.3% (2013 est.)
2.7% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
25.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: 3.2%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 29.5% (2011)
32.8 (2010)
47.2 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues: $5.954 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $5.974 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
24.7% of GDP (FY2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-0.1% of GDP (FY2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
27.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
25.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
16 July - 15 July
4.5% (2017 est.)
9.9% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
7% (30 October 2016)
7% (30 October 2015)
country comparison to the world: 48
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
9% (31 December 2017 est.)
8.9% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$5.834 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$4.871 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$27.12 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$22.19 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$21.93 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$17.98 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$14.03 billion (30 April 2016 est.)
$11.81 billion (31 October 2015 est.)
$9.574 billion (31 October 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
-$88 million (2017 est.)
$1.339 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$818.7 million (2017 est.)
$761.6 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, juice, jute goods
India 56.6%, US 11.5%, Turkey 4% (2016)
$11.03 billion (2017 est.)
$8.757 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
petroleum products, machinery and equipment, gold, electrical goods, medicine
India 70.1%, China 10.3% (2016)
$8.668 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$8.506 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$5.948 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$4.321 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$103 million (31 July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
$NA
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]
Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar -
104 (2017 est.)
107.38 (2016 est.)
107.38 (2015 est.)
102.41 (2014 est.)
99.53 (2013 est.)