Nepal has always been something special. A "jewel" under those "exotic" countries, which became favourite goals for rucksack tourists in the past decades.
While some regard Nepal as a dreamland or fabulous and mysterious kingdom on the roof of the world, others can constitute only a "poorhouse".
This extreme contradiction explains itself on the one hand from the raving narrations of many Nepal lovers, the spiritual views of religiously motivated authors, the "hero reports" of numerous mountain climbers and on the other hand from the allegedly objective "analyses" from journalists and tourism critics.
Similarly as the desert Nepal seems to have a completely special attraction for certain humans.
Where does this fascination come from?
Is it because of the fact that the Himalayan state was forbidden land until 1951 and still today large regions at the border to Tibet - not less mysterious - are "restricted areas"?
Is it the charm of the cities in the Kathmandu Valley with over 7000 temples and shrines, pervasive divinities and even living goddesses? Perhaps the snow giants of the Himalayas promise adventure and an originalness, that our mountains lost already. Not few visitors hope for a breath of mystic or transcendental experiences. Others want to experience unaffected nature by observing elephants, rhinos and tigers. And who would not like to meet those extraordinarily kind humans, laughing so often and so cordial, and whose charisma shows a greater happiness and internal satisfaction than their guests from the so-called well-off "developed" industrialized countries. There are not conclusive answers to all these assumptions. But for sure there are a lot of overwhelming impressions for visitors in Nepal. The first impression of Kathmandu can be quite a little shock: Dusty, loud, frightening - the poverty, the traffic and the contamination of the environment. An unprecedented houses construction boom seems to slowly destroy the charm of the capital.
Population
Nepal has a population of approximately 23.2 million people, with about 2 millions living in the capital Kathmandu and the surrounding valley. With a surface of 147.181 km² the population density is 158 inhabitants per km². The average life expectancy is 57.3 years. Since the mid 70's lacking employment chances led to intensified urbanisation. The cities suffer from the from the increasing environmental pollution and above all from quantitatively and qualitatively insufficient potable water supply.
Only 16% of the population are attached to the electricity supply. Therefore in 74% of all households wood serves as energy source still. This creates an environmentally very problematic dependence.
Country of farmers
The life rhythm of 90% of the Nepalese is determined by agriculture and forestry, animal husbandry and fishery as well as by the weather. The principal part of the work thereby is carried out by women who supply additionally the household and the children. Most families can cultivate only what they need for surviving: Rice, wheat, corn, millet or barley, potatoes, leguminous plants and vegetables. Who possesses sufficient country, also cultivates so-called "cash crops" (cash for agricultural products) like sugar cane, jute, tobacco or tea.
Particularly in the central and high mountains animal husbandry plays an important role. Held are water buffalos, cattle, goats and Dzos, a mixture from Yak and cattle. The situation is worsened by the difficult geographical location of Nepal. The cultivated area is limited to 18% and any expansion is possible only at expense of the vitally necessary forest, although forest itself represents a traditional part of agriculture. It supplies humans with wood, food for the cattle (leafs) and fruits and regulates the water cycle. There is only on 29% of the total area a dense forest, although 43% would be necessary for a stable ecological equilibrium. With 65% the major part of the cultivated area lies in the low, flat southern part of Nepal (Terai). So there is an increasing the population pressure by migration from the mountains. But since there are not sufficient jobs in the agriculture anymore, many farmers - due to missing alternatives - are suffering from underemployment.
The annual per capita income amounts to approximately 200$ - thus Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Economy
Nepal has neither oil, natural gas, or coal resources. In the energy sector however large hopes are laid because of the high hydropower generation potential, which is estimated up to 83.000 MW.
Main export goods are Vegetable Ghee and Paschmina products, while from India mainly motor vehicles and textiles are imported. After India the USA and Germany are the major importers of Nepalese products (clothing/carpets). Another source of income is the tourism, which was unfortunately significantly declining due to the political situation since 2001.
Religion
Over 30 different ethnical groups live peacefully next to each other. The main religious beliefs are 90% Hinduism and 8% Buddhism, the remaining 2% are Muslims and Christians.
Nepal is the only country in the world, in which Hinduism is the state religion. The Hindu influence becomes apparent in the dominant caste system and the associated consciousness of the people.
Peoples' education
The three staged education system was established 1971. It consists of 5 years basic education (primary level) with compulsory schooling for children between 6 and 10 years. Thereafter for children aged 11 follows another 5 years lasting secondary level which is partitioned in a first phase of 3 and a second phase of 2 years. For the attendance from first to sixth class exemption from fees exists at national schools.
Nearly 2/3 of the adults are illiterates, whereby women's literacy is substantially lower.
Child work
There are 2.6 millions working children at the age between 5 and 14 years. The total number of the children in Nepal amounts to 6.2 millions, i.e. over a third of the children are working children, who can not participate in any school teaching. In the mountains one finds most frequently working children, and probably on child work under most difficult conditions.
The rate of child work in the mountains is about 52%, in the hills it is about 45% and in the flat country (Terai) it's still about 36%.
Health service
The main causes for the generally unsatisfactory state of health and low life expectancy are population growth, environmental pollution, contaminated water, undernourishment and micronutrient malnutrition and contagious diseases.
The child mortality rate is estimated on 11.4%. Major dying cause is diarrhoea. Other common diseases are above all illnesses of the stomach and intestine channel, parasitic and/or worm diseases, tuberculosis, thyroid illnesses, eye diseases and leprosy.
Clinics in Nepal
1969
54
clinics
1986
89
clinics
135
Ayurvedic clinics,
258
Family planning clinics,
48
bureaus for the people's health,
2598
Malaria fighting forces,
6
Leprosy clinics
A physician is responsible for 16.600 inhabitants, and
a dentist is responsible for 400.000 inhabitants.
