Country
Nepal Tajikistan
Leader
Population
29,890,686 7,768,385
Life Expectancy
66.510 years 66.380 years
Capital City
Kathmandu Dushanbe
Largest city
Kathmandu (population: 1,442,270) Dushanbe (population: 543,107)
Human Development Index
0.53 0.684 GDP per capita $1,300 US $2,100 US
Literacy Rate
48.6% 99.5%
Corruption Perception Index
2.7 2
Percentage of Women in Parliament
33.2% 19.6% Wealthiest Citizens Unemployment Rate 46.000% 2.200%
Death Penalty
Abolished Abolished in practice
Political System
federal democratic republic republic
Independence date
1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH) 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) Religions Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) note: only official Hindu state in the world Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.) Languages Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census) note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.) Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business Exports carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles External Debt $3,777,000,000 $ $2,593,000,000 US Exchange Rate Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - NA (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003) Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 3.4563 (2008 est.), 3.4418 (2007), 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004) Military Budget as percentage of GDP 1.600% 1.500% Beijing Olympics Medal Count 0 2 Location Southern Asia, between China and India Central Asia, west of China Area 147,181 km sq 143,100 km sq Coastline 0 km 0 km Climate varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
