Nepali officially spoken by 90% of the population, about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects.

Agriculture is Nepal's principal economic activity, employing 70% of the population. Only about 20% of the total area is able to be cultivable.
33% is forested, most of the rest is mountainous.

Nepal has a framework of a republic with a multi-party system. Dr. Ram Baran Yadav is currently head of government.

In February 1996, the Communist Party of Nepal started a bid to replace the parliamentary monarchy with a people's new democratic republic, through a Maoist revolutionary strategy known as the people's war, which led to the Nepalese Civil War. Slavery was abolished in Nepal in 1924.

Hinduism and Buddhism are the two main religions. Buddha is widely worshipped by both the Buddhists and Hindus of Nepal. Hindu Nepalis worship the ancient Vedic gods.