Nepal (Kingdom of Nepal)

Nepal (Kingdom of Nepal)

 

State in South Asia, in the central part of the Himalayas. Territory - 140.8 thousand sq. km. Population - 13.7 million (1979); consists of numerous nationalities and tribes, of which the largest are Gurkhas, Nevars, Gurungs, Tamangs, Magars, Kiratas, etc. The capital is Kathmandu (about 250 thousand inhabitants.). The state language is Nepali. About 90% of the population is Hindu, 7% Buddhism and 3% Islam. As a single state within the modern borders, Nepal took shape in the second half of the 18th century. as a result of the unification of the fragmented feudal principalities under the rule of Prithvi Narayan Shah - the founder of the current ruling royal dynasty. At the end of the 18th century. Nepal becomes the target of British colonial exsia. After conducting several military expeditions against Nepal, she imposed the unequal Segauli Treaty on the country, establishing control over Nepal's foreign policy. In 1846, with the assistance of the British, power in the country was seized by the feudal family of Rana. The kings of Nepal remained only nominal heads of state, and the hereditary Rana prime ministers ruled the country as absolute monarchs. In 1951, as a result of a wide movement that developed into an armed uprising, the Rahn regime was overthrown and the king's power was restored. Nepal pursues a policy of positive neutrality, non-alignment, peaceful coexistence and cooperation with all countries, stands for detente, for general and complete disarmament, against imperialism, colonialism and racism. Soviet-Nepalese diplomatic relations were established in 1956. Agreements were signed between the USSR and Nepal on economic and cultural cooperation, trade, and the exchange of printed and radio information. More than 500 Nepalese were educated in Soviet universities. Nepal is a constitutional monarchy (since 1972 the head of state is King Birendra Vir Bikram Shah Deva). According to the constitution, the king has the highest legislative, executive and judicial power; he is also the supreme commander of the armed forces. In December 1960, the parliamentary system was abolished in Nepal, and all political parties and affiliated organizations were disbanded. Instead, a non-partisan system of panchayats - local self-government bodies - was introduced and created on a non-political basis. class organizations: workers, peasants, women, youth, former military personnel, as well as an organization whose members are persons over 45 years old who are not part of any of the listed organizations. The legislative body is the unicameral National Panchayat (112 deputies are elected by district and zonal assemblies, 23 are appointed by the king). Formed in May 1979, the government is headed by the Prime Minister - Surya Bahadur Thapa. Public organizations: the All-Nepal Peace Committee, the Nepal Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee, etc. Nepal is an agrarian country with an extremely low level of development of productive forces and a predominance of pre-capitalist structures. The economy is developing at a slow pace due to the country's long-term isolation from the outside world at the time of the Rahn, feudal remnants, lack of material and financial resources and the national. frames. Over C0% of the working population is employed in agriculture (gives 2/3 of the gross national product and 85% of export earnings). Production of major agricultural crops in 1978 (in thousand years): rice - 2300, corn - 740, wheat - 400, potatoes - 276, sugar cane - 373, oilseeds - 65, jute - 56, tobacco - 6. There are 11.5 million head of cattle and about 4.5 million sheep and goats. 2/3 of the entire cultivated area belongs to feudal lords and landowners. The 1963 agrarian reform law does not affect the fundamentals of land tenure and sets as its main goal the establishment of a maximum allotment of no more than 16.7 hectares per person, granting tenants the right to guaranteed land lease and limiting land rent to 50% of the main crop. Due to the resistance of the landowners to the land reform, by 1979 only about 30 thousand hectares of land were withdrawn from them for ransom, which were distributed among 15 thousand landless peasants. The industry is underdeveloped. It is represented mainly by small enterprises in the light and food industries. The factory, handicraft and semi-handicraft enterprises employ about 200 thousand people.The state sector includes a sugar factory, a cigarette factory, a plant for agricultural implements, a hydroelectric power station, built with the assistance of the USSR , as well as a number of enterprises built with the help of other countries. In 1978, the production of the main types of industrial. products amounted to: cement - 42 thousand tons, jute products - 16.8 thousand tons, cotton. fabrics - 2 million m3, sugar - 16.3 thousand tons. Electricity production - 180 million kWh. Handicraft mining of deposits of iron, copper, zinc, lead, gold, mica, marble, limestone is underway. Tourism is developed (in 1979 - more than 130 thousand tourists). Since 1955, the country's economic development has been carried out on the basis of national plans. Of the total allocation of 4) 400 million rupees under the five-year plan for 1975 / 76-1979 / 80 fin. biennium 7,400 million rupees was allocated to the development of the public sector. Length of narrow gauge rail roads - 102 km, highways - about 4.7 thousand km, including those with hard surface - about 2.5 thousand km. There are several domestic airlines. The monetary unit is the rupee. 100 rupees = 5.33 rubles. (February 1980). Nepal exports rice, oilseeds, jute, timber, hides; imports machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs. About 60% foreign trade turnover falls on India. Other trading partners: USSR , Japan, Germany, England, USA. In terms of the material and cultural standard of living of the population, Nepal occupies one of the last places in Asia. The per capita income is $ 98 per year. 81% of the population is illiterate.