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Nepal
Forest Information and Data
According to the U.N. FAO,
25.4% or about 3,636,000 ha of Nepal is forested, according to FAO. Of this 14.5% ( 526,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Nepal had 43,000 ha of planted forest.
Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Nepal lost an average of 59,050 ha or 1.23% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Nepal lost 24.5% of its forest cover, or around 1,181,000 ha.
Nepal's forests contain 485 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.
Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Nepal has some 1240 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 2.9% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 5.6% are threatened. Nepal is home to at least 6973 species of vascular plants, of which 4.5% are endemic. 7.6% of Nepal is protected under IUCN categories I-V.
2011 Update
In May 2011, Sassan Saatchi of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Lab and colleagues published a paper in PNAS with new carbon stock estimates for global tropical forests.
| Forest definition (canopy cover %) | 10% tree cover | 25% tree cover | 30% tree cover | | Forest Area (M ha) | 7 | 6 | 5 | | Aboveground forest carbon (Mt C) | 584 | 481 | 434 | | Belowground forest carbon (Mt C) | 163 | 135 | 121 | | Total forest carbon (Mt C) | 747 | 615 | 556 | | Average Carbon Density (t C/ha) | 103 | 103 | 103 |
M=million, t=metric tons; all figures are mean carbon stock values
Nepal Environmental profile | Nepal pictures
The following contains data relating to forest cover in Nepal
Previous version of this profile (2009)
SECTIONS:
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Nepal: Forest Cover, 2010
| Total Land Area (1000 ha) | 14300 |
| Total Forest Area (1000 ha) | 3636 |
| Percent Forest Cover | 25 |
| Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) | 526 |
| Primary Forest, % total forest | 14 |
| Other wooded land (1000 ha) | 1897 |
| Percent other wooded land | 13 |
Nepal: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
| Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 526 | 14 |
| Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 3067 | 84 |
| Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 43 | 1 |
Nepal: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 4817 | 3900 | 3636 | 3636 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -92 | -53 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -2.09 | -1.39 | 0 | |
Nepal: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
| FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 4777.0 | 3858.0 | 3593.0 | 3593.0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -92 | -92.0 | -27.0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -1.9 | -1.9 | -0.7
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Nepal: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 391 | 548 | 526 | 526 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 16 | -4 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 3.43 | -0.82 | 0 | |
Nepal: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 40 | 42 | 43 | 43 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0.49 | 0.47 | 0.0 | |
Nepal: Primary designated function (percent)
| Production | Protection of soil and water | Conservation of biodiversity | Social services | Multiple use | Other | None or unknown |
| 10 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 40 |
Nepal: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
| OWNERSHIP PATTERN |
| Public ownership | Private ownership | Other |
| 100 | n.s. | 0 |
| PRIVATE OWNERSHIP |
| Individuals | Business entities and institutions | Local, indigenous and tribal communities |
| - | - | - |
| HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS |
| Public administration | Individuals | Business
entities and Institutions | Communities | Other |
| 66 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 0 |
Nepal: Growing stock in forest
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
Total
(million m3) | Per hectare
(m3) | Coniferous
(million m3) | Broadleaved
(million m3) | % commercial species |
| 647 | 178 | - | - | - |
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
| Total (million m3) | Per hectare (m3) | Coniferous (million m3) | Broadleaved (million m3) | % commercial species |
| 67 | 35 | | | |
Nepal: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(million metric tons) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 602 | 520 | 485 | 485 |
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(per hectare in tons) |
| | | 2000 |
| | | 133 |
ANNUAL CHANGE
(1 000 t/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| -8 | -7 | 0 |
ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE
(t/ha/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 0.8 | n.s. | 0 |
Nepal: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005
| FOREST FIRE |
| 1000 ha | % wild fire (not managed burn) |
| - | - |
| EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE |
| Insects | Diseases | Other biotic agents | Abiotic factors | Total (excluding fire) | % of 2005 forest area |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
Nepal: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 28 | 81 | 152 | 100 |
WOODFUEL
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 91 | 64 | 41 | 100 |
Nepal: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005
Value of removals
(million US$) | Value per ha forest
(US$) |
| Industrial roundwood | Woodfuel | NWFP | Total | |
| 34 | - | 1 | - | - |
Nepal: Employment in forestry 1990-2005
TOTAL
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| 145 | 111 | 115 |
IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| 138 | 96 | 105 |
IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| 7 | 14 | 10 |
Nepal: Forest policy and legal framework 2008
National forest policy (year): Yes (1989)
Sub-national forest policy: No
National forest program (year) - status: Yes (-) In implementation
National forest law (year): Specific forest law (1993)
Sub-national forest law: No
Nepal: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008
| 2000 | 2005 | 2008 |
| # | % female | # | % female | # | % female |
| 8400 | 3 | 9200 | 3 | 9545 | 3 |
Nepal: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005
| Forest revenue | Public expenditure (1000 US$) |
| Domestic funding | External funding | Total |
| (1000 US$) | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments |
| 8449 | 22265 | 340 | 4523 | 0 | 26788 | 340
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Nepal: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010
CbD:
UNFCCC:
Kyoto Protocol:
UNCCD:
ITTA:
CITeS:
Ramsar:
World Heritage Convention:
NlbI:
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Nepal: Environment
| Environment - current issues | deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation | | Natural hazards | severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons |
Nepal: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 21.68%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 77.68% (2001) | | Natural resources | quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore |
Nepal: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with 40% of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security concerns in the wake of the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. | | GDP - per capita | $1,500 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 2.5% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 40%, industry: 20%, services: 40% (2002 est.) | | Industries | tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production | | Economic aid - recipient | $424 million (FY00/01) | | Debt - external | $2.7 billion (2001) | | Population below poverty line (%) | 42% (1995-96) | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 81%, industry 3%, services 16% |
Nepal: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 27,676,547 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 2.20% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 202.3 | | Percent rural (2003) | 85.0% | | Median age (years) | total: 20.07 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 4.19 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census) |
Largest Cities in Nepal
Cities and urban areas in Nepal with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Kathmandu | Nepal | 640500 | 1229000 |
| Biratnagar | Nepal | 212600 | 212600 |
| Pokhara | Nepal | 165800 | 165800 |
| Lalitpur | Nepal | 158200 | 158200 |
| Birganj | Nepal | 124800 | 124800 |
| Dharan | Nepal | 110400 | 110400 |
Nepal: Infrastructure
| Telephones - main lines in use | 371,800 (2003) | | Telephones - mobile cellular | 50,400 (2003) | | Roadways (km) | total: 13,223 km
paved: 4,073 km
unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.) |
Nepal: Health
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | total population: 59.8 years
male: 60.09 years
female: 59.5 years (2005 est.) | | Infant mortality rate | 66.98 deaths/1,000 live births | | HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) | 0.5% (2001 est.) |
Nepal
: References & Data Sources
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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