Economy of Nepal

The economy of Nepal is a developing category and is largely dependent on agriculture and remittances.^[6] Until the mid-20th century Nepal was an isolated pre-industrial society, which entered the modern era in 1951 without schools, hospitals, roads, telecommunications, electric power, industry, or civil service. The country has, however, made progress toward sustainable economic growth since the 1950s. The country was opened to economic liberalization, leading to economic growth and improvement in living standards when compared to the past. The biggest challenges faced by the country in achieving higher economic development are the frequent changes in political leadership, as well as corruption.

Economy of Nepal

Kathmandu, the financial centre and capital of Nepal
Currency	Nepalese rupee (NPR, रू)
Fiscal year	16 July - 15 July
Trade organizations	WTO and SAFTA
Country group	Developing/Emerging[1] Lower-middle income economy[2]
Statistics
Population	29,164,578 (2021)[3]
GDP	$50.83 billion (nominal, 2025 est)[4] $180.61 billion (PPP, 2025 est)[4]
GDP growth	4.2% (FY2020-21) 5.8% (FY2021-22) 4.4% (FY2022-23) [5]
GDP per capita	$1,555 (nominal, 2025 est.)[4] $5,610 (PPP, 2025 est.)[4]
GDP by sector	Agriculture: 24.5% Industry: 13.7% Services: 61.8% (2022 est.)[6]
Inflation (CPI)	4.10% (September 2024)[7]
Population below poverty line	13.8% (2022)[8][unreliable source] 45.3% on less than $3.20/day (2022)[9]
Gini coefficient	32.8 medium (2010)[10]
Human Development Index	0.601 medium (2023)[11] (142nd) 0.449 low IHDI (2021)[12]
Labour force	16,016,973 (2020)[13] semi skilled labor[6] 76.2% employment rate (2020)[14]
Labour force by occupation	agriculture: 43.1% industry: 21.24% services: 35.66% (2020)[6]
Unemployment	12.6% (2022)[6]
Main industries	tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production[6]
External
Exports	$1.13 billion (2023-24)[6]
Export goods	clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, juice, jute goods[6]
Main export partners	India(-) 67.7% (2023-24)  China(+) 1.7% (2023-24) Others(-) 30.6% (2023-24) [6]
Imports	$11.8 billion (2023-24)[6]
Import goods	petroleum products, machinery and equipment, gold, electrical goods, medicine[6]
Main import partners	India(+) 62.6%(2023-24)  China(-) 18.8%(2023-24) Others(-) 18.7% (2023-24) [6]
FDI stock	$20 billion (31 July 2013 est.)[6] Abroad: NA[6]
Gross external debt	$11 billion (31 December 2020)[6]
Public finances
Government debt	41.38% of GDP (2021/22)[15]
Foreign reserves	$15.58
Budget balance	−1% (of GDP) (2022 est.)[6]
Revenues	10.925 billion (2017 est.)[6]
Expenses	15.945 billion (2017 est.)[6]
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars.

Nepal has used a series of five-year plans in an attempt to make progress in economic development. It completed its ninth economic development plan in 2002; its currency has been made convertible, and 17 state enterprises have been privatised. Foreign aid to Nepal accounts for more than half of the development budget. Government priorities over the years have been result in the development of transportation and communication facilities, agriculture, and industry. Since 1975, improved government administration and rural development efforts have been emphasised. The economy is heavily dependent on imports of basic materials and on foreign markets for its forest and agricultural products.^[16] Nepal possesses immense potential for sustainable energy resources that can be harnessed for energy security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.^[17]

Agriculture remains Nepal's principal economic activity, employing about 65% of the population and providing 31.7% of GDP. Only about 20% of the total area is cultivable; another 40.7% is forested (i.e., covered by shrubs, pastureland and forest); most of the rest is mountainous. Fruits and vegetables (apples, pears, tomatoes, various salad greens, peach, nectarine, potatoes), as well as rice and wheat are the main food crops. The lowland Terai region produces an agricultural surplus, part of which supplies the food-deficient hill areas.

GDP is heavily dependent on remittances (9.1%) of foreign workers. Subsequently, economic development in social services and infrastructure in Nepal has not made dramatic progress. A countrywide primary education system is under development, and Tribhuvan University has several campuses under it . Although eradication efforts continue, malaria had been controlled in the fertile but previously uninhabitable Terai region in the south. Kathmandu is linked to India and nearby hill regions by road and an expanding highway network. The capital was almost out of fuel and supplies, due to a crippling general strike in southern Nepal on 17 February 2008.^[18]

Major towns are connected to the capital by telephone and domestic air services. The export-oriented carpet and garment industries like pasmina have grown rapidly in recent years. Together, they account for approximately 70% of the country's merchandise exports. The Cost of Living Index in Nepal is comparatively lower than many countries but not the least. The quality of life has declined to a much less desirous value in recent years.^[19] In the 2021 Global Hunger Index, Nepal ranks 76th out of the 116 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2021 GHI scores. With a score of 19.1, Nepal has a level of hunger that is moderate.^[20] Nepal has the worst road infrastructure in Asia.^[21] World Economics estimates Nepal's 2024 GDP at $243 billion in PPP terms (Purchasing Power Parity) and an initial estimate of $255 billion for 2025. This figure is 65% higher than the official estimate published by the World Bank.

Foreign investments and taxation

Huge numbers of Small Foreign Investments come to Nepal via the Non Resident Nepali, who are investing in many sectors. Nepal has a huge potential for hydroelectricity. Accordingly, a large number of foreign companies are willing to invest in Nepal, but political instability has stopped the process. Nepal has entered into agreements for avoidance of double taxation (all in credit method) with 10 countries (PSRD) since 2000. Similarly, it has Investment protection agreements with 5 countries (PSRD) since 1983. In 2014, Nepal restricted the Foreign aid by setting a minimum limit for foreign grants, soft and commercial loans from its development partners.^[22]

Imports and exports

Nepal's merchandise trade balance has improved somewhat since 2000 with the growth of the carpet and garment industries. In the fiscal year 2000–2001, exports posted a greater increase (14%) than imports (4.5%), helping bring the trade deficit down by 4% from the previous year to $749 million. Recently, the European Union has become the largest buyer of ready-made garments; fruits and vegetables (mostly apples, pears, tomatoes, various salads, peach, nectarine, potatoes, rice) from Nepal. Exports to the EU accounted for 46.13 percent of the country's garment exports.^[23]

The annual monsoon rain strongly influences economic growth. From 1996 to 1999, real GDP growth averaged less than 4%. The growth rate recovered in 1999, rising to 6% before slipping slightly in 2001 to 5.5%.

Strong export performance, including earnings from tourism, and external aid have helped improve the overall balance of payments and increase international reserves. Nepal receives substantial amounts of external assistance from the United Kingdom,^[24][25][26] the United States, Japan, Germany, and the Nordic countries.

Several multilateral organisations such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the UN Development Programme also provide assistance. In June 1998, Nepal submitted its memorandum on a foreign trade regime to the World Trade Organization and in May 2000 began direct negotiations on its accession.

Resources

Tourists trekking in Annapurna region in western Nepal. Tourism plays a vital role in Nepal's economy.

Progress has been made in exploiting Nepal's natural resources, tourism, and hydroelectricity. With eight of the world's 10 highest mountain peaks, including Mount Everest at 8,848.86 m. In the early 1990s, one large public sector project and a number of private projects were planned; some have been completed. The most significant private sector financed hydroelectric projects currently in operation are the Khimti Khola (60 MW) and the Bhote Koshi Project (36 MW). The project is still undergoing and has dependency on China, India and Japan to take the further steps.

Upper Tamakoshi hydropower, biggest hydropower in Nepal.

Kulekhani dam also known as "Indra sarobar"or "Kulekhani Reservoir" combinely producing 106 MW, in Makwanpur, Nepal

Middle Marsyangdi Hydropower Station, producing 70 MW. Nepal has significant potential to generate hydropower, which it plans to export across South Asia.

Nepal has 83,000 MW of theoretical and 42,133 MW of technically/financially viable hydroelectric potential, however the total installed capacity, at present, is 2500 MW and increasing.^[27]

The environmental impact of Nepal's hydroelectric Own calendar (Bikram Sambat) New year in mid- April projects has been limited by the fact that most are "run-of-the-river" with only one storage project undertaken to date. The largest hydroelectric plant under consideration is the West Seti Dam (750 MW) storage project dedicated to exports to be built by the private sector. Negotiations with India for a power purchase agreement have been underway for several years, but agreement on pricing and financing remains a problem. Currently demand for electricity is increasing at 8-10% a year whereas Nepal's option to have agreement with India will make this fulfilment against demand. As of June 2022 surplus electricity up to 364 MWp by Nepal is exported to India.^[28]

Population pressure on natural resources is increasing. Over-population is already straining the "carrying capacity" of the middle hill areas, particularly the Kathmandu Valley, resulting in the depletion of forest cover for crops, fuel, and fodder and contributing to erosion and flooding. Although steep mountain terrain makes exploitation difficult, mineral surveys have found small deposits of limestone, magnesite, zinc, copper, iron, mica, lead, and cobalt. Coal mining is also done with 11522 tones produced in 2018 alone.

The development of hydroelectric power projects also cause some tension with local indigenous groups, recently^[when?] empowered by Nepal's ratification of ILO Convention 169.^[29]

Macro-economic trend

This is a chart of trend of gross domestic product of Nepal at market prices estimated by the International Monetary Fund and EconStats with figures in millions of Nepali Rupees.^{[citation needed]}

Year	Gross domestic product
1960	3,870
1965	5,602
1970	8,768
1975	16,571
1980	23,350
1985	46,586
1990	103,415
1995	219,174
2000	379,488

The following table shows the main economic indicators in 1980–2024.^[30]

Year	GDP (in billion US$ PPP)	GDP per capita (in US$ PPP)	GDP (in billion US$ nominal)	GDP growth (real)	Inflation (in Percent)	Government debt (in % of GDP)
1980	7.68	491	2.26	−2.3%	9.8%	n/a
1985	12.59	718	3.21	6.1%	4.1%	n/a
1990	18.37	936	4.44	4.6%	8.9%	n/a
1995	26.70	1197	5.38	3.5%	7.7%	n/a
2000	36.70	1494	6.54	6.1%	3.4%	50.8%
2005	49.01	1865	9.33	3.5%	4.5%	45.1%
2006	52.23	1969	10.32	3.4%	8.0%	42.9%
2007	55.47	2076	11.78	3.4%	6.2%	37.9%
2008	59.99	2232	14.31	6.1%	6.7%	36.8%
2009	63.10	2335	14.66	4.5%	12.6%	39.5%
2010	66.94	2465	18.25	4.8%	9.6%	35.4%
2011	70.66	2591	21.69	3.4%	9.6%	32.4%
2012	75.34	2756	21.70	4.7%	8.3%	34.5%
2013	79.32	2897	22.16	3.5%	9.9%	31.9%
2014	85.55	3115	22.72	6.0%	9.0%	27.6%
2015	89.78	3252	24.36	4.0%	7.2%	25.7%
2016	91.02	3267	24.52	0.4%	9.9%	25.0%
2017	100.97	3583	28.97	9.0%	4.5%	25.0%
2018	111.09	3897	33.11	7.6%	4.1%	31.1%
2019	121.06	4199	34.19	6.7%	4.6%	34.0%
2020	122.69	4180	33.43	−2.4%	6.2%	43.3%
2021	134.00	4461	36.93	4.8%	3.6%	43.3%
2022	151.64	4964	41.18	5.6%	6.3%	42.7%
2023	160.16	5153	40.91	2.0%	7.8%	47.1%
2024	169.12	5348	43.67	3.1%	5.6%	49.7%

Statistics

GDP: purchasing power parity - $84.37 Billion (2018 est.)^{[31][dubious – discuss]}

GDP - real growth rate: 21.77% (2017)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity (current international $) - $2700 (2017 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17%
industry: 13.5%
services: 60.5% (2017 est.)
tourism: 9%

Population below poverty line: 25.6% (2017/2018)^[32]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1995–96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2017)

Labour force: 4 million (2016 est.) ^{[citation needed]}

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 19%, services 69%, industry 12% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate: 1.47% (2017 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.954 billion
expenditures: $5.974 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2017 est.)

Industries: tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate: 10.9% (2017 est.):

Electricity - production: 41,083 GWh (2017)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 7.5%
hydro: 91.5%
nuclear: 0.3%
other: 0.7% (2001)

Available energy:6957.73 GWh (2017) NEA Hydro:2290.78 GWh (2014) NEA Thermal:9.56 GWh (2014) purchase (total):2331.17 GWh (2014) India (purchase):2175.04 GWh (2017) Nepal (IPP):1258.94 GWh (2014)

Electricity - consumption: 4,776.53 GWh (2017)

Electricity - exports: 856 GWh (2001) Electricity - imports: 12 GWh (2001)

Oil - production: 0 barrels per day (0 m³/d) (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption: 1,600 barrels per day (250 m³/d) 2001

Agriculture - products: Fruits and vegetables, mostly: apples, pears, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, potatoes, rice, maize, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, and buffalo meat.

Exports: $1.29 billion f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners: India 56.6%, US 11.5%, Turkey 9.2% (2016 est.)

Imports: $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2021 est.)

Imports - commodities: gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, electrical goods, medicine

Imports - partners: India 70.1%, China 10.3%, UAE 2.6%, Singapore 2.1%, Saudi Arabia 1.2%. (2016 est.)

Debt - external: $9.1 billion (2022 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $2 billion (FY 2019/20)

Currency: 1 Nepali rupee (NPR) = 100 paisa

Fiscal year: 16 July - 15 July

See also

• Nepal portal

• Special Economic Zones (Nepal)
• Mineral resources of Nepal