Nepal is known for being a hub of outdoor excursions and adventurous vacations in South Asia. However, the area has been plagued with poverty and natural disasters that are limiting its economic growth. Here are some important facts and figures in Nepal that are key to understanding the region’s poverty.

1. Nepal has experienced numerous natural disasters including avalanches and landslides over the past few years. There are now heavy financial burdens from cleanup and repairs as well as hardships with respect to agriculture.
2. Overall, the landscape in Nepal is uneven and rocky. This makes it difficult to cultivate for farming. A combination of poor-quality soil and infrequent rainfall further contributes to low agricultural holdings in the region. Erosion and flooding in the area also result in low crop yields.
3. With limited growth in the agricultural sector, the living standards in rural areas continue to decline. This is further exacerbated by a growing population.
4. The majority of Nepal’s population lives in rural areas and greatly depends on subsistence farming. In these areas, more than 50% of the children under the age of five experience malnutrition.
5. Approximately 25.2% of those living in Nepal live below the national poverty line. In addition, of those unemployed in the country, 12.5% earn less than $1.90 per day of purchasing power parity.
6. The poverty rate increases to approximately 45% in the mid-western region of Nepal and about 46% in the far western region.
7. Approximately 25% of children are engaged in family and/or wage labor.
8. Approximately 2.9% of Nepalese infants perish before their first birthday. Facts and figures in Nepal show that infant mortality is typically higher for girls.
9. According to a 2013 report from the United Nations on human development, Nepal has a Human Development Index of approximately 0.463. Nepal ranks 157th out of 187 countries.
10. According to the national living standards survey conducted between 2010 and 2011, more than 30% of those living in Nepal have less than $14 per person to spend each month.

A general lack of economic opportunity has led to the country’s current impoverished state. These facts and figures in Nepal reveal that poverty is an ongoing problem.

– Leah Potter

Photo: Flickr