Economy of Nepal

the economy of the Nepal one of poorest and is developed with the world with 42% of its population living below the level of poverty. According to the international experts, its GNP classifies it among the 10 poorest countries of the world. Currently, he survives thanks to the international assistance and the worldwide organizations. Before this international assistance, the life expectancy of a Nepalese was only 26 years. It now passed to 50 years for the men and 49 years for the women. It is to say the efforts which were carried out in all the fields to improve the living conditions of people that an isolationist policy condemned of the centuries during.

the Agriculture is the principal sector of the economy , providing an employment to more than 80% of the population and cash for 40% of the GNP. The industrial activity consists mainly in the treatment of the agricultural produce like the Jute, the Canne with sugar, the Tabac and the Céréale S.

There is a little more than one half century only, Nepal was still a kingdom closed the abroads. It is only in 1951, when it decided to open with the outside world, that it accepted its first visitors.

Tourism: yes, but…

In the middle of the Himalayan chain, Nepal is a small kingdom which counts many natural wonders, of artistic richness and works of art, cultural and religious. It is also a ground of festivals, reception and traditions. Here are undoubtedly the reasons which push travellers more and more to be gone there.

Appeared in 1951, the Tourisme was regarded as a means of increasing the incomes of the country. In 1961, the Industrial Enterprises Act encouraged the investments by exempting taxes tourism industries; in 1962, a government department of tourism was created; in the valley, hotels pushed like mushrooms; six years later, the Freak S of San Francisco unloaded in Kathmandou to enjoy the " there; plaisirs" drug; thereafter, of the groups of all nationalities flowed. Of 1965 with 1975, the number of visitors was multiplied by 10! They were 5 000 to discover this " blessed country of the dieux" in 1962, they are today more 270 000.

Tourism - first source of hard currencies of the country - represent more than 25% of the reserves of the treasure. But the majority of these currencies leave the country with the profit of foreign investors who monopolize the sectors with high profits. Some launch out in hotel trade or the agencies which, to attract many people, propose strange circuits (to discover the Teraï with back of elephant or the valley of Kathmandou with bicycle, to go down from the rapids in the canoe). Excursions in mountains organized by American tour operators use extremely well paid foreign guides, whereas Sherpas receive only one minimal wages of subsistence. All the goods are imported for the wellbeing of the walkers. Seuls 20% of the benefit returns to Nepal .

Built on private and foreign capital, tourism is before a whole capitalist sector: the population does not take part quasi in the development of this industry; and the gap widens between a poor rural majority and a rich minority associated with luxurious projects. The consumer society is there with its publicities of mark and its shopping , but apart from some occidentalized zones, the changes do not seem to have touched many areas.

The security issues which knows the country following the activity of the groups Maoists and the repercussions of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 to the the United States involved a reduction in the Tourisme, an important source of foreign currencies.

Nepal has important projects of exploitation of its potential in hydroelectric energy and tourism, sectors which recently interested the foreign investors. The prospects for the foreign trade or the investment in other sectors remain weak, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological delay, its distance and its geography without littoral, its political problems internal and the risks of natural disasters which he knows.

The role of the international community which takes part in height of more than 60% of the budget of the development of Nepal and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditure will probably continue to be in the future a big factor of the growth of the country.

Pollution and deforestation

50 years ago, nobody did not speak in Nepal about safeguard about the natural heritage, of protection of fauna and the flora, nor of pollution. However, since the Himalayan slopes attract the hikers, they are transformed into true refuse tip: cans, tents torn, oxygen bottles and other refuses strew from now on the ground.

The massive deforestation operated by the Nepaleses to get structural timber, but especially by the guides of forwardings which are supplied out of wood of heating for the needs for the walkers, is an alarming problem. One estimates indeed that, per annum, forwardings consume nearly 10 tons of wood, half-compartment at altitudes where the growth of the trees is extremely slow. Thus already disappeared from the whole forests of coniferous tree and conifers, just as of many shrubs and genévriers. Between 1960 and 1980, the forests of the Teraï lost a third of their extent. Erosion and floods are the consequences of this deforestation. Today, of the efforts présever the vegetable coat and the fauna of the country (afforestation, creation of national parks) are undertaken to try, but they remain insufficient.

Multitude from abroad

The multitude from abroad also disturbed the life of the Nepaleses. In 1965, the country recorded 5 000 visitors per annum. According to the estimates, each sportsman made sure the services of at least two Nepaleses, which necessarily did not live in the Himalayan zone. That caused a " immigration" annual of almost 15 000 carriers in debt area, whereas the indigenous population did not exceed 3 000 individuals. The economy of the villages was boulversée by it, the peasants preferring to sell food at full price with a foreigner that at cost price with their fellow-citizens. And the situation hardly improved since.

Need for saving degradation monuments of the country

If the tourist centers of Kathmandou, Patan and Bhadgaon were restored, in many villages of the roofs crumble, of the carved wood beams yield, the temples cover themselves with grass. According to a recent inventory, 900 buildings would be still to restore, sometimes basic in roof. It is true that the foundations of the majority of these buildings are old (XIVe century) and that monsoons and earthquakes are destroying. An overall plan with the stages of a systematic restoration was set up by foreign experts in co-operation with the Nepalese authorities.

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