ABSTRACT
In economic terms, Nepal is a poor country. In the World Bank rankings it appears among the poorest of the low-income countries, with per capita GNP of $150 in 1986. In that year only Ethiopia had a lower per capita GNP figure. This poverty is reflected not only in the income figures, but also in other indicators of the standard of living and the quality of life. Life expectancy at birth is 47 years, compared to 61 for all the low-income countries taken together. Daily calorie consumption is around 2,000 calories per capita, which is 14 per cent below the average for the low-income-country group. Energy consumption at less than 200 kg of oil equivalent per person is also one of the lowest in the world.
