- Forest Resource: It is one of the major resources of Nepal and has been playing a significant role on its economy. The forest existing in the country may be categorised into three major types as mentioned under natural vegetation. At present, approximately 37.6% of the total area of Nepal are reported to be under forest. Due partly to reckless felling of trees and partly to random encroachment, the area under forest seems to be awfully decreasing. Included within forest resource are the varieties of wild lives. In order to preserve them and to maintain ecological balance, several national parks and wildlife reserves have now been organised in diverse parts of the country.
- Soil Resource: In an agrarian country like Nepal, soil plays a vital role on the agricultural production of the country. But most of the soils found in the country are not favourable to agriculture, because almost all the mountain and hilly areas are covered with infertile rocky and sandy soils. Only the tarai plain and river basins contain agriculturally fertile alluvial soil. It reveals that soils in most parts of the country are not fit for agricultural activities. In addition, soils erosion accompanied by landslides. It is, therefore, a crucial problem affecting the agricultural life of the country.
- Water Resource: It is another vital resource playing a significant roll on the overall economy of Nepal. At present, it is being used in three major purposes -
- Drinking water
- Irrigation
- Electricity.
Pipe water for drinking purpose is now being limited to only major urban centres. As far as irrigation is concerned, very limited proportion of water resource has been used in irrigating merely 13% of the total cultivated land of Nepal. Regionally, over 80% of the irrigational facility are concentrated in the tarai plain. Another important use of the water is associated with the generation of hydro-electricity. Due to being a mountainous country with several perennial rivers flowing through deep and narrow gorges, Nepal is immensely rich in waterpower resources. Its potentiality has been estimated to be 83 million kW. But unfortunately, the power actually generated so far in the country is limited to merely 1,62,00 kW. In order to boost its production, several hydro projects including micro plants have been executed and some are still going ahead. Most of them are located in the central development region of the country.
- Mineral Resource: The mountainous and hilly areas of Nepal bear varied types of minerals like iron, copper, mica, marble, limestone, magnesite, lead, zinc, nickel, petroleum, cole, etc. But in most cases, their quantity and workability have yet to be assessed and ascertained. At present, the chief minerals that have to some extent been economically exploited include magnesite, limestone and marble. Regionally, most of the mineral deposits are concentrated in the central and eastern sectors of the country. These days exploratory work on petroleum is going ahead.
Economic setting
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Nepal Facts
