The Nepalese passport is currently ranked 100th place on the Guide Passport Index. It is considered one of the lowest ranking passports in the world. Nepalese passport holders have visa-free access to only 38 destinations including Dominica, Madagascar and the Seychelles. There are 191 destinations for which a Nepalese passport holder requires to obtain a visa prior to traveling. That is the reason why the passport raking is low on the overall worldwide mobility score. For major destinations such as USA and the European Union, Nepalese require to apply for a visa in advance. Visa applicants need to present documents such as proof of funds and return flight ticket.
The Nepal passport ranking relative to other global passports is calculated by adding up the number of countries that allow Nepal passport holders to enter without a visa (i.e. visa-free countries) and those that allow Nepal passport holders to enter by obtaining a visa on arrival (i.e. visa-on-arrival countries) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA). There are currently a total of 11 Nepal passport visa-free countries, 25 Nepal visa-on-arrival countries, and 2 eTA destinations.
Altogether, Nepal passport holders can enter a total of 38 destinations—either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or via an eTA. As a result, the Nepal passport ranks 100 in the world.
Separate from these Nepal visa-free countries and visa-on-arrival countries, there are 191 additional destinations which Nepal passport holders either need a physical visa to enter or an eVisa (i.e. visa required countries).
The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is landlocked country made of 7 provinces. It borders China and India. The most significant provinces are Bagmati, Province 1 and Province 2. The country has a total surface area of 147,516 square kilometers. The terrain is characterized by the Ganges river plain in the south and the rugged Himalayas in the north. Its climate varies from subtropical summers and mild winters in the south to cool and severe winters in the north.
The overall population is over 30million people. The capital of the country is Kathmandu, which is also the most populous city with over 1.4 million inhabitants. Other major cities are Pokhara and Lalitpur. The largest and only international airport is Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) with an approximate yearly passenger traffic of 7 million people. The airport is named after Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah, a former king of Nepal. The Airport serves most of the region with international flights to east Asia and the Middle East.
Nepal’s culture is dominated by Hinduism. The second most practiced religion is Buddhism. The official language is Nepali. The legal system is a mix of the English common law and some Hindu legal concepts. The government form is a federal parliamentary republic. The current chief of state is elect president is Bidhya Devi Bhandari and the head of government Prime Minister Khadga Prasad. All divisions have their regional governments, reporting to the central government in Kathmandu.
The official currency is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR). Its current exchange rate is about 130.15 NPR to the USD. The country has an open economy, generating a GDP of approximately $94 billion, making it the 5th largest economy in South Asia. The per capita income is $3,318. The largest portion of the GDP is generated by the services and agriculture sector. A major GDP contributor are remittances from Nepalis abroad, contributing over 30% to the GDP. Apart from that Nepal is still widely focusing on agriculture with exports such as rice, corn and wheat.
The country has many natural and culturally unique attractions for tourists to explore. Nepal boasts with 4 UNESCO world heritage sites which are two cultural and two natural sites. Some of the most popular tourist destinations are the capital Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Boudhanath Stupa, Pokhara, the Chitwan National Park and the famous Mount Everest. The country receives approximately 1.1 million tourists every year, with the majority originating from India and China.
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