Book Description

Nepal has the potential to make great economic progress if it can overcome the barriers which have held it back for so long. Hydro-schemes could transform the economy and there are huge opportunities for tourism in a country of great beauty which lies between the huge markets of India and China. Nepal has made impressive progress towards meeting many of the MDGs, particularly in health. The economy has grown, as remittances have increased from Nepalis working overseas. Yet Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and faces many challenges, which have held it back, including corruption, poor infrastructure, and political instability. Nepal is also one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, facing the challenges of earthquakes and the effects of climate change. DFID Nepal's budget has increased significantly in recent years. DFID claims that this has meant that over the last four years it has been able to have a major impact, including building or maintaining over 4,000km of roads in remote areas; providing over 350,000 people with safe latrines; improving the livelihoods of nearly 500,000 people through work on forestry; and making over 3 million people better able to withstand the effects of climate change and natural disasters.