Nepal is a small (area 143,000 km2) landlocked country situated in South Asia and is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its population is approximately 24.7 million, and the doctor/patient ratio is 1:10,000. People living in Nepal are largely dependent on farming, and the vast majority of the population lives below the poverty line. The population is multiracial and multilingual. The country currently is emerging from major political, economic, and social upheaval.