Nepal is a Himalayan country, which lies in South Asia between Tibet, an autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China to the North and India to the South. This country is rectangular in shape having 885 km in length from east to west and its breadth varies from 145 km to 241 km north to south. The elevation of the country ranges from 70 m sea level to the highest point on earth, Mt. Everest at 8,848 m all within a distance of 150 km with climatic variations from sub-tropical to alpine. The country is popularly known in the world for an incredible variety of ecosystems, the greatest mountain ranges, thick tropical jungles teeming with a wealth of wildlife, thundering rivers, forested hills and frozen valleys. The temples and historical palaces full of architectural values give glimpse of the craftsmanship and artistic ingenuity of the people then and now. Numerous religious and social festivals are celebrated all year round, as these festivals are the inevitable and aesthetical part of the religious and traditional heritage of the people from time immemorial. Smiling and welcoming attributes of the people add more meaning to the hospitality to give guest the feeling that homely atmosphere is waiting for them in this beautiful and enchanting land of myths and legends.

Nepal at a Glance

Location: Situated between India and Tibet, an autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China.
Area: 147,181 sq. km.
Latitude: 26’22’’ and 30’27’’ north.
Longitude: 80’4’’ and 88’12’’ east.
People: 61 ethnic groups and over 100 spoken languages.
Population: 25 million
Topography: From the world’s deepest gorge ‘Kali Gandaki’ to highest point on earth ‘ Mt. Everest’
Vegetation: Nepal possesses wide range of vegetation due to its unique topographical variation.
Weather: Climate ranges from tropical in the lowlands to Arctic in higher altitudes.
Seasons: Winter (Dec-Feb) Summer (March-May) Monsoon (June-Aug) Autumn (Sept-Nov)

People:

Nepal has a composite population stemming from various racial and ethnic communities. It has been a melting pot of diverse linguistic and ethnic groups with population 25 million living in different regions, wearing different costumes and speaking different languages and dialects. The people belong to multi-ethnic groups, ranging from the Indo-Aryan to Mongoloid. The Himalayan and central hilly regions are mostly inhabited by the people of the Tibeto-Burman strand while the people inhabiting the Terai lowlands may be grouped under the Indo-Aryan category.

Religion:

Hinduism and Buddhism constitute two major religions in Nepal. A remarkable feature of Nepal is the religious homogeneity what exists, particularly between the Hindu and Buddhist communities. Apart from the Hindus and Buddhists, Muslim forms the third largest religious group.

History:

Nepal has a long glorious history. Its civilization can be traced back to thousand of years before the birth of Christ. For centuries, the kingdom of Nepal was divided into many principalities (Chaubise States). Kirantas ruled in the east, the Newars in the Kathmandu Valley, while Gurungs and Magars had their domain the mid-west. The Kirantas were said to have ruled their territories from 300 B.C. The country took its present shape only after 1768 A.D. when Prithvi Narayan Shah, King of Gorkha, conquered and united all the tiny states into one kingdom.

Art and Culture:

There is perhaps no country in the world except Nepal where traditional architecture, painting and sculpture have been well preserved for 1500 years. The exquisite medieval art and architecture of the Kathmandu valley vividly reflect the artistic ingenuity and the religious tradition of the people. To better understand the deep and complex roots of Nepalese culture, it is necessary to visit the monuments and religious shrines.