Nepal is an independent country which it is surrounded
on the east, south, and west by India. The northern border
follows the approximate crest of the Himalayas, which form the
frontier with Tibet (China).
LAND AND
RESOURCES
Nepal contains three distinct geographical
zones. The southern lowland area known as the Terai--part of the
Indo-Gangetic Plain is a mixture of forested and cultivated land
that yields most of the country's grain. Mid-altitude hills,
mountains, and valleys are in the central sector. The Great
Himalaya Range runs across the northern third of Nepal and is
easily visible on a clear day from Katmandu at the head of the
Nepal Valley, the largest lowland area in the central region.
Topographical contrasts are extremely sharp, from the low Terai
through mountainous central Nepal, with an elevation averaging
1,220 m (4,000 ft), to the Great Himalaya Range, with an average
elevation of more than 4,570 m (15,000 ft). Many peaks exceed
7,620 m (25,000 ft) in elevation, and Mount Everest, at 8,848 m
(29,028 ft), is the world's highest point. Temperatures
correspond to the physiographic divisions, ranging from
subtropical to alpine-arctic, and most of Nepal is adequately
watered by monsoon rains. At Katmandu, summer temperatures are
moderate, rarely exceeding 32 degrees C (90 degrees F), and
winters are mild. The average annual temperature is 18 degrees C
(65 degrees F).
The variation in vegetation and fauna is a reflection of the
altitudinal and climatic regions. Subtropical species dominate
the Terai, including water buffaloes, hyenas, leopards, deer, and
tigers found among bamboo and palm growth. Plant and animal
species characteristic of the Himalayas are diverse. Mounting
population pressures and extensive deforestation have contributed
to a serious erosion problem, reducing agricultural productivity
and causing the silting and flooding of downstream rivers.
Hydroelectric power potential has been scantily exploited.
PEOPLE
The people of Nepal are dominantly
Indo-Nepalese, and about one-fifth of the population is
Tibeto-Nepalese. The Nepali and the Newars, the largest ethnic
groups in the country, are the principal inhabitants of the
greater Katmandu area. In the Himalayas, Sherpa and Bhutias
ethnologically related to the Tibetans--are in the majority.
Gurkha inhabitants introduced Hinduism into the area. Medical
services in the nation are inadequate. A poor physician-patient
ratio is a major factor contributing to the nation's low life
expectancy. About 88% of Nepal's population are Hindu, and the
rest Buddhists and Muslims. In addition to Katmandu (Kathmandu),
the capital, two cities in the Nepal Valley--Lalitpur (Patan) and
Bhaktapur (Bhadgaon)--have populations exceeding 40,000, but less
than 10% of the population are classed as urban. In order to
reduce a high illiteracy rate, the Nepalese government has
instituted a national system of free 5-year primary schools.
Slightly more than a third of these pupils continue their
education in secondary school. Tribhuvan University (1960),
Purbanchal University, Kathmandu University are the nation's only
three universities.
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
Nepal's economy is mainly agricultural, with
almost all of the work force engaged in farming. Mica is mined,
and some timber is cut for sale. On the Himalayan slopes large
quantities of medicinal herbs are grown, which find a worldwide
market. Katmandu has food processing factories, sawmills, and a
jute mill. Other mechanized industries are underdeveloped.
Only about 18% of Nepal's land is cultivated, about a third is
forested, and almost 40% is wasteland. The leading crops are
sugarcane, rice, and maize, with some wheat, potatoes, and
vegetables. Buckwheat is grown at higher altitudes. Land in the
Nepal Valley and on hillside terraces is intensively cultivated
and widely irrigated.
Tobacco is grown in the lowland Terai region, and the surplus is
exported. Cardamom, grown in the eastern hills, rice, and oil
seed are important exports. A few cows and buffaloes are kept,
but animal husbandry is mostly limited to poultry raising. Most
animals and animal products are imported. Trade is dominated by
India, but some commerce has been developed with China and
Bangladesh. Because of its need to import machinery, finished
goods, and food, Nepal suffers a trade deficit.
Tourism has grown in importance since the 1960s. Katmandu, with
its road and air links with India, attracts visitors with its
examples of Lamaist art and architecture. A growing number of
hikers and mountain climbers are using Katmandu as a major base
for expeditions to Mount Everest as well as for hiking tours in
the Middle and High Himalayas. Because of its rugged terrain,
Nepal faces major transportation obstacles. Narrow-gauge
railroads are confined to the Terai. An airport in Katmandu
handles international flights. Between Hetauda and Katmandu is a
42-km (26-mi) ropeway for the transport of freight.
Communications facilities are government controlled. Radio Nepal
broadcasts in both Nepali and English.
GOVERNMENT AND HISTORY
Newars are thought to have lived in the Nepal
Valley since the 4th century AD, developing a Hindu-Buddhist
culture.
Nepal, the world's only Hindu monarchy, was
controlled by a hereditary prime ministership until 1951. The
nation's first election was held in 1959, but in 1960, King
Mahendra dismissed the cabinet, dissolved parliament, and banned
political parties. A 1962 constitution created a nonparty
panchayat (council) system of government. After a 1980 referendum
approved a modified version of the panchayat system, direct
parliamentary elections were held in 1981. A dispute with India
led to India's closing of most border crossings from March 1989
to July 1990, and the resultant economic crisis fueled demands
for political reform. After months of violence, King Birendra Bir
Bikram Shah Dev dissolved parliament. The opposition formed an
interim government in April 1990, and a new constitution creating
a constitutional monarchy and a bicameral legislature became
effective on Nov. 9, 1990. The centrist Nepali Congress party won
the 1991 multiparty legislative elections. The Communist
government that came to power in 1994 collapsed in mid-1995; a
non-Communist coalition government assumed office on September
12.
