Kingdom of NepalPopulation: 22,094,033 For more maps click here |
Nepal is home to the famous Himalayan Mountain Range and hence many of the highest mountains on earth. In fact, 8 of the world's 10 highest mountains can be found in Nepal. Nepal is surrounded by India on the East, West, and South and by China (Tibet) to the north. Nepal's geography is very diverse and ranges from subtropical plains in the southern Terai Region, rugged mountainous terrain in the Himalayas, to the high desert region near the Tibetan Plateau. Nepal is a considerable distance south in the Northern Hemisphere and Kathmandu is at the same latitude as Cairo and Miami. Nepal only has two seasons - the dry season from October to May and the wet season (the monsoon) from June to September. In the Kathmandu valley, temperatures range from the mid to high 20s in the summer. Even winter temperatures can reach the 20s during the day although at night it falls considerably. And of course at higher elevations, temperatures are lower in all seasons. Nepal has slightly over 22 million people and the population is growing at the fast rate of 2.5% annually. Kathmandu is the capital and largest city with over 700,000 people. The people of Nepal are a mixture of many diverse ethnic groups, including the Gurung, Magar, Newar, and Sherpa people to name but a few. The majority of Nepalese (95%) are either Hindu or Buddhist and ancient temples abound everywhere in Nepal. Nepal is one of the world's poorest and least developed nations. But that should not deter visitors as the Nepalese are extremely friendly and hospitable and Nepal contains some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. The foundation of the Nepal economy is agriculture, however tourism and carpet weaving are growing industries. Over 90% of the population is engaged in agriculture, although primarily at a subsistence level. |
For further details on population, climate, geography, economy, etc. check out the following links: CIA Fact Sheet on Nepal |
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