Nepal - An Introduction

Heartily welcome to roof of the world and land of Shangri-La. Nepal , the legendary mountain kingdom of the Himalayas lie wedge between two Asian giants - India & China . Very small in size but can proudly boast of variety of things found nowhere else in the world.

Nepal is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of bio-diversity due to its unique geographical position and altitude variation. The elevation of the country ranges from 60 meters above sea level to the highest point on earth, Mt. Everest at 8,848 meters, all within a distance of 150 kilometers resulting in climatic conditions from Sub-tropical to Arctic .

Nepal - occupying only 0.1% of the earth - is home to:

• 2% of all the flowering plants in the world
• 8% of the world's population of birds (more than 848 species)
• 4% of mammals on earth
• 11 of the world's 15 families of butterflies (more than 500 species)
• 600 indigenous plant families
• 319 species of exotic orchids

Area: 147,181 sq. kilometers

Geography: Situated between China in the north and India in the south

Capital: Kathmandu

Population: 22 million

Language: Nepali is the national language. However, travel-trade people understand and speak English as well.

Currency: Nepali Rupee (approximately US$ 1 equals Rs. 74.65)

Political System: Multi-party democracy with constitutional monarchy

Religion: Nepal enjoys the distinction of being the only Hindu Kingdom in the world. However, there is a harmonious blending of Hinduism and Buddhism.

Climate: Nepal has four major seasons, namely,

1. Winter: December-February
2. Spring: March-May
3. Summer: June-August
4. Autumn: September-November
   
   Nepal can be visited the whole year round.

People: Nepal has more than 61 ethnic groups and 70 spoken languages.

What to Wear: Lightweight clothing is recommended for May through October.
Warm garments are required in October through March. An umbrella or raincoat
is a must for the rainy season.

Nepal first opened its borders to foreign visitors in 1951. Following the opening, the country quickly developed its infrastructure, making several regions accessible to tourism. In spite of modern tourism, which leads mainly to the capital, Kathmandu , medieval life-styles, with all their advantages and disadvantages, persist in most parts of the country. And most of the country can be reached in day-long hikes.

It is nevertheless true that social conditions remain grim. Average life expectancy of the Nepalese is, at 45 years, extraordinarily low. This is due largely to the high rate of infant mortality. Nepal is, in the official parlance, the only Hindu monarchy. The king rules with a puppet parliament, and the political structures favor an oligarchy adept at protecting its privileges against efforts at democratization. Nepal 's balance of trade is negative and the country is heavily dependent on income from tourism. And it does have a lot to offer tourists.