| Fast
Facts of Nepal:
Area : 147,181 square Kilometers.
Capital : Kathmandu.
Geography : Situated between
Tibetan Autonomous region of the People’s
Republic of China in the north and India in
the south. The length of the Kingdom is 885
km east-west and its breath varies from 145-241
km north-south. The country can be divided in
to three geographical regions.
Himalayan
Region : This region occupies about
15% of the total land area. The altitude of
the region ranges bwteen 4,877m - 8848 m. It
includes eight of the 14 highest summits in
the world which exceed an altitude of 8,000
m including Everest, Kanchanjunga, Annapurna,
Dhaulagiri and others.
Mountain
Region : This region accounts for about
68% of the total land area. It is formed by
the Mahabharat range that soars up to 4,877m
and the lower Churiya.
Terai
Region : The low-land Terai occupies
about 17% of the total land area of the country.
Terrain
: Heavily mountains. 14% of the land
is cultivated. 13% is pasture, 32% is forested.
Population
: About 23 million.
People
:
More than 61 ethnic groups and 70 spoken language,
among them Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu,
Newar, Sherpa, Tharu and Indo-Aryan cast groups
of Brahman and Chhetri.
Language
:
Nepali is the official language, widely spoken.
Newari 3 %, Tibeto-Burman language 19 %, Indic
language 20 %. In all more than 30 languages
and numerous dialects spoken.
Religion:
Officially, Hindu 90 %, Buddhist 8%, Islam 2%.
Many of Hindus and Buddhists follow common gods
and goddess, celebrate common festivals.
Government
:
Multi-party democracy with Constitutional Monarchy,
under His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram
Shah Dev; with Prime Minister heading a Nepali
Congress cabinet.
Currency
:
Nepalese currency (about 75.00 equal US$ 1.00)
History
:
Nepal has been always an independent and sovereign
country with glorious history, culture and tradition
that date back to time immemorial. Before the
campaign of national integration was launched
by King Pritivhi Narayan Shah, the Great, the
Kathmandu Valley was ruled by the Malla Kings,
whose contributions to art and culture are indeed
great and unique. In 1768 AD, the Shah dynasty
ascended the throne of the unified Kingdom.
His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
is the eleventh King in the Shah dynasty.
|