Nepal Country Overview

Nepal Country Overview

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Nepal Country Overview

About Nepal

Location: South Asia. Between India & the Tibetan Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.

Area: 147,181 sq km (56,827 sq miles).

Latitude: 26° 12' and 30° 27' North.

Longitude: 80° 4' and 88° 12' East.

Capital: Kathmandu

Population: 26.3 million (UN, 2005).

Population Density: 178.69 per sq km (2005).

People: Over 40 Ethnic Groups & 70 Spoken Languages.

Political-System: Multiparty Democracy with Constitutional Monarchy.

Government: Federal Republic

Language: The official language is Nepali (spoken by 49 per cent). There are many other languages, including Maithili and Bhojpuri. English is spoken in business circles and by people involved in the travel trade.

Religion: Mainly Hindu (81%) and Buddhist (11%), with a small Muslim minority (4%).

Time: GMT + 5:45

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. There are frequent power cuts.

Head of Government: Prime Minister: Girija Prasad Koirala since April 2006.

Head of State: President: Ram Varan Yadav

Telephone:
Country code: +977. The Telecommunication Office, Tripureshwar, deals with telephone calls and cables. The International Telephone Office is open Mon-Thurs 0900-1400 and Fri 0900-1330. Hotels and private communication centers provide long-distance telephone services (ISD, STD).

Mobile Telephone:
Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage is sporadic and variable.
Internet

There are Internet cafes in Kathmandu, Patan and Pokhara. Internet services are also provided by hotels.

Topography: From the world's deepest gorge 'Kali-Gandaki' to the highest point on earth, Mt. Everest at 8848m

Vegetation: Nepal possesses some of the most outstanding bio-diversity in the world, ranging from sub-tropical Rain-forests to Alpine deserts.

Climate: Climate ranges from sub-tropical in the low lands to Arctic in higher altitudes.

Seasons: Winter (December-February), Summer (March-May), Monsoon(June-Aug), Autumn(Sept-Nov)

National Bird: Impean Pheasant (Danfe).

National Flower: Rhododendron Arboreum (Lali Gurans).

World Heriatge Sites: Ten (of which seven World Heritage Sites are situated within 20 kms. of radius, in the Kathmandu Valley).

Flora and Fauna: 840 different species of wet-land, migratory and residential birds. 8% of the world's population of birds. 11 of the 15 butterfly families in the world. 2% of the flowering plants. 4% of mammals on earth.

A Living Cultural Heritage: Nepal's heritage is alive and dynamic. Shamanism, Pan-animism & Witch-craft are still practised in remote regions. Temples, shrines, monuments and monasteries are extremely active with devotees burning butter-lamps, singing hymns, chiming templebells and playing drums. The only country that has living goddess "Kumari".