Nepal

Nepal - The Land of Mt. Everest and birthplace of Lord Buddha
Situated between China in the north and India in the south, east, and west, Nepal is draped along the Himalayan mountain range, about 800 km long (east-west) and 200 km wide (north-south) – with a land area of 147,181 sq. km. Eight out of the 14 mountains over 8,000 meters are located in Nepal – Mt. Everest 8848m, Kanchenjunga 8586m, Lhotse 8516m, Makalu 8485m, Cho Oyu 8210m, Dhaulagiri 8167m, Manaslu 8163m and Annapurna I 8091m. Also, about 1,375 mountain peaks over 6,000 meters can be found here, approx. 675 of those have not yet been named. This is your opportunity to put your name on those mountains.

Nepal’s stunning geographic, climatic, ecological and socio-cultural diversity has something to offer for everyone. For the adventure seeking, Nepal offers some of the finest outdoor activities like trekking and mountain climbing, white water rafting, mountain biking, zip lining, paragliding, canyoning, bungee jumping, jeep or motorbike tours etc., with great options for beginners and pros alike. For those who just want to enjoy the natural beauty and cultural richness in a more relaxed way, visiting the historically and culturally interesting sites, a jungle safari in one of the national parks or an easy trekking route may be an interesting choice.

Given its relatively small size, Nepal has remarkable geographic and climatic diversity. Geographically, Nepal is divided into three main regions (east-west) – the Himalayan, Hill and Terai Regions. The Himalayan our Mountain Region along the Tibetan border makes up the northern part of the country, with altitudes ranging from about 4,000m to the highest point 8,848m (Mt. Everest). Some of Nepal’s most pristine ecosystems can be found here, and it is home to the rare snow leopard, red panda, blue sheep, and other animal and plant life. Altitude in the (Mid) Hill Region ranges from about 700m to 4,000m, thus creating very diverse conditions across this area. The average temperature in summer is around 32 degrees Celsius, in winter temperatures can drop to 0 degrees at times. The landscape is marked by often steep hillsides, terraced fields, and lush green jungles. The Terai Region (southern plains) stretches along the Indian border in the south and includes the flat, fertile Genetic plain. It makes up about 17% of Nepal’s total land area and altitudes range from as low as 70m to about 700m. The Terai’s sub-tropical forest areas and marshes are home to some endangered species and other wildlife, including the royal Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, gharial crocodile, wild elephants, a variety of birds and many other animals.

Adding to the geographic diversity of the country is the sociology-cultural and ethnic diversity, with over 100 different ethnic groups and languages (numbers vary due to differences in categorizing). Hinduism is the predominant religion in Nepal (approx. 81%), followed by Buddhism (about 9%). Many people identify themselves as practicing both, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Nepal fast facts:
Official name: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Area: 147,181 sq. km
Population: approx. 30 million
National language: Nepali
Capital: Kathmandu
Currency: Nepalese Rupee
Religion: approx. 81% Hindu, about 9% Buddhist, 4-5% Muslim, about 2% Christian and the remaining other religions like Kiratism and animism.