Country Information
Nepal is one of the most beautiful countries in the Himalayas. It is home to nearly 30 million people. There were at least eight of the ten highest mountain peaks in the world here. But also for its unique cultural heritage, artistic monuments, exotic wildlife, languages, way of life, architecture, and rich biodiversity.
India surrounds Nepal on three sides and the Chinese province of Tibet on the north. It is where two old religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, meet. It is where Lord Buddha was born about 2,500 years ago and where Sita, Lord Rama’s wife, was born as well.
Here are some interesting facts about our country:
Area: 147181 km2, 800 km long and 200 km wide.
Topography:
The land changes from glacial moraines in the Northern Tundra hemisphere to terraced fields and meadows in the Mid-hill section to flat fields and subtropical jungles in the Southern parts. The flow of most rivers is from north to south. Up to Grade 5, the Mountain Rivers have steep slopes.
Capital:
More than 822,000 people live in Kathmandu, which is the capital of Nepal. It is 2000 years old, and the biggest temple is Bouddhanath in Buddha. Most palaces are around Durbar Square. The Pashupatinath Temple is the largest and most important Hindu temple of Lord Shiva (Pashupati) in the world. There are no less than seven World Heritage-listed monuments in the valley. Western tourists visit Kathmandu the most, and most of them stay in Thamel, which is known for being full of hostels, restaurants, shops, and bookstalls. The sister cities of Patan (Lalitpur) and Bhaktapur are important to Kathmandu in terms of tourism, the economy, and cultural history.
Language:
Nepal’s official language is Nepali. But most people who work in the travel industry and younger people can understand and speak English easily.
Religion:
Hinduism (81.19%), Buddhism (8.2%), Islam (5.03), Kirat (3.17%), Christianity (1.76%), & others (0.65%) as per 2021 Census.
Currency:
Nepalese Rupees come in amounts of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000. One US Dollar is equal to 131 NPR, one Euro is equal to 142 NPR (April 2024). It changes in relation to hard currencies like the US Dollar, the Euro, and the British Pound.
Political System:
The Federal Democratic Republic has a system with more than one party.
Weather:
Spring (March to May):
In the lowlands, the weather is mildly warm, but at higher altitudes, it’s not too hot or too cold. There are many chances to enjoy the mountain views. It is also the time of year when flowers bloom, and the national flower of Nepal, the rhododendron, covers the higher altitudes with its beautiful color and size.
Summer (June to August):
In Nepal, the monsoon season is summer, from June to August. The weather is sometimes hot and sometimes wet. Almost every day it rains, and sometimes there are storms in the evenings. The rain makes everything green and lush, which makes people happy.
Autumn (September to November):
Now that summer is over and winter is coming, this is the best time to visit Nepal. The weather and mountain views are both very nice. This is the best time to go trekking in Nepal because you can always see mountains. So you should book your flights early. This is also the time of year when Nepal celebrates its most important Hindu holidays, Dashain and Tihar.
Winter (From December to February):
The weather is cool and the sky is clear. At higher elevations, it snows sometimes. This time of year is good for hiking at lower altitudes. Mornings and nights are cold, but sunny days are warm.
Temperature & rainfall
Nepal is a land of contrasts. In the lowland plains of the Terai, it can get hot and humid like in the tropics, and there are often mosquitoes. However, in the Himalayas, it can get below zero, but even in the mountains, the sun can warm things up during the day. Yet, in the winter, Kathmandu’s temperature drops below 1 Degree Celsius (34 Degrees Fahrenheit), and in the summer, it rises to an average of 25 Degrees Celsius (77 Degrees Fahrenheit).
During each of the four seasons, the average temperature in Kathmandu is:
The Spring temperatures range from 16 to 23 degrees Celsius (61-73 Degree Fahrenheit)
The Summer temperatures range from 23 to 25 degrees Celsius (73-77 Degree Fahrenheit)
The Autumn temperatures range from 15 to 24 degrees Celsius (59-75 Degree Fahrenheit)
The Winter season ranges between 9-12 Degree Celsius (48-54 Degree Fahrenheit)
From June to August, during the rainy monsoon season, it rains on average between 200 and 375 millimeters in Kathmandu. Even in the other seasons, it rains every once in a while. Every year, Kathmandu gets an average of 1300 millimeters of rain.
Crime:
Even though, by many measures, crime is still pretty low. Visitors shouldn’t walk around alone at night, especially in places where the power goes out, and they shouldn’t carry a lot of cash or wear expensive jewelry. Women traveling should not wear clothes that show too much in public, as this can be offensive to Nepalese culture. Valuables should always be put in the hotel’s safety deposit box and never left alone in a hotel room. Pickpocketing and stealing bags is common in the Thamel district of Kathmandu and other tourist areas, so travelers should be especially careful there or near it. Passports and cash should not be kept in a backpack or handbag, but instead in a money belt or neck pouch.
What is unique about Nepal?
Nepal is the only place in the world where the tallest mountain and the deepest gorge are found. So you can go to Mount Everest, which is called Sagarmatha in Nepali, and you can also go to Kali Gandaki Gorge. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains.
From some points of view, more people in Nepal practice Hinduism than in any other country. Buddhism is a minority religion in Nepal but has a long history because Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Gautam Buddha, was born there. Gautam Buddha is the founder of the Buddhist tradition. Lord Buddha and Sita were both born in Lumbini and Janakpur Dham. Lord Muktinath Dham is in Mustang District, while the Jyotirlinga of Pashupatinath is in Kathmandu. Here is where the terrible Yeti lives and the Gurkha warriors call home.
Nepal should also be considered one of the best and easiest places to trek. But it’s not all about the Himalayas. Nepal, which takes up only 0.2 percent of the earth’s surface, is home to 0.2 percent of the world’s flowering plants. There are more than 758 species here, including 4 percent of the world’s mammals, more than 500 species of butterflies, 600 plant families native to the area, and 319 species of exotic orchids!
