Introduction

For some its home to the mother of universe; Mount Everest and the great mountaineers, for others it's the land of brave Gurkha soldiers. Some love it as the only Hindu kingdom or the birthplace of Lord Buddha. For whatever reason Nepal is the land of tremendous beauty and diversity.

This small Himalayan Kingdom Nepal, which occupies just 0.1% of the earth, is very rich in terms of bio-diversity. Its home to 2% of all flowering plants in the world, 8% (848 species) of the total birds in the world, 4% of mammals on earth, 11 of 15 butterfly families found in the world (500 species), 600 indigenous plant families and 319 exotic species of orchids.

The elevation ranges from 70m above sea level; Kanchan Kanan (60m) to Mount Everest (8848m) above sea level; the world's highest point - Mount Everest. The unique variation has given Nepal a varied ecosystem, thick tropical and alpine forests swarmed with diverse wildlife, great peaks of the world, frozen valleys, deep gorges, mysterious canyons, fast and furious rivers, running hills and cool and calm lakes.

Nepal has a population of 23 million people, with more than 40 different ethnic groups speaking 70 different languages. Nepal bags a colorful array of vibrant cultures, exotic traditions, feasts and festivals lined up every month, unique and wonderful art and architecture and the warm hospitality that people share with each other.

All these have made Nepal a living museum that people cannot resist to explore.

Namaste! & Welcome to Nepal…

Gopal Babu Shrestha
Founder & Director

Geography

Nepal, a sovereign independent kingdom, (between 80° 4' and 88° 12' East longitude and 26° 22' and 30° 27' North latitude) is bounded on the North by the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, the East-South and West by India. The length of the Kingdom is 885 kilometers east-west, and it's breadth varies from 145-241 kilometers north-south. The country can be divided into three main geographical regions.

(a) Himalayan Region: The altitude of this region ranges between 4877 m. - 8848 m. m. It includes 8 of the highest 14 summits in the world which exceed altitude of 8000 meters.

(b) Mountain Region: This region accounts for about 64 percent of total land area. It is formed by the Mahabharat range that soars up to 4877 meter and the lower Churia range.

(c) Terai Region: The low-land Terai occupies about 17 percent of the total land area of the country.

People

Nepal has a population of more than 23 million people made of different races living in different regions, with diverse culture, languages and dialects. The Gurungs and Magars live mainly in the west. The Rais, Limbus and Sunuwars inhabit the slopes and valleys of the eastern mid hills. The Sherpas live in the Himalayan region. The Newars constitute an important ethnic group of the capital valley Kathmandu. There are Tharus, Yadavas, Satar, Rajvanshis and Dhimals in the Terai region. The Brahmans, Chhetris and Thakuris are spread generally over most parts of the kingdom.

Religion and Culture

Hinduism and Buddhism constitute two major religions of Nepal. A remarkable feature of Nepal is the religious homogeneity that exists, particularly between the Hindu and Buddhist communities. Apart from the Hindus and Buddhists, Muslim from the third largest religious group.
The exquisite medieval Art & Architecture of the Kathmandu Valley vividly reflect the artistic ingenuity and the religious tradition of the people.

Language

Nepali serves the purpose of the Kingdom's lingua franca in Nepal. The educated people speak and understand English as well.