Country Information

South Asia.

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

26,494,504 (2011).

180 per sq km.

Kathmandu.

Republic.

Nepal is a landlocked kingdom sharing borders with Tibet to the north and India to the west, south and east. The country can be divided into six zones: the Terai, the Chure hills, the Mahabharat range, the Pahar zone, the Himalaya and the Trans-Himalaya.

The greater part of the country lies on the southern slope of the Himalayas, extending down from the highest peaks through hill country to the upper edge of the Ganges Plain. The hilly central area is crossed by the Lower Himalayas, where there are eight of the highest peaks in the world, leading up to Mount Everest. Wildlife in Nepal includes tigers, leopards, gaur, elephants, buffalo, deer and rhinos.

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

Mainly Hindu (85%) and Buddhist (8%), with a small Muslim minority (4%).

GMT + 5.45.

Be careful to respect local customs: Never step over the feet of a person - always walk round; never offer food and drink that you have tasted or bitten; never offer or accept anything with the left hand - use the right or both hands; it is rude to point at a person or statue with a finger (or even with a foot).

Often when people shake their head, it means 'yes'. Footwear should be removed when entering houses, especially kitchens and shrines. Do not stand in front of a person who is eating. Shaking hands is not a common form of greeting; instead, press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture (Namaste).

Casual-wear is suitable except for the most formal meetings or social occasions. However, bikinis, shorts, bare shoulders and backs may not be appreciated. Men only remove their shirts when bathing. Overt public displays of affection, especially near religious places, are inappropriate.

Seek permission before entering a temple, and do not take leather articles inside them.

Photography: Always ask permission first. In general, photography is allowed outside temples and at festivals, but not inside temples or at religious ceremonies; however, there is no hard and fast rule, and the only way to be sure of not giving offence is to ask first and accept the answer.

230 volts AC, 50Hz. There are frequent power cuts. Plugs usually have two or three round pins.

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala since 2014.

President Ram Baran Yadav since 2008.

Nepal was created from an amalgam of principalities in 1768, under King Prithvi Narayan Shah. Under the control of a hereditary king, it became a ‘buffer state' between the British Empire and territories to the north. The country became independent in 1923, but it was not until 1947 (the year of Indian independence), and total withdrawal of the British, before Nepal achieved complete autonomy.

King Gyanendra ascended the throne in June 2001, after Crown Prince Dipendra gunned down his parents and seven royals before killing himself. On 1 February 2005, the king dismissed the prime minister and his government for failing its mandate to hold elections and restore peace. He took power and a state of emergency followed, with press censorship and suspension of fundamental rights. He appointed a pro-monarchist cabinet and, in spring 2006, the escalating crisis between the king, political parties and Maoist insurgents culminated in strikes and demonstrations.

The king recalled parliament in April 2006, and appointed Girija Prasad Koirala, leader of the largest political party Nepali Congress, as prime minister. A landmark peace deal was agreed in November 2006, and, in early 2007, Maoists joined an interim government.

Elections in April 2008 resulted in a victory for the Maoists, following a 10-year insurgency. Their leader, Prachanda, became the senior political leader of Nepal. A planned abolition of the monarchy took place in May 2008, and the nation was declared a republic.

In May 2009, this government was brought down, and a coalition government made from all the other major political parties assumed power. Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal became prime minister.