Nepal - South-Central Asia Country

Nepal is a country in south-central Asia. The highest mountain range in the world--the Himalaya--and a region of hills and valleys cover about 80 per cent of Nepal. The Tarai (or Terai)--a flat, fertile river plain along Nepal's border with India--covers the rest of the country.Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and its largest city. Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, rises 8,848 metres above sea level in the Himalaya on Nepal's border with Tibet, a region that is part of China.The first impressions of Nepal leaves onlookers speechless: the abundance of temples, monasteries, and other religious structures, the hustle-bustle in the streets around Durbar Marg in Kathmandu, the number of people and animals shovelling and squeezing through narrow lanes.

Culture - Nepal has always been a dividing line between cultures and civilizations, and a cross-roads for the commerce and culture. Here the plains of the subcontinent climb up to the high plateau of Tibet, the languages and people of India give way to those of China and the Hindu religion blends in to Buddhism. Nepal is often a complex blend of the two influences and this variation is further complicated by the diversity of ethnic groups within the country.

Religion - While the majority of Nepali people practice Hinduism, the official religion, a strong shamanist element remains in the religious practices of many Tibeto-Nepalese ethnic groups. Buddhism is also important within the country. Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal. There is also a small Muslim population mainly located in the Tarai.

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