Nepal

I

Introduction

Nepal, officially Kingdom of Nepal, constitutional monarchy in southern Asia, bounded on the north by the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China and on the east, south, and west by India. The area of Nepal is 147,181 sq km (56,827 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Kathmandu.

II

Land and Resources

Mountains dominate the landscape of Nepal. These physical barriers have isolated the country and hindered development of its natural resources. Of the ten highest mountains in the world, nine—including Mount Everest (8,850 m/ 29,035 ft), the highest—are located entirely or partly within Nepal’s borders.

A

Physiographic Regions

Nepal can be divided into three parallel bands running from the north-west to the south-east. Closest to China is the Great Himalaya Range, where average elevations exceed 4,570 m (15,000 ft). The second band is dominated by the Mahabharat and Siwalik ranges of the Himalaya; elevations in these systems average about 2,500 m (8,200 ft). The third and southernmost region is the Tarai, an area of plains, swamps, and forests. The alluvial soils of the Tarai are fertile, unlike those of the mostly barren uplands. Other than the Tarai, the only sizeable area of flat land is the Valley of Kathmandu, a basin in the centre of the country.

B

Rivers and Lakes

Nepal’s principal rivers flow generally north to south and empty into the River Ganges. The three major rivers crossing the country are the Ghāghara (Karnali), Kosi, and Narayani. The country has no sizeable lakes.