Nepal is a small country in south Asia situated between two giant nations, India and China (Tibet). This tiny Himalayan Kingdom lived virtually isolated from the outside world for centuries, with its untouched massive mountains, green terraced foot hills, thick Jungle terrain, awe-inspiring white rivers, and off-course its people, who with their rich and colorful culture remain as beautiful as their natural surroundings.

Nepal is a trekker's paradise. It offers the most spectacular mountains scenery in the world with more than a dozen of the highest mountains on earth including the highest mountain Mt. Everest. Nepal is also the home of one Asia’s richest and most spectacular wild life sanctuaries. The Royal Chitwan National Park and Bardiya National park, includes the rare great one Horned Rhino, several species of deer, sloth bear, wild boar, fresh water dolphin, leopard, crocodile, over 450 species of exotic birds and the Royal Bengal Tiger.

Nepal is the birthplace of "Lord Buddha" who enlightened the entire world with his message of universal peace, compassion and humanity. The unique culture that have developed from the marriage of two major religion of the world "Buddhism & Hinduism”.

Nepal is a haven for adventure in the Himalayas and it’s has drawn hundreds of Expeditions from all over the world to conquer its high mountains. Since the historic conquest of Mt. Everest, the highest mountain on earth, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzin Norgay Sharpa in the early 50's Nepal's mountain have been scaled again and again by expedition from all over the world.

NEPAL COUNTRY INFO
Location : Between India and the Tibetan autonomous region of the people's Republic of China.
Area : 147, 181 SQ.KM
Latitude : 26D 4' to 30D 27' North.
Longitude : 80D 4' to 88D 12' East.
Capital : Kathmandu.
People : 40 Ethnic Groups and 70 Spoken Languages.
Political System : Multiparty Democracy with Constitutional Monarch.
Topography : From the world's deepest Gorge "Kaligandaki" to the highest point on the earth Mt. Everest 8848m high.
Vegetation : As per the size of the country, Nepal possesses the most out - standing bio-diversity in the world, ranging from sub-tropical rain forests to alpine deserts climate ranges from tropical in the low lands to Arctic in highest altitudes.
Season: Winter (December to February) Summer (March to August) Monsoon (June to August) Autumn (September to November)
Monsoon : Mostly rains at night making the following day crispy clean and fresh. Most of the northern belt of the Trans-Himalayan zone is rain-shadowed and ideal for trekking.
National Bird: Pheasant (Danfe)
National Flower: Rhododendron (Laliguras)

Nepal has a short spring (March mid April) when the days are pleasant but the mornings and evenings are still chilly. This is followed by a summer that is cut short by the monsoon rains which normally arrives at the end of May or early June. The rains last until late September after which the best time of the year arrives. From late September the skies are clear until November. The ideal time to be in Nepal is October-November. According to altitude, the climate changes from sub-tropical in the lowlands to arctic conditions in the high Himalayas.

The Kingdom of Nepal covers an area of 147,181 square kilometers, and stretches 145-241 kilometers north to south and 850 kilometers west to east. The country is located between India in the south and China in the north. At latitudes 26 and 30 degrees north and longitudes 80 and 88 degrees east, Nepal is topographically divided into three regions: the Himalaya to the north, the hills consisting of the Mahabharat range and the Churia Hills, and the Terai to the south. Elevations are varied in the kingdom. The highest point is Mt. Everest (8848 m) in the north and the lowest point (70 meters above sea level) is located at Kechana Kalan of Jhapa District. Altitude increases as you travel south to north to the north temperatures are below - 40 degrees Celsius and in the Terai; temperatures rise to 40 degrees Celsius in the summer. During June, July and August, monsoon clouds influence the kingdom.

The Himalayan Region : The Himalayan range makes up the northern border of the country and represents 19% of the total land area of Nepal. Peaks like Mt. Everest (8,848 m), Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), and Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) are found here and sparse vegetation is found up to 4,500m. Some of Nepal's most beautiful animal and plant life are also found here. Although rare, the snow leopard and Danphe bird are much talked about sights among visitors. The people in this region produce and sell cheese besides working as porters and guides. Many also trade with Tibet and travel across the border to sell their goods.

The Hilly Region : This region covers 65% of the total land area of the country. Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal is located here. Elevations range from 500m to 3,000m above the sea level. During summer the temperature reaches an average of 32 degrees Celsius. Winters are cold, temperature reaching - 1 degree Celsius sometimes. Areas in the eastern hills receive more rainfall because of the monsoon clouds, which come from the southeast. The rivers in the west, which do not receive much rainfall, are dependent upon the melted snows that flow down the Himalayas. Wild animals to be found here are the spotted leopard, barking deer, and Himalayan black bear. The hilly region is also popular for different kinds of birds. Over four hundred species of birds are found here. The people in this region have gained from the growth in the tourism industry. The people here work as trekking guides and porters and also sell garments and carpets to add to their income.

Terai Region : The Terai covers 16% of the total land area of Nepal. It provides excellent farming land and the average elevation of flatlands is 100 to 300 m above sea level. Sub-tropical forest areas, marshes, and wildlife, which include the Royal Bengal tiger, one-horned rhino, and the Ghadial (crocodile), are found here. After the eradication of malaria in the 1960s, many people migrated to the Terai in search of farming land. Today, about 48% of the country's population occupies this region. Flat farmlands and the region's flexible topography have given rise to many industries. The main industrial towns are Biratnagar, Butwal, Bhairawa, Birgunj, and Janakpur. Calcutta, a metropolitan city in India is the closest seaport. It lies 1,000 kilometers away from Birgunj.

For centuries the Kingdom of Nepal was divided into many principalities. Kirats ruled in the east, the Newars in the Kathmandu Valley, while Gurungs and Magars occupied the mid-west. The Kirats ruled from 300 B.C. and during their reign, emperor Ashoka arrived from India to build a pillar at Lumbini in memory of Lord Buddha. The Lichhavis whose descendants today are believed to be the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley followed the Kirats. During this period, art thrived in Nepal and many of the beautiful woodcarvings and sculptures that are found in the country belong to this era. With the end of the Lichhavi dynasty, Malla kings came to power in 1200 AD and they also con tribute tremendously to Nepal's art and culture. However, after almost 600 years of rule, the kings were not united among themselves and during the late 11th century, Prithvi Narayan Shah, King of Gorkha, conquered Kathmandu and united Nepal into one kingdom. Recognizing the threat of the British rule in India, he dismissed European missionaries from the country and for more than a century, Nepal remained in isolation. During the mid-I9th century Jung Bahadur Rana became Nepal's first prime minister to wield absolute power. He set up an oligarchy and the Shah Kings remained figureheads. The Ranas were overthrown in a democracy movement of the early 1950s. Today, Nepal enjoys a multi party democratic system with a constitutional Monarch.