Fact File

Nepal: General Information

Location:

Nepal is the Himalayan country known as the land of the Mt. Everest and the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The country is situated in South Asia, bordered on the north by People's Republic of China and on the south, west and east by the Republic of India.

Topographical Features:

Nepal is a mountainous country with the Himalayan belt in the north, the hilly region and fertile valleys in the middle and the narrow strip of plain Terai in the South, all running parallel to each other from East to West.

Climate:

Owing to the varied topography, the country has diverse climatic conditions. It is generally cold in the mountainous region, mild weather in the hills and warm in the plains.

Temperature:

Region	Max	Min
Mountains	16 c	15 c
Hills	28 c	0 c
Terai	40 c	7 c

Rainfall: 1,500 -2,500mm (average)

Capital:
Kathmandu, a historical city with rich cultural heritage is Nepal's capital with one and a half million people.

Population:

Size of the population: 27 million (est.) with an average annual growth rate of 2.1%. The life expectancy at birth is 57 years and the literary rate is 45%. The size of the urban population is 12% of the total population.

Language and Religion:

Nepal is a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society characterized by tolerance and harmony. Nepali is the official language as well as the main language of communication. English is widely spoken in the capital, other urban metropolises and tourist areas.

Main Religions:

Hinduism 86.5%
Buddhism 7.8%
Islam 3.5%
Others 2.1%

Administrative System:
The country is divided into 5 development regions, 14 zones and 75 districts.

Calendar:
Nepali calendar, which is based on Vikram Era, commences from Baishakh 1 every year (tentatively April 13-14 of the Gregorian Calendar)

Fiscal Year:
Nepali Fiscal Year commences from Mid July to Mid July of the following year.

Business Hours:

The normal workweek is five and a half days from Sunday through Friday. The office hours for the civil service, banks and business organizations are from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (in winter from 10.00 am to 4:00 pm). The office hours in Kathmandu valley are from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm from Sunday to Friday.

Nepal Standard Time:
5:45 ahead of GMT.

Currency Units and Exchange Rates:
Nepali Rupee (NR) is the legal tender. It has a fixed exchange rat vis-à-vis Indian Rupee while its exchange rate with other convertible currencies is determined by the floating exchange rate principle.

Physical Infrastructures:

Airports: International -1
Domestic -44
Kathmandu is connected with major world cities through various airlines.

Roads: 15,458km
Mahendra Highway connects the eastern part of the country to the west. This highway with a length of about 1,00 km also forms the part of the Asian Highway. Kathmandu is connected with three highway systems: Prithvi Highway connecting to south and West, Tribhuvan Raj Path: Connecting to South, and Arniko Highway: Connecting to Northeast of the country.