Area: 147,181 sq. KM

Geography: Situated between Tibet in the north and India in the south, with three major regions – 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. Nepal is home to 8 of the 10 highest peaks in the world, including the highest, Mt Everest and the Kali Gandaki River Gorge, the deepest river gorge in the world.

Capital: Kathmandu, a historical city with rich cultural heritage

Population: 27 million (estimate)

Language: Nepali is the official language as well as the main language of communication. English is widely spoken in the capital, other urban centres and tourist areas

Currency: Nepalese Rupee

Political system: The politics of Nepal function within a framework of a republic with a multi-party system.

Religion: Nepal enjoyed the distinction of being the only Hindu Kingdom in the world, but on the toppling of the King in April 2006, was declared a secular state. There is a high level of religious tolerance and a distinct and harmonious blending of Hinduism and Buddhism throughout the country. Hinduism 86.5%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.5%, Others 2.1%

People: Nepal has more than 61 ethnic groups and 70 spoken languages

Nepal Standard Time: 5:45 ahead of GMT

Flag: Nepal boasts the only non-rectangular flag in the world

Climate: Owing to its 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. The impact of climate change is noticeable in the unpredictability of weather patterns

Climate: Owing to its 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. The impact of climate change is noticeable in the unpredictability of weather patterns

Infrastructure: Nepal currently has 1 international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and 44 domestic airports. A second international airport in Pokhara is currently under construction and will come online when completed. There are 15,458km of roads with four main highways: The Mahendra Highway connecting the east to the west; The Prithvi Highway connecting to the south and west; The Arniko Highway to the northeast and the Tribhuvan Raj Path connecting to the south.

Did you know?

• The national greeting is ‘Namaste’ which means ‘I celebrate the divinity in you’.
• Sons are expected to care for their mothers in old age. There is high respect for elders in general
• The Kumari Devi is revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal as a ‘living Goddess’
• Nepal is said to be the home of the Yeti – a large, hairy creature that lives high in the Himalayan mountains
• Nepal is home to 8 out of 14 8,000m peaks, including Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world at 8,848m
• Nepal is one of the very few countries in the world where you can see One Horned Rhinoceros
• Nepal is a paradise for bird watchers with more than 450 species of birds.
• The Royal Chitwan National Park, a wildlife museum is one of the best National Parks in Asia
• Nepal is a paradise for white water paddlers
• Nepal occupying just 0.1% of the earth, is home to 2% of all flowering plants (600 indigenous plant families and 319 species of orchid) and 8% of the bird population (more than 500 species).
• Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha