Nepal

Official Sites of Nepal



The Shital Niwas building in Kathmandu houses the office of the president.
Image: Office of the President of Nepal


Political system of Nepal

The end of the autocratic Hindu kingdom began in 2001 when the king and most royal family members were killed by the crown prince Dipendra, who shot himself on that occasion.
Today, Nepal is a federal democratic republic; the political system is based on the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2063 (2007). Executive power is exercised by the prime minister and his cabinet, while legislative power rests with a 601-member Constituent Assembly, also responsible for drafting a new constitution (which is still being worked on).

Government

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Government of Nepal
The official portal of the government of Nepal.

Office of the President of Nepal
Official website of Nepal's President.

Office of The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
Official website of Nepal's Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Responsible for the foreign policy of the kingdom of Nepal.

Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA)
IFA was founded in 1993 as an integral part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; disseminating information on foreign policy-related issues is another major responsibility of the institute.


Diplomatic Missions
The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Nepal to the UN
Nepal's representation to the United Nations.
Nepal Embassy in the US
The site also provides comprehensive information on Nepal.
Nepal Embassy in the UK
Embassy of Nepal in the United Kingdom.
Nepal Missions
Nepalese Missions worldwide.

Statistics
Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal
Nepal in figures.

Weather
Department of Hydrology and Meteorology
Weather information for Nepal.

 

Maps from Nepal



Map of Nepal (click map to enlarge)
Image: © nationsonline.org

Maps

Map of Nepal
Political Map of Nepal.
Provinces Map of Nepal
Map of the seven provinces of Nepal.
Google Earth Nepal
Searchable map and satellite view of Nepal.
Google Earth Kathmandu
Searchable map and satellite view of Nepal's capital city.
Google Earth Mount Everest
Satellite view and map of Mt. Everest region.

Map of Southeast Asia
Map of the Southeast Asia region.
Map of Asia
Reference Map of Asia.


The seven provinces of Nepal
Image: © nationsonline.org
 

News from Nepal



Cover of Nepali Newspapers

News from Nepal online

The Himalayan
English-language broadsheet daily newspaper.

Kantipur Online
Kantipur is a Nepali language daily newspaper published from Kathmandu, Nepal.

The Kathmandu Post
News from Nepal as it happens.

Nepali Times
English language weekly.

Nepal News
Online news.

Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS)
National News Agency.

Magazines
Cyber Nepal
First Nepal Internet Magazine.

Radio Stations
Hits FM 100
Kathmandu Radio Station.
Radio Nepal
National radio station.

International News Sources
BBC News Country Profile: Nepal
With links to Nepal-related news and background information.

Al Jazeera Nepal News
Nepal related-news by Al Jazeera.

Human Rights
Amnesty International: Nepal
Amnesty International Reports.
Human Rights Watch: Nepal
Background Briefings.
The New Humanitarian Nepal
UN humanitarian news and analysis.

Press freedom
Reporters sans frontières - Nepal
Press freedom in Nepal.

 

Arts & Culture of Nepal



Kumari Devi, or the Living Goddess of Nepal, is believed to be the manifestation of the divine feminine energy and the living vessel of Durga, the Mother Goddess Devi.
Image: Nepal Tourism Board

Arts & Culture

International Mountain Museum
The IMM in Pokhara records, documents and shows past and current developments related to mountains and mountaineering.

Museum of Nepali Art
Private art museum in a Rana dynasty mansion in Kathmandu.

Narayanhiti Palace Museum
Before the revolution, Narayanhiti Palace was the residence of the monarch of the Kingdom of Nepal.

National Art Museum
The National Art Museum is located on the premises of the historic Singh Dhwakha (Lion's Gate) Palace in Bhaktapur Durbar Square.

National Museum of Nepal (Rashtriya Museum)
The country's largest museum is located on the way to the Swayanbhunath hill.

Nepali Calendar (Bikram Sambat)
Nepal follows a different calendar system; according to the Nepalese calendar, 2021 is the Nepalese year 2078.

Nepal National Library
Has collections of books, journals and other materials in Nepali, English, Sanskrit and Hindi.

Natural History Museum of Nepal
Specimens of Nepalese flora and fauna are exhibited in the museum.

Patan Museum
The Patan Museum in Lalitpur (Patan) exhibits traditional sacred art of Nepal.


LocalNepalToday
Nepalese culture through the eyes of a foreigner.
 


Monk using his smartphone in Lumbini, the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha Gautama was born.
Image: Andrey Samsonov
 

Business & Economy of Nepal



Tea gardens in Ilam.
Image: Hari gurung77


Economy of Nepal
The country's economic development has also been hampered by the fact that the landlocked Himalayan country has experienced a constant change of political scenarios, from a monarchy to the rule of the Communist Party of Nepal in 2019.
An earthquake in 2015 and the Covid-19 crisis have made the situation worse.

Nepal is still in the top-30 list of the poorest countries in the world, with a GDP per capita of only US$ 733 (2016).

Nepal's underdeveloped economy is based on tourism, agriculture, carpets, textiles and tea.
The country is the fifth-most remittance-dependent economy in the world. Some 3 to 4 million Nepalese migrant workers labor under often questionable working conditions in countries such as India, Qatar, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.


Business entities in Nepal

Nepal Rastra Bank
The Central Bank of Nepal

Nepal Stock Exchange
The Nepal Stock Exchange Limited is the only Stock Exchange of Nepal.

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce & Industry
Nepal's Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry is an umbrella organization of the Nepalese private sector.

Trade Promotion Center
The national trade promotion organization of the country provides trade information for Nepal.

Agriculture Development Bank
Government-owned rural credit institution.

Nepal Bank
State-owned Nepal Bank Limited, established in 1937, was the first commercial bank in the country.


Nepali companies
A list of major companies based in Nepal.

Bajeko Sekuwa
Bajeko Sekuwa is a Nepali restaurant chain that serves sekuwa and other typical Nepali food.

Bhat-Bhateni
Bhat-Bhateni Supermarket and Departmental Stores, established in 1984, is the biggest retail supermarket chain in Nepal.

Chaudhary Group
Chaudhary Group is a multinational financial services conglomerate headquartered in Kathmandu.

Gorkha Brewery
Gorkha Brewery was established in 1989 as a joint venture between the Khetan Group and the Carlsberg Group.

Hulas Motors
Nepal's auto manufacturer.

iMart Nepal
Online store for Nepali handmade crafts.

Nepal Telecom
NTC is the state-owned provider of telecommunications services in Nepal.

RK Golchha Group
The RK Golchha Group emerged from the Golchha Organization, one of the oldest business houses in Nepal.

Samsher & Gangadevi Tea
Family-run tea company based in Jhapa district.

Sharda Group
Sharda Group is a business conglomerate in Nepal.


List of companies of Nepal
The Wikipedia list contains well-known companies whose headquarters are located in Nepal.


Transportation

Airlines

Nepal Airlines
The flag carrier airline of Nepal serves domestic and international destinations in Asia.

Buddha Air
Buddha Air operates both domestic and international flights within Nepal and to India.

Gorkha Airlines
Gorkha Airlines operated scheduled and charter flights to domestic destinations. The airline ceased operation in 2008.

Sita Air
Domestic cargo flights, since 2016, the airline is allowed to operate passenger services again.

Tara Air
Newest and biggest airline service provider in the Nepalese mountains. The Kathmandu-based airline is a subsidiary of Yeti Airlines.

Yeti Airlines
Regional airline.


Trains
Department of Railways
The Department of Railways was established in 2011 to develop and construct a rail network in Nepal.

Nepal Railways
The Nepal Railway Company Ltd. is a state-owned company that operates passenger train service on the 28 km line from Jainagar in India, to Janakpur in Nepal.



Architecture concept image of the Tiger Palace Casino in Bhairahawa north of Siddharthanagar, the gateway to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. The Hong Kong-based Silver Heritage Group developed the 100-room Tiger Palace Resort. The casino opened in March 2018. The group has planned a phased investment of more than $100 million and is developing a chain of five-star properties throughout Nepal.
Image: Tiger Palace Casino
 

Tourism in Nepal



Evening time at Pashupatinath temple complex. Pashupatinath is a famous and sacred Hindu temple on the banks of the Bagmati River, northeast of Kathmandu.
Image: Wagleyyy

Destination Nepal - Travel and Tour Guides

Discover Nepal: Kathmandu, Dhulikhel, Chomolungma, Everest,
Accommodation, attractions, festivals, events, tourist boards, Himalaya, mountaineering, paragliding, rafting, hiking, climbing, trekking, jungle adventure tours and much more.

The best time to visit Nepal is October to November/December.


Nepal Tourism Board
Information on Nepal.

Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation
Enjoy official tourist information about the country.

Kathmandu
Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

#PhotoNepal
Discover Best Images Of Beautiful Nepal. The official photo-sharing platform of Nepal Tourism Board.

Wikivoyage Nepal
Wikipedia's travel guide in many languages.


Trekking and Mountaineering
Nepal Mountaineering Association
National alpine association of Nepal.

Nepal Himal Peak Profile
Official online portal on mountains of Nepal.

Trekking Agents Associations of Nepal
Official list of trekking agencies.
 
Mission Nepal Holidays
Eco-Travel company based in Kathmandu.



Himalaya mountain range, view from the summit of Mera Peak in Nepal's Sagarmatha Zone. Mount Everest, Lhotse and Lhotse Shar (hidden by clouds, left), Peak 41 in the center with Baruntse behind; Makalu (8,485 m) and Mount Chamlang (7321 m) to the right.
Image: Andrew Grandison

 

UNESCO World Heritage Sites



The Swayambhunath domed stupa, also known as Monkey Temple, is situated on a hill in the west of Kathmandu; it is one of the seven monuments in the Kathmandu Valley that are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal.
Image: Nabin K. Sapkota
 

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal
There are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal, two cultural and two natural sites. Additionally, 15 properties are listed in UNESCO's Tentative List (see the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal).
The following links lead to a detailed description of the respective World Heritage Site at UNESCO.

Kathmandu Valley
The cultural heritage of the Kathmandu Valley is exemplified by seven groups of monuments and buildings that cover the entire spectrum of historical and artistic achievements that have made the Kathmandu Valley world famous. These seven ensembles include the Durbar Squares of Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu), Patan and Bhaktapur, the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhu and Bauddhanath, and the Hindu temples of Pashupati and Changu Narayan.

Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha
Siddharta Gautama, the Buddha, was born in 623 BC or c. 563 BCE or 480 BCE in the famous gardens of Lumbini, and his birthplace became a place of pilgrimage. Emperor Ashoka determined that Lumbini was Gautama's birthplace and thus installed a pillar there with the inscription: "...this is where the Buddha, sage of the Śākyas (Śākyamuni), was born." However, the inscription is generally considered to be spurious.
Nevertheless, the place has become a place of pilgrimage and attracts pilgrims from all over the world.

Sagarmatha National Park
In a landscape of glaciers, deep valleys and majestic mountains dominated by Mount Everest (8,848 m), the highest peak in the world, the park is home to rare species such as the snow leopard and the lesser panda. The presence of the Sherpas, who have developed an original culture, adds to the interest of the place.



The Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, the place where, according to legend, Siddhartha Gautama, better known as Buddha, was born. On the left side of the temple, there is a (probably incomplete) column erected by Emperor Ashoka, who promoted the spread of Buddhism across ancient Asia.
Image: Rajeshdulal
 

Education in Nepal



Tri-Chandra College and clock tower (ghanta ghar) in Kathmandu. The Tri-Chandra College is the oldest institute of higher learning in Nepal, founded in 1918.
Image: Bijay Chaurasia


Nepali universities

Kathmandu University
Nepal's National University is an autonomous non-government, public institution in Dhulikhel, Kavrepalanchok district.

Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM)
School of Management is a management development institute under the Kathmandu University.
 
Tribhuvan University
Tribhuvan University was founded in 1959 in Kirtipur, an ancient city of Nepal. Tribhuvan is the oldest university in Nepal.

Tri-Chandra College
Tri-Chandra College is a constituent campus of Tribhuvan University located in Ghantaghar, Kathmandu. The college is the oldest institute of higher learning in Nepal, founded in 1918.

Rangjung Yeshe Institute
Centre for Buddhist Studies at Rangjung Yeshe Institute. RYI offers courses in Buddhist Philosophy, History, and Cultural Studies in Tibetan, Sanskrit, and Nepali languages.


List of universities and colleges in Nepal
Wikipedia's list includes all notable universities and colleges/campuses in Nepal.
 

Environment & Nature



Peaks in the Sagarmatha National Park, a protected area in the Himalayas in northeast Nepal and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Image: Santabazz

National Parks
Chitwan National Park
The Chitwan National Park lies in the Terai, the subtropical southern part of Nepal. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also contains a Ramsar wetland site. ^[X]

Environment & Nature
National Trust for Nature Conservation
The National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), previously known as the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation, was established in 1982 by a Legislative Act as an autonomous, not-for-profit and non-government organization mandated to work in the field of nature conservation in Nepal.

UNDP in Nepal
UNDP Nepal site with information about various UNDP programs, such as the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.



Beeshazari taal (20 thousand lakes) is an extensive oxbow lake wetland in the Chitwan National Park buffer zone, one of Nepal's two natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Image: Ach.nep99
 

Nepal History



Nuwakot Palace in the Kathmandu Valley is located in the Bidur Municipality. The palace was built by Nepal's first king Prithvi Narayan Shah in the 18th century.
Image: Bijaya2043


The nation-state of Nepal was the creation of King Prithvi Narayan Shah. The ruler of the small principality of Gorkha campaigned to unite the various kingdoms that dotted the geographical area defined by modern Nepal.
The conquest of Kathmandu Valley, which took a total of ten years of planning, siege and diplomacy, was the highlight of his conquests (1769). His descendants continued the work begun by King Prithvi Narayan. To the greatest extent, the Nepali Empire (then known as the Gorkhali) covered an area that was at least a third greater than its present confines.

Nepal, the nation-state of dismissed governments.
Nepal, the world's only Hindu monarchy, was controlled by a hereditary prime ministership until 1951. The nation's first election was held in 1959, but in 1960, King Mahendra dismissed the cabinet, dissolved parliament, and banned political parties.
A 1962 constitution created a nonparty panchayat (council) system of government.
After a 1980 referendum approved a modified version of the panchayat system, direct parliamentary elections were held in 1981.
A dispute with India led to India's closing of most border crossings from March 1989 to July 1990, and the resultant economic crisis fueled demands for political reform. After months of violence, King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev dissolved parliament. The opposition formed an interim government in April 1990, and a new constitution creating a constitutional monarchy and a bicameral legislature became effective on 9 Nov. 1990. Multiparty legislative elections held in May 1991 were won by the centrist Nepali Congress party; the Communists became the leading opposition party.
Mid-term elections in November 1994, called after a lost parliamentary vote, resulted in a "hung parliament," and the Communists, who emerged as the sole largest party, formed a minority government.

In January 2005, Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, dismissed the country's government, assumed power, and declared a state of emergency.

King Gyanendra's rule ended under public pressure in April 2006, the monarchy was abolished in May 2008, and a Maoist-dominated government took office in August of the same year.
(Source: Grolier's Encyclopedia and other sources)


History
From Ancient to Modern Nepal by the Nepal Tourism Board.

History Of Nepal
Nepali Ministry Of Foreign Affairs' page about the history of Nepal.

Nepal - History
Encyclopædia Britannica entry on the history of Nepal.

The Shah dynasty
Wikipedia article about the Royal House of Gorkha, the ruling Chaubise Thakuri dynasty, which became the unified Kingdom of Nepal.

BBC Nepal profile - Timeline
Timeline of Nepal's history from 1768 to 2017 from the BBC.

Timeline of Nepalese history
Wikipedia's timeline of Nepalese history.

History of Nepal
Wikipedia article about the history of Nepal in many languages.

 

Indigenous People of Nepal



The Pathibhara Devi Temple is considered one of the holy places for the Limbu people of Nepal. The temple is located at an altitude of 3,794 m in the Himalayas in northeastern Nepal on a secondary route to Kanchenjunga Base Camp.
Image: Prabina Karki


The country profile of Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs mixes caste, ethnic and religious groups in a rather undifferentiated way when referring to the country's various population groups. ^[X]

The caste system of Nepal was the traditional system of social stratification of the people of Nepal. Due to the many caste-based discriminations in the country, the Nepalese government legally abolished the caste system in 1963.


How many ethnic groups live in Nepal?
According to the Nepal MOFA, there are 126 castes/ethnicities and 123 languages spoken as mother tongues in Nepal, as per the 2011 census.


Khas people
Chhetri is the largest caste/ethnicity with 16.6% of the total population, followed by Brahman-Hill or Bahun people (12.2%).
Kami, the Bishwakarma or Kami, is an Indo-Aryan, Nepali-speaking group and a Khas' occupational caste of blacksmiths (4.8%).

The Magar is one of the oldest known indigenous ethnic groups in Nepal, making up about 7% of the country's population. Along with the Gurung, Rai and other Nepalese ethnic groups, they have gained notoriety as Gurkha soldiers of the British and Indian armies.

The Tharu people are an ethnic group native to the Terai region of southern Nepal and northern India. (6.6%)

Tamang people, the horse soldiers, are the oldest tribe in the Kathmandu Valley. They speak a Tibeto-Burman language and make up almost 6% of the country's population.

Newar is an ethnic group mainly located in the Kathmandu Valley. The Newar people belong to the higher strata of Nepalese society and speak the Sino-Tibetan language Newari. (5%)

Other
The Limbu, or Yakthung, are native people living in the Himalayan region of Limbuwan in Nepal.
Musalman (Nepalese Muslims 4.4%), Yadav, in the caste system of Nepal and India, refers to a grouping of traditionally predominantly non-elite, peasant-pastoral communities (4%).
Rai, also called Khambu, are Bantawa speaking people indigenous to eastern Nepal; they are descendants of the ancient Kirata Kingdom (2.3%).
Sherpa, also called Sharwa, is a group of mountain-dwelling people of Solu-Khumbu in Nepal, and Sikkim state in India, and Tibet (China).
The Pahari people (Pahadi) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in the hills of central Nepal.
Pahari people (Pahadi) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in the hills of central Nepal.

Newar people
Wikipedia article about the culture of the Newars one of the ethnic groups of Nepal.

Sherwa mi
Website on the Sherpas (Sherwa) of Nepal.

 

Additional Information

Selected country profiles of Nepal published by international organizations.


Amnesty International: Nepal
Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization focused on human rights.
Amnesty Nepal Report 2020

BBC Country Profile: Nepal
Country profiles by the British public service broadcaster.

BTI Transformation Index Nepal
Nepal Country Report 2020 by Bertelsmann Stiftung.

FAO: Nepal
UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Freedom House: Nepal
The U.S. government-funded non-profit organization whose goal is to promote liberal democracies worldwide.

GlobalEDGE: Nepal
Nepal ranking by the Global business knowledge portal.

The Heritage Foundation: Nepal
Index of Economic Freedom by The Heritage Foundation, an American conservative think tank.

Human Rights Watch: Nepal
HRW conducts research and advocacy on human rights.

OEC: Nepal
The Observatory of Economic Complexity provides the latest international trade data.

Reporters Without Borders: Nepal
RSF (Reporters sans frontières) is an international NGO that defends and promotes media freedom.

Wikipedia: Nepal
Wikipedia's Nepal page in many languages.

World Bank Data: Nepal
World Development Indicators database.

The CIA World Factbook -- Nepal
CIA World Factbook Nepal Page.