Nepal Information
Nepal — Heaven on Earth Sandwiched between China in the north and India in the south, Nepal is a country of high Himalayan Mountains, artistic monuments, exotic wildlife and diverse culture. Lord Buddha was born over 2,500 years ago in this land of Mount Everest. Recorded history of Nepal begins with the Lichhavis who came to power in 400 AD. With them the nation began to prosper in art, culture, painting, architecture and sculptures. The Mallas who succeeded them gave a new turn to this prosperity by transforming, the small Kingdoms of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur into "Open air museum of Art and Architecture".
Nepal is blessed with an incredible diversity of natural beauty and a consequent opulence of cultural varieties and at the same time she can offer new heights in conference facilities and incentive opportunities with the Himalaya as a backdrop. Nepal is the "Land of Paradise" for tourists, treks and mountaineering expeditions. The natural landscape of Nepal Mountains, rivers, glacial lakes, forests and wild animals are major resources for its tourism industry. The famous Himalayan range, favorable climate and the hospitality of the Nepalese people and their culture are also major attractions. The most exhilarating titles with which Nepal has been admired and praised by various renowned travel writers in recognition of her cultural richness, viz., Living cultural Museum, Shangri-La, Roof of the World, Birth place of the Apostle of Peace, Country of Living Goddess, City of Golden Pagodas & Parasols, Himalayan Pilgrimage, Nature amphitheatre, Melting pot of Hinduism & Buddhism, A tiny Kingdom of thirty six ethnic groups & seventy-five spoke languages, Birth place of Sita, Abode of Shiva, Land of Mysticism & Exoticism, Land of non-stop festivals etc. are explicit and self-explanatory. They tell the world about our incomparable & prosperous cultural heritage.
Only the himalayan country in the World For centuries the country of Nepal remained 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 BC and during their reign, emperor Ashoka arrived from India to build a pillar at Lumbini in memory of Lord Buddha. The Kirats were followed by the Lichchhavis whose descendants today are believed to be the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley. 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 Lichchhavi dynasty, Malla kings came to power in 1200 AD and they also contributed 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 18th century, Prithvi Narayan Shah, King of Gorkha, conquered Kathmandu and united Nepal into one kingdom. Recognizing the threat of the British Raj in India, he dismissed European missionaries from the country and for more than a century, Nepal remained in isolation. During the mid-19th 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.
Facts of the Nepal
Location:
Between India & the Tibetan Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.
Area:
147,181 Sq. Kms.
Latitude:
26° 12' and 30° 27' North.
Longitude:
80° 4' and 88° 12' East.
Capital:
Kathmandu.
Topography:
From the world's deepest gorge 'Kali-Gandaki' to the highest point on earth, Mt. Everest at 8848m
Vegetation:
Nepal possesses some of the most outstanding bio-diversity in the world, ranging from sub-tropical Rain forests to Alpine deserts.
Climate:
Climate ranges from sub-tropical in the low lands to Arctic in higher altitudes.
World Heritage Sites:
Ten (of which seven World Heritage Sites are situated within 20 kms. of radius, in the Kathmandu Valley).
Flora and Fauna:
840 different species of wet-land, migratory and residential birds. 8% of the world's population of birds.
- 11 of the 15 butterfly families in the world.
- 2% of the flowering plants.
- 4% of mammals on earth.
Home to Endangered Species like:
Royal Bengal tiger, One horned rhino, Snow - leopard, Red panda, Brown bear, Assamese macaque, Gangetic dolphin, wolf, wild elephant , giant horn-bill, swamp deer, wild yak, Tibetan antelope, Black buck, four horned antelope, Musk deer, Pigmy hog, Haspid hare, Pangolin, Gharial, Indian bustard, Saras crane, Impean pheasant, Python, etc.
A Living Cultural Heritage:
Nepal's heritage is alive and dynamic. Shamanism, Pan-animism & Witch-craft are still practised in remote regions. Temples, shrines, monuments and monasteries are extremely active with devotees burning butter-lamps, singing hymns, chiming temple bells and playing drums. The only country that has living goddess "Kumari".
