About Nepal
Nepal is first mentioned in the late
Vedic text, Atharvaveda Parisista as a place exporting blankets, and in
the post-Vedic Atharva Siras Upanisad. In Samudragupta’s Allahabad
inscription it is mentioned as a bordering country. The ‘Skanda Purana’
has a separate chapter known as ‘Nepal Mahatmya’, which “explains in
more details about the beauty and power of Nepal.” Nepal is also
mentioned in Hindu texts such as the Narayana Puja.
History
Records mention the Gopalas and Mahishapalas believed to have been
the earliest rulers with their capital at Matatirtha, the south-west
corner of the Kathmandu Valley. From the 7th or 8th Century
B.C. the Kirantis are said to have ruled the valley. Their famous King
Yalumber is even mentioned in the epic, ‘Mahabharat’. Around 300 A.D.
the Lichhavis arrived from northern India and overthrew the Kirantis.
One of the legacies of the Lichhavis is the Changu Narayan Temple near
Bhaktapur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Culture), which dates back to
the 5th Century. In the early 7th Century,
Amshuvarma, the first Thakuri king took over the throne from his
father-in-law who was a Lichhavi. He married off his daughter Bhrikuti
to the famous Tibetan King Tsong Tsen Gampo thus establishing good
relations with Tibet. The Lichhavis brought art and architecture to the
valley but the golden age of creativity arrived in 1200 A.D with the
Mallas.
During their 550 year rule, the Mallas built numerous temples and
splendid palaces with picturesque squares. It was also during their rule
that society and the cities became well organized; religious festivals
were introduced and literature, music and art were encouraged. After the
death of Yaksha Malla, the valley was divided into three kingdoms:
Kathmandu (Kantipur), Bhaktapur (Bhadgaon) and Patan (Lalitpur). Around
this time, the Nepal as we know it today was divided into about 46
independent principalities. One among these was the kingdom of Gorkha
with a Shah ruler. Much of Kathmandu Valley’s history around this time
was recorded by Capuchin friars who lived in the valley on their way in
and out of Tibet.
An ambitious Gorkha King named Prithvi Narayan Shah embarked on a
conquering mission that led to the defeat of all the kingdoms in the
valley (including Kirtipur which was an independent state) by 1769.
Instead of annexing the newly acquired states to his kingdom of Gorkha,
Prithvi Narayan decided to move his capital to Kathmandu establishing
the Shah dynasty which ruled unified Nepal from 1769 to 2008.
The history of the Gorkha state goes back to 1559 when Dravya Shah
established a kingdom in an area chiefly inhabited by Magars. During the
17th and early 18thcenturies, Gorkha continued a
slow expansion, conquering various states while forging alliances with
others. Prithvi Narayan dedicated himself at an early age to the
conquest of the Kathmandu Valley. 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 relegating the Shah
king to mere figureheads. He started a hereditary reign of the Rana
Prime Ministers that lasted for 104 years. The Ranas were overthrown in a
democracy movement of the early 1950s with support from the-then
monarch of Nepal, King Tribhuvan. Soon after the overthrow of the
Ranas, King Tribhuvan was reinstated as the Head of the State. In early
1959, Tribhuvan’s son King Mahendra issued a new constitution, and the
first democratic elections for a national assembly were held. The Nepali
Congress Party was victorious and their leader, Bishweshwar Prasad
Koirala formed a government and served as prime minister. But by 1960,
King Mahendra had changed his mind and dissolved Parliament, dismissing
the first democratic government.
After many years of struggle when the political parties were banned,
they finally mustered enough courage to start a People’s Movement in
1990. Paving way for democracy, the then-King Birendra accepted
constitutional reforms and established a multiparty parliament with King
as the Head of State and an executive Prime Minister. In May 1991,
Nepal held its first parliamentary elections. In February 1996, the
Maoist parties declared People’s War against monarchy and the elected
government.
Then on 1st June 2001, a horrific tragedy wiped out the
entire royal family including King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya with
many of their closest relatives. With only King Birendra’s brother,
Gyanendra and his family surviving, he was crowned the king. King
Gyanendra abided by the elected government for some time and then
dismissed the elected Parliament to wield absolute power.In April 2006,
another People’s Movement was launched jointly by the democratic parties
focusing most energy in Kathmandu which led to a 19-day curfew.
Eventually, King Gyanendra relinquished his power and reinstated the
Parliament.On November 21, 2006, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala
and Maoist chairman Prachanda signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
(CPA) 2006, committing to democracy and peace for the progress of the
country and people. A Constituent Assembly election was held on April
10, 2008. On May 28,2008, the newly elected Constituent
Assembly declared Nepal a Federal Democratic Republic, abolishing the
240 year-old monarchy. Nepal today has a President as Head of State and a
Prime Minister heading the Government.
Geography
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Nepal is located in South Asia between China in the north and India in the south, east and west. While the total land area is 147,181 sq. km including water area of the country that is 3,830 sq. km. The geographical coordinates are 28°00′N 84°00′E. Nepal falls in the temperate zone north of the Tropic of Cancer.Nepal’s ecological zones run east to west about 800 km along its Himalayan axis, 150 to 250 km north to south, and is vertically intersected by the river systems. The country can be divided into three main geographical regions: Himalayan region, mid hill region and Terai region. The highest point in the country is Mt. Everest (8,848 m) while the lowest point is in the Terai plains of Kechana Kalan in Jhapa (60 m).
The Terai region, with width of ranging 26 to 32 km and altitude
ranging from 60 -305 m, occupies about 17 percent of total land area of
the country. Kechana Kalan, the lowest point of the country with an
altitude of 60 m, lies in Jhapa district of the eastern Terai.The
southern lowland Terai continues to the Bhabar belt covered with the
Char Kose Jhadi forests known for rich wildlife. Further north, the
Siwalik zone (700 – 1,500 m) and the Mahabharat range (1,500 – 2,700 m)
give way to the Duns (valleys), such as Trijuga, Sindhuli, Chitwan, Dang
and Surkhet. The Midlands (600 – 3,500 m), north of the Mahabharat
range is where the two beautiful valleys of Kathmandu and Pokhara lie
covered in terraced rice fields, and surrounded by forested watersheds.
The Himalayas (above 3,000 m) comprises mountains, alpine pastures
and temperate forests limited by the tree-line (4,000 m) and snow line
(5,500 m). Eight of the 14 eight-thousanders of the world lie in Nepal:
Sagarmatha or Mount Everest (8,848 m), Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), Lhotse
(8,516 m), Makalu (8,463 m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), Dhaulagiri (8,167 m),
Manaslu (8,163 m) and Annapurna (8,091 m). The inner Himalayan valley
(above 3,600 m) such as Mustang and Dolpa are cold deserts sharing
topographical characteristics with the Tibetan plateau.Nepal holds the
so called “waters towers of South Asia” with its 6,000 rivers which are
snow-fed or dependent on rain. The perennial rivers include Mahakali,
Karnali, Narayani and Koshi rivers originating in the Himalayas.
Medium-sized rivers like Babai, West Rapti, Bagmati, Kamla, Kankai and
Mechi originate in the Midlands and Mahabharat range. A large number of
seasonal streams, mostly originating in Siwaliks, flow across the Terai.
Of 163 wetlands documented, the nine globally recognized Ramsar sites
are: Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Beeshazarital (Chitwan), Jagdishpur
Reservoir (Kapilvastu) Ghodaghodi Tal (Kailali) in the Terai, and Gokyo
(Solukhumbu), Phoksundo (Dolpa), Rara (Mugu) and Mai Pokhari (Ilam) in
the mountain region.There are more than 30 natural caves in the country
out of which only a few are accessible by road. Maratika Cave (also
known as Haleshi) is a pilgrimage site associated with Buddhism and
Hinduism. Siddha Cave is near Bimalnagar along the Kathmandu-Pokhara
highway. Pokhara is also known for caves namely Bats’ shed, Batulechar,
Gupteswar, Patale Chhango. The numerous caves around Lo Manthang in
Mustang include Luri and Tashi Kabum which house ancient murals and
chhortens dating back to the 13th century.
Climate
Climatic conditions of Nepal vary from one place to another in
accordance with the geographical features. In the north summers are cool
and winters severe, while in south summers are tropical and winters are
mild. Nepal has namely five major seasons: spring, summer, monsoon,
autumn and winter.An average temperature drop of 6°C occurs for every
1,000 m gain in altitude. In the Terai, summer temperatures exceed 37° C
and higher in some areas, winter temperatures range from 7°C to 23°C in
the Terai. In mountainous regions, hills and valleys, summers are
temperate while winter temperatures can plummet under sub zero. The
valley of Kathmandu has a pleasant climate with average summer and
winter temperatures of 19°C – 35°C and 2°C – 12°C respectively.
The Himalayas act as a barrier to the cold winds blowing from Central
Asia in winter, and forms the northern boundary of the monsoon wind
patterns. Eighty percent of the precipitation is received during the
monsoon (June-September). Winter rains are more pronounced in the
western hills. The average annual rainfall is 1,600 mm, but it varies by
eco-climatic zones, such as 3,345 mm in Pokhara and below 300 mm in
Mustang.An interesting fact is that there is no seasonal constraint on
traveling in and through Nepal. Even in December and January, when
winter is at its severest, there are compensating bright sun and
brilliant views. As with most of the trekking areas in Nepal, the best
time to visit are during spring and autumn. Spring is the time for
rhododendrons while the clearest skies are found after the monsoon in
October and November. However, Nepal can be visited the whole year
round.
Here’s a brief view of the average temperatures and rainfall during peak summer and winter in three most popular tourist areas:
| Place | Summer (May, June, July) | Winter (Dec, Jan, Feb) | ||||
| Max (°C) | Min (°C) | Rain (mm) | Max (°C) | Min (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Kathmandu | 28.1 | 19.5 | 312 | 19.3 | 3.0 | 15.4 |
| Pokhara | 29.7 | 21.3 | 829.7 | 20.3 | 7.7 | 26.3 |
| Chitwan | 33.0 | 25.3 | 404.0 | 24.1 | 8.3 | 13.8 |
For more information about Nepal’s climatic conditions,please visit: http://www.dhm.gov.np (official web site of the Department of Hydrology & Meteorology, Ministry of Environment).
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