सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रीक गणतन्त्र नेपाल Sanghiya Loktantrik Ganatantra Nepāl[1] Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal[2]
Flag Emblem
Motto: "Mother and Motherland are Greater than Heaven"
Anthem: "Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka"
Capital		Kathmandu (Nepal Bhasa: येँ) 27°42′N 85°19′E / 27.7, 85.317
Largest city		Kathmandu
Official languages		Nepali[3]
Recognised regional languages		Maithili, Nepal Bhasa, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Gurung, Tamang, Magar, Awadhi, Sherpa, Kiranti and another 100 different indigenous languages. The national flag of Nepal is the only national flag in the world that is not a quadrilateral The coat of arms of Nepal was changed during the reconciliation period following the Nepalese Civil War. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's "Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka Hami" ( Nepali: सयौं थुँगा फूलका हामी translates to We are hundreds of flowers) is the Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. Perched on the southern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains, State of Nepal is as ethnically diverse as its terrain of fertile plains broad valleys terraced hillsides Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma A regional language is a Language spoken in an area of a Nation state, whether it be a small area a federal State or Province, or Maithili (मैथिली Maithilī) is a language spoken in the eastern part of India, mainly in the Indian state of Bihar Bhojpuri ( is a regional language spoken in parts of north-central and eastern India. Gurung (also Tamu Kyi, Devnagari:तमु क्यी is a term used to collectively refer to Eastern Gurung (ISO 639-3 ggn and Western Tamang ( Devnagari:तामाङ is a term used to collectively refer to a group of languages spoken in parts of Nepal and Sikkim. Not to be confused with the Magyar language more commonly known as Hungarian Magar ( ISO 639-3: mgp /ISO 639-3 mrd is a language spoken in parts of Awadhi is an Indo-Aryan language. It is spoken chiefly in the Awadh (Oudh region of Uttar Pradesh, although its speakers are also found in Bihar Sherpa (ཤེརཔཱ, Devnagari: शेर्पा also Sharpa Sharpa Bhotia Xiaerba Serwa ISO 639-3 xsr is a language spoken in parts of Nepal and The Kiranti languages form a sub-group of the Tibeto-Burman language family, which is itself a branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages.
Demonym		Nepali
Government		Federal Republic
-	Acting Head of State	Girija Prasad Koirala
-	Prime Minister	Girija Prasad Koirala
Unification
-	Kingdom declared	December 21, 1768
-	State declared	January 15, 2007
-	Republic declared	May 28, 2008
Area
-	Total	147,181 km² (93rd) 56,827 sq mi
-	Water (%)	2. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Perched on the southern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains, State of Nepal is as ethnically diverse as its terrain of fertile plains broad valleys terraced hillsides For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A federal republic is a Federation of States with a republican form of government Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state Girija prasad Koirala (गिरिजा प्रसाद कोइराला born 1925 is a Nepalese politician and the President of the Nepali Congress, a The position of Prime Minister of Nepal was created in 1799 Few of Nepal's Prime Ministers have carried a democratic mandate Girija prasad Koirala (गिरिजा प्रसाद कोइराला born 1925 is a Nepalese politician and the President of the Nepali Congress, a Early Rulers The first record of the word Nepal is found in ancient Indian annals such as the puranas from the 4th century A Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 1768 ( MDCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 8
Population
-	July 2008 estimate	29,519,114 (40th)
-	2003 census	23,151,423
-	Density	184/km² (56th) 477/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$48. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 18 billion (87th)
-	Per capita	$1,500 (164th)
Gini (2003–04)		47. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 2 (high)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 534 (medium) (142nd)
Currency		Rupee (NPR)
Time zone		NPT (UTC+5:45)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+5:45)
Internet TLD		.np
Calling code		+977

Nepal (Nepali: नेपाल [neˈpaːl] (help·info)), officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal (सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रीक गणतन्त्र नेपाल), is a landlocked country in South Asia. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The rupee (रूपैयाँ ( sign: ₨; code: NPR)is the official Currency of Nepal. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Nepal Time (NPT is the Time zone for Nepal. It is UTC +545 and is the only time zone without an hour or half-hour offset from UTC Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma It is bordered by China to the north, and India to the south, east and west. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Himalaya mountain range runs across Nepal's northern and western parts, and eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including the highest, Mount Everest, are within its territory. Mount Everest, also called Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा meaning Head of the Sky) or Chomolungma, Qomolangma or Zhumulangma (in

The modern state was formed with the Unification of Nepal by Prithvi Narayan Shah on December 21, 1768. Early Rulers The first record of the word Nepal is found in ancient Indian annals such as the puranas from the 4th century A Prithvi Narayan Shah King of Nepal (1723 - 1775 AD Nepali पृथ्वी नारायण शाह was a Nepali nobleman Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 1768 ( MDCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Prior to 2006, Nepal was a kingdom and the only nation with Hinduism as its official religion. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. At present, Nepal is officially and constitutionally a secular country. Its recent history has involved struggles for democratic government with periods of direct monarchic rule. From 1995 until 2006, Nepal suffered from a Civil War between government forces and Maoist guerrillas of the Communist Party of Nepal. The Nepalese Civil War (labelled People's War by the Maoists was a conflict between Government forces and Maoist rebels in Nepal Maoism, variably and officially known as Mao Zedong Thought ( is a variant of Marxism derived from the teachings of the late Chinese leader The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist (नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (माओवादी is a Maoist Political party

On December 28, 2007, the Interim Parliament passed a bill and declared Nepal to be a Federal Democratic Republic. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly officially implemented that declaration on May 28, 2008. The Nepalese Constituent Assembly is a body of 601 members formed as a result of an election that was held on April 10, 2008. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

Nepal is a multi-cultural, multi-linguistic and multi religious country. For a relatively small country, Nepal has a diverse landscape, ranging from the humid Terai plains in the south to the mountainous Himalayas in the north, which makes it a major tourist destination. The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India Hinduism is practised by huge majority of the people, but the country also has a strong Buddhist tradition; Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha Siddhartha Gautama being located in the Terai, one of the three regions of Nepal. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Lumbini ( Sanskrit: sa लुम्बिनी "the lovely" is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Kapilavastu district of Nepal Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India

The capital Kathmandu is the largest city in the country. Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. The official language is Nepali and the state currency is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR). Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma The rupee (रूपैयाँ ( sign: ₨; code: NPR)is the official Currency of Nepal. Nepal's Flag is the only national flag in the world that is non-quadrilateral in shape. The national flag of Nepal is the only national flag in the world that is not a quadrilateral In Geometry, a quadrilateral is a Polygon with four sides or edges and four vertices or corners. It is believed that lord Vishnu had organized the Nepali people and given them this flag, with the sun and moon as emblems on it. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Perched on the southern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains, State of Nepal is as ethnically diverse as its terrain of fertile plains broad valleys terraced hillsides ^[4]

Etymology

Ne Muni

Historians and local traditions say that a Hindu sage named "Ne" established himself at the valley of Kathmandu during prehistoric times and that the word "Nepal" came into existence as the place protected ("pala" in Sanskrit) by the sage "Ne". Saints are recognized in Hinduism although it does not require canonization or similar formal process to acknowledge a person as one The etymology of the name Nepal means, "the country looked after by Ne". ^[5]

He used to perform religious ceremonies at Teku, the confluence of the Bagmati and Bishnumati rivers. ^[6] He is said by legend to have selected a pious cowherd to be the first of the many kings of the Gopala Dynasty. ^[7] These rulers are said to have ruled Nepal for over 500 years. ^[8] He selected Bhuktaman to be the first king in the line of the Gopal (Cowherd) Dynasty. ^[9] The Gopal dynasty ruled for 621 years. Yakshya Gupta was the last king of this dynasty. However,this mythology can be challenged as no such name as Ne exists in Nepali or other sanskrit derived languages.

According to Skanda Purana, a rishi called "Ne" or "Nemuni" used to live in Himalaya. Skanda Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text is the largest Purana and is devoted mainly to the life and deed of Kartikeya ^[10] In the Pashupati Purana, he is mentioned as a saint and a protector. ^[11] He is said to have practiced penance at the Bagmati and Kesavati rivers^[12] and to have taught his doctrines there too. Tapas ( tápas) in Sanskrit means "heat" In Vedic religion and Hinduism, it is used figuratively denoting spiritual suffering ^[13]

Other possible derivations

Another legend ties the name to agriculture; "Ne" means wool in the Tibetan language and "pal" means house or godown. A warehouse is a commercial Building for Storage of Goods. Warehouses are used by Manufacturers Importers Exporters

Others believe the word “Nepal” was derived from the word “Nepa:” which refers to the Newar Kingdom of with Kathmandu Valley as its capital. The Newa ( Nepal Bhasa:नेवाः Newa or Newah, Old Nepal Bhasa नेवार Newar, नेवाल Newal) are the The Kathmandu Valley (नेपाः स्वनिगः Nepāḥ Svānigaḥ) located in the Nepal, lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of With Sanskritization, the Newar word Nepa became Nepal^[14]. The Newars, a linguistic community (derived from various ethnicities) of present day Nepal, refer to all the inhabitants of Kathmandu valley and its peripheries (called "Nepa:") before the advent of Shah dynasty. The Nepal Sambat calendar, named after this Newar kingdom and devised 1200 years ago, is still one of the major calendars used in Nepal and testifies to its antiquity. The Lunar calendar Nepal Sambat ( Nepal Bhasa: नेपाल सम्बत is commonly used in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal.

Language

All the languages spoken in Nepal are the national languages^[15]. Nepali is the official language of Nepal^[16]. Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma It was originally called Khaskura, but became known as Nepali during the 20th century^[17]. However, all languages spoken in Nepal can be used for official purposes and documentation irrespective of what the official language is ^[18].

History

Main article: History of Nepal

Prehistory

Neolithic tools found in the Kathmandu Valley indicate that people have been living in the Himalayan region for at least 9,000 years. The History of Nepal (नेपालको इतिहास is characterized by its isolated position in the Himalayas and its two dominant neighbors India The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The Kathmandu Valley (नेपाः स्वनिगः Nepāḥ Svānigaḥ) located in the Nepal, lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of It appears that people who were probably of Kirant ethnicity lived in Nepal 2,500 years ago. ^[19]

Ancient

Nepal is mentioned in Hindu scriptures such as the Narayana Puja^[20] and the Atharva Siras (800-600 BC). A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical ^[21]Around 1000 BC, small kingdoms and confederations of clans arose in the region. From one of these, the Shakya confederation, arose a prince named Siddharta Gautama (563–483 BC), who later renounced his royalty to lead an ascetic life and came to be known as the Buddha ("the enlightened one"). Shakya ( Sanskrit:Śākya and {{IAST|Pāli}}:Sākiya is the name (derived from Sanskrit śakya, capable able of an ancient Janapada (realm Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder 7th Kirata king Jitedasti was on throne in Nepal valley at the time. By 250 BC, the region came under the influence of the Mauryan empire of northern India, and later became a vassal state under the Gupta Dynasty in the fourth century AD. The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military The Gupta Empire ( Hindi: गुप्त राजवंश was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 C From the late fifth century, rulers called the Licchavis governed the area. Licchavi (also Lichchhavi, Lichavi) was an ancient Republic which existed in what is now Bihar state of India, since the before the There is a good and quite detailed description of the kingdom of Nepal in the account of the renowned Chinese Buddhist pilgrim monk, Xuanzang, dating from c. See also Xuanzang (fictional character Xuanzang ( pronounced Shwan-dzang) was a famous Chinese Buddhist Monk, scholar traveler 645 AD. ^[22][23]

The Licchavi dynasty went into decline in the late eighth century and was followed by a Newari era, from 879, although the extent of their control over the entire country is uncertain. The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. By the late 11th century, southern Nepal came under the influence of the Chalukaya Empire of southern India. The Chalukya dynasty ( Kannada: ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯರು ʧaːɭukjə was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and Central South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union Under the Chalukayas, Nepal's religious establishment changed as the kings patronised Hinduism instead of the prevailing Buddhism.

Map of Nepal

Medieval

By the early 12th century, leaders were emerging whose names ended with the Sanskrit suffix malla ("wrestler"). Initially their reign was marked by upheaval, but the kings consolidated their power and ruled over the next 200 years; by the late 14th century, much of the country began to come under a unified rule. This unity was short-lived; in 1482 the region was carved into three kingdoms: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhadgaon. Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. Patan may refer to places in Afghanistan, India and Nepal: Afghanistan Patan Afghanistan Bhaktapur (भक्तपुर जिल्ला Bhaktapur Jillā) also Bhadgaon or Khwopa (ख्वप Khvapa) is an ancient

Hindu temples in Patan, capital of one of the three medieval Newar kingdoms

After centuries of petty rivalry between the three kingdoms, in the mid-18th century Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Gorkha King set out to unify the kingdoms. The Newa ( Nepal Bhasa:नेवाः Newa or Newah, Old Nepal Bhasa नेवार Newar, नेवाल Newal) are the The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system Prithvi Narayan Shah King of Nepal (1723 - 1775 AD Nepali पृथ्वी नारायण शाह was a Nepali nobleman Seeking arms and aid from India, and buying the neutrality of bordering Indian kingdoms, he embarked on his mission in 1765. After several bloody battles and sieges, he managed to unify Kathmandu Valley three years later in 1768. However, an actual battle never took place to conquer the Kathmandu valley; it was taken over by Prithvi Narayan and his troops without any effort, during Indra Jatra, a festival of Newars, when all the valley's citizens were celebrating the festival. The Newa ( Nepal Bhasa:नेवाः Newa or Newah, Old Nepal Bhasa नेवार Newar, नेवाल Newal) are the This event marked the birth of the modern nation of Nepal.

Modern

There is historical evidence that, at one time, the boundary of Greater Nepal extended from Tista River on the East to Kangara, across Sutlej River, in the west. Greater Nepal is a concept referring to the state of Nepal extending beyond present boundaries to include territories ceded to the British East India Company under The River Teesta (टिस्ता खोला Tista Khola তিস্তা নদী Tista Nodi) said to be the lifeline of the Indian state The Sutlej River (alternatively spelled as Satluj River (ਸਤਲੁਜ शतद्रु or सुतुद्री, ستلج and सतलुज is the longest A dispute and subsequently war with Tibet over the control of mountain passes forced the Nepalese to retreat and pay heavy reparations. Rivalry between Nepal and the British East India Company over the annexation of minor states bordering Nepal eventually led to the Anglo-Nepalese War (1815–16). The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or The Gurkha War ( 1814 – 1816) sometimes called the Gorkha War or the Anglo-Nepalese War, was fought between Nepal and the British The valor displayed by the Nepalese during the war astounded their enemies and earned them their image of fierce and ruthless "Gurkhas". Prithvi Naraya Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur The Way of Sacrifice The Rajputs Pages 28-30 Graduate Thesis South Asian Studies Department Dr The war ended the Treaty of Sugauli. The Sugauli Treaty (also spelled Segowlee and Segqulee) was signed on December 2, 1815 and ratified by March 4, 1816 This treaty ceded Sikkim and lands in Terai to the Company. Sikkim ( Nepali:, also Sikhim) is a Landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas It is the least populous state in India

Factionalism inside the royal family had led to a period of instability. The King of Nepal was traditionally known as the Mahārājdhirāja (श्री 5 महाराजधिराज his queen was known as the Badāmahārānī In 1846 a plot was discovered, revealing that the reigning queen had planned to overthrow Jung Bahadur Rana, a fast-rising military leader. Jung Bahadur (or Jang Bahadur) GCB, GCSI, ( June 18, 1816, Kathmandu, Nepal - February 25, 1877 This led to the Kot Massacre; armed clashes between military personnel and administrators loyal to the queen led to the execution of several hundred princes and chieftains around the country. The Kot massacre was a bloodbath in 1846 september 14 when the nobles clashed with the seven unsuspecting Rana brothers with weapons A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking Jung Bahadur Rana emerged victorious and founded the Rana lineage. The Rana dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1953 reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other The king was made a titular figure, and the post of Prime Minister was made powerful and hereditary. The Ranas were staunchly pro-British, and assisted them during the Indian Sepoy Rebellion in 1857 (and later in both World Wars). The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, A world war is a War affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations The decision to help British East India Company was taken by the Rana Regime, then led by Jang Bahadur Rana. Some parts of Terai Region were given back to Nepal by the British as a friendly gesture, because of her military help to sustain British control in India during the Sepoy Rebellion. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, In 1923, the United Kingdom and Nepal formally signed an agreement of friendship, in which Nepal's independence was recognized by the UK.

Nepalese royalty in the 1920s

Slavery was abolished in Nepal in 1924. ^[24]

In the late 1940s, newly emerging pro-democracy movements and political parties in Nepal were critical of the Rana autocracy. Meanwhile, with the assertion of Chinese control in Tibet in the 1950s, India sought to counterbalance the perceived military threat from its northern neighbour by taking pre-emptive steps to assert more influence in Nepal. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European India sponsored both King Tribhuvan as Nepal's new ruler in 1951, and a new government, mostly comprising the Nepali Congress Party, thus terminating Rana hegemony in the kingdom. King Tribhuhvan Bir Bikram Shah (त्रिभुवन वीर विक्रम शाह King of Nepal ( June 30, 1906 &ndash March 13, The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese Political party. It is led by Girija Prasad Koirala. After years of power wrangling between the king and the government, the monarch scrapped the democratic experiment in 1959, and a "partyless" panchayat system was made to govern Nepal until 1989, when the "Jan Andolan" (People's Movement) forced the monarchy to accept constitutional reforms and to establish a multiparty parliament that took seat in May 1991. The Panchayat is a South Asian Political system. ‘Panchayat’ literally means assembly ( yat) of five ( panch) wise and respected elders chosen ^[25]

In 1996, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) started a bid to replace the royal parliamentary system with a people's socialist republic. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist (नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (माओवादी is a Maoist Political party A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which This led to the long Nepal Civil War and more than 12,000 deaths. The Nepalese Civil War (labelled People's War by the Maoists was a conflict between Government forces and Maoist rebels in Nepal On June 1, 2001, there was a massacre in the royal palace; it left the King, the Queen and the Heir Apparent Crown Prince Dipendra among the dead. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah ( June 27 1971 &ndash June 4 2001) was King of Nepal from June 1 to June 4 Prince Dipendra was accused of patricide and of committing suicide thereafter, alleged to be a violent response to his parents' refusal to accept his choice of wife. However, there are lots of speculations and doubts among Nepalese citizens about the person(s) responsible for the Royal Massacre. Following the carnage, the throne was inherited by King Birendra's brother Gyanendra. Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( Nepali: ज्ञानेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह Jñānendra Vīra Vikrama Śāhadeva (born 7 July On February 1, 2005, Gyanendra dismissed the entire government and assumed full executive powers to quash the violent Maoist movement. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In September 2005, the Maoists declared a three-month unilateral ceasefire to negotiate their demands.

In response to the 2006 democracy movement, the king agreed to relinquish the sovereign power back to the people and reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives on April 24, 2006. The 2006 Democracy Movement ( Nepali: लोकतन्त्र आन्दोलन Loktantra Āndolan) is a name given to the ongoing political agitations against Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Using its newly acquired sovereign authority, on May 18, 2006, the newly resumed House of Representatives unanimously passed a motion to curtail the power of the king and declared Nepal a secular state, abolishing its time honoured official status as a Hindu Kingdom. Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. A secular state is a State or Country that is officially neutral in matters of Religion, neither supporting nor opposing any particular religious beliefs On December 28, 2007, a bill was passed in parliament, to amend Article 159 of the constitution - replacing "Provisions regarding the King" by "Provisions of the Head of the State" - declaring Nepal a federal republic, and thereby abolishing the monarchy. A federal republic is a Federation of States with a republican form of government ^[26] The bill came into force on May 28, 2008 as a constituent assembly meeting in the capital, Kathmandu, overwhelmingly voted to abolish royal rule. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Kathmandu (काठमांडौ येँ is the Capital and the largest city of Nepal. ^[27]

End of monarchy

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) won the largest number of seats in the Constituent Assembly election held on 10 April 2008, and is trying to form a coalition government with some smaller parties. An election for a Constituent Assembly was held in Nepal on 10 April 2008 after having been postponed from earlier dates of 20 June Events 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks. 1407 - the lama 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Maoists had insisted on the abolition of the monarchy and the removal of Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev as King with Nepal becoming a federal democratic state with an elected head of state. Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( Nepali: ज्ञानेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह Jñānendra Vīra Vikrama Śāhadeva (born 7 July The newly-elected Assembly met in Kathmandu on May 28, 2008 and abolished the monarchy that had reigned for 240 years. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common There was a polling of constituent Assembly members and out of a total of 564 Assembly members, 560 voted to end Nepal's monarchical rule. ^[28][29][30] The proposal declared that Nepal had become an independent, indivisible, sovereign, secular and an inclusive democratic republic. ^[31]

Nepal's government has announced a public holiday for three days, from May 28 to May 30, to celebrate the country becoming a republic. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Events 1416 - The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund a supporter of Antipope John XXIII burns Jerome of Prague following

The Narayanhity palace removed the royal flag that was flying on its premises and replaced it with Nepal's national flag on 29 May 2008. The Narayanhity Royal Palace or Narayanhity Durbar was the home of the monarchs of Nepal ^[32]

Geography

Cho Oyu, Nepal

Topographic map of Nepal. Cho Oyu (or Qowowuyag; in Nepal चोयु Tibetan in Wylie transliteration: jo bo dbu yag; Chinese: 卓奧有山 Pinyin

Main articles: Geography of Nepal and Geology of Nepal

Geography of Nepal is uncommonly diverse. Sandwiched between two Asian giants-- China and India -- Nepal traditionally has been characterized as "a yam caught between two rocks The Himalayan arc extends about 2400 km from Nanga Parbat (8138 m in the west to Namche Barwa (7756 m in the east (Le Fort 1996 Nepal is of roughly trapezoidal shape, 800 kilometres (500 mi) long and 200 kilometres (125 mi) wide, with an area of 147,181 square kilometres (56,827 sq mi). A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. See List of territories by size for the comparative size of Nepal.

Nepal is commonly divided into three physiographic areas: the Mountain, Hill, Siwalik region and Terai Regions. Nepal 's Hill region consists predominantly of the land area from 600 Meters to 1800 meters above Sea level. Siwalik is highland region in between the Mahabharat and Chure mountain range in Nepal. The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India These ecological belts run east-west and are vertically intersected by Nepal's major, north to south flowing river systems.

The southern lowland Plains bordering India are part of the northern rim of the Indo-Gangetic plains. The Indo-Gangetic Plain also known as the Northern plains and the North Indian River Plain is a large and fertile plain encompassing most of northern and eastern India, They were formed and are fed by three major rivers: the Kosi, the Narayani (India's Gandak River), and the Karnali. The Gandaki River also known as the Kali Gandaki, Narayani (after confluence with Trisuli in Nepal and the Gandak in India is a tributary of the Ganga or Karnali or Ghaghara (also spelled the Gogra Ghaghra or Ghagra Nepali Kauriala or Manchu or the Karnali literally means ' holy water from the sacred mountain' (Karnali also means “Turquoise This region has a hot, humid climate.

The Hill Region (Pahad) abuts the mountains and varies from 1,000 to 4,000 metres (3,300–13,125 ft) in altitude. Two low mountain ranges, the Mahabharat Lekh and Shiwalik Range (also called the Churia Range) dominate the region. The Mahabharat Lekh or Range is a major east-west mountain range generally 1500 to 3000 meters high across Nepal. The Sivalik Hills also known as the Sivalik mountains (also spelled Shiwalik, Shivalik, or Siwalik) and sometimes called Churia or The hilly belt includes the Kathmandu Valley, the country's most fertile and urbanised area. Unlike the valleys called Inner Tarai (Bhitri Tarai Uptyaka), elevations above 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) are sparsely populated.

The Mountain Region, situated in the Great Himalayan Range, makes the northern part of Nepal. It contains the regions of highest altitude in the world; the world's highest mountain, 8,850 metres (29,035 ft) height Mount Everest (Sagarmatha in Nepali) is located here on the border with Tibet. Altitude is the Elevation of a point or object from a known level or datum (plural data Mount Everest, also called Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा meaning Head of the Sky) or Chomolungma, Qomolangma or Zhumulangma (in Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Seven other of the world's ten highest mountains are located in Nepal: Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu. The eight-thousanders are the fourteen independent Mountains on Earth that are more than above Sea level. Lhotse (in Nepal officially ल्होत्से, in China officially Lhozê; Tibetan in Wylie transliteration: lho rtse; Makalu (in Nepal officially मकालु;in China officially Makaru; Chinese: 马卡鲁山 Pinyin: Mǎkǎlǔ Shān) is the fifth Cho Oyu (or Qowowuyag; in Nepal चोयु Tibetan in Wylie transliteration: jo bo dbu yag; Chinese: 卓奧有山 Pinyin Kangchenjunga ( Nepali:कञ्चनजङ्घा Kanchanjaŋghā) SewaLungma ( Limbu language) is the third highest Dhaulagiri (धौलागिरी is the seventh highest Mountain in the world Annapurna ( Sanskrit, Nepali, Nepal Bhasa: अन्नपूर्णा is a series of peaks in the Himalaya, a -long Massif Manaslu (मनास्लु also known as Kutang) is the eighth highest Mountain in the world located in the Mansiri Himal, part of the Nepalese

The arid and barren Himalayan landscape.

Nepal has five climatic zones, broadly corresponding to the altitudes. The tropical and subtropical zones lie below 1,200 metres (3,940 ft), the temperate zone 1,200 to 2,400 metres (3,900–7,875 ft), the cold zone 2,400 to 3,600 metres (7,875–11,800 ft), the subarctic zone 3,600 to 4,400 metres (11,800–14,400 ft), and the Arctic zone above 4,400 metres (14,400 ft). The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23

Nepal experiences five seasons: summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months The Himalaya blocks cold winds from Central Asia in winter, and forms the northern limit of the monsoon wind patterns. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Once thickly forested, deforestation is a major problem in all regions, with resulting erosion and degradation of ecosystems.

Nepal is a hotspot of mountaineering, containing some of the highest and most challenging mountains in the world, including Mount Everest. Technically, the south-east ridge on the Nepali side of the mountain is easier to climb; so, most climbers prefer to trek to Everest through Nepal.

Until the Sugauli Sandhi (treaty) was signed, the territory of Nepal also included Darjeeling, and Tista to the east, Nainital to the south-west and Kalapani, Susta, Garhwal to the west. Darjeeling ( Nepali:) is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. Nainital is a town in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and headquarters of Nainital district in the Kumaon Foothills The Kalapani River runs through northern India and western Nepal and includes a disputed area of about 400 km² around the source of the river although the exact size However, today these areas are a part of India. As a result, Nepal shares no boundary with Bangladesh now and the two countries are separated by a narrow strip of land about 21 kilometre (13 mi) wide, called the Siliguri Corridor‎ or Chicken's Neck. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially The Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck or is a narrow stretch of land which connects India 's north-eastern states to the rest of India Efforts are underway to make this area a free-trade zone. A free trade zone ( FTZ) or export processing zone ( EPZ) is one or more special areas of a country where some normal Trade barriers such as ^[33]The border dispute between India and Nepal has often been a cause of tension between the two countries.

Subdivisions

Subdivisions of Nepal

Nepalese woman

Main articles: Zones of Nepal, Districts of Nepal, and Regions of Nepal

Nepal is divided into 14 zones and 75 districts, grouped into 5 development regions. Nepal is divided into 14 administrative zones (अञ्चल "anchal" which are divided into 75 districts (जिल्ला "jilla" The 14 administrative zones (अञ्चल of Nepal are subdivided into 75 districts (जिल्ला Nepal is divided into 14 administrative zones (अञ्चल which are divided into 75 districts (जिल्ला Nepal is divided into 14 administrative zones (अञ्चल "anchal" which are divided into 75 districts (जिल्ला "jilla" The 14 administrative zones (अञ्चल of Nepal are subdivided into 75 districts (जिल्ला Nepal is divided into 14 administrative zones (अञ्चल which are divided into 75 districts (जिल्ला Each district is headed by a permanent chief district officer responsible for maintaining law and order and coordinating the work of field agencies of the various government ministries. The 14 zones are:

Neotectonics of Nepal

The collision between the Indian subcontinent and the Eurasian continent, which started in Paleogene time and continues today, produced the Himalaya and the Tibetan Plateau, a spectacular modern example of the effects of plate tectonics. Bagmati Zone is a zone of Nepal which is named after the river Bagmati. Bheri zone (भेरी अञ्चल is one of the fourteen zones of Nepal. Dhawalagiri (Dhaulagiri is one of the fourteen zones of Nepal. The Gandaki zone lies in the western administrative region of Nepal. Janakpur Zone is one of the 14 zones of Nepal, reaching from the Indian border in the south to the Tibetan border in the north and Sagarmatha Karnali is one of 14 Zones of Nepal in the northwestern mountainous region Kosi Zone is one of fourteen Zones of Nepal, comprising six districts namely Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Morang, Sankhuwasabha Lumbini Zone is one of the 14 zones of Nepal and is home to Lumbini site the birth place of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became the historical Buddha Mahakali is one of the fourteen zones of Nepal, it is the most western part of Nepal and has an area of 6205 km2 Mechi is one of the fourteen zones of Nepal. Its headquarters is at Ilam Narayani (naa - ra - ye - nee) located in the central south of Nepal, is one of the fourteen Zones of the Republic of Nepal. Rapti (राप्ती is a mid-western anchal (first-order administrative district usually translated as 'region' of Nepal. Sagarmatha zone (सगरमाथा अञ्चल is a zone in eastern Nepal. Seti Zone (Nepali सेती जिल्ला is one of fourteen Zones of Nepal. This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. The Paleogene (alternatively Palaeogene) is a geologic period and system that began 65 The Tibetan Plateau, also known as the Qinghai-Tibetan (Qingzang Plateau is a vast elevated Plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Nepal lies completely within this collision zone, occupying the central sector of the Himalayan arc, nearly one third of the 2400km-long Himalayas. ^[34]

The Indian plate continues to move northward relative to Asia at the rate of ~50mm/yr. ^[35] Given the great magnitudes of the blocks of the Earth’s crust involved, this is remarkably fast, about twice the speed at which human fingernails grow. As the strong Indian continental crust subducts beneath the relatively weak Tibetan crust, it pushes up the Himalaya mountains. This collision zone has accommodated huge amounts of crustal shortening as the rock sequences slide one over another. Erosion of the Himalayas is a very important source of sediment, which flows via great rivers (Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra) to the Indian Ocean. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface ^[36]

Structural and Neotectonic pattern of Nepal

The main structures of Nepal consist of several north-dipping [thrust fault]s; the more important ones are the main frontal thrust (MFT), the main boundary thrust (MBT) and the main central thrust (MCT) (F. Jouanne et al. ,2004). These thrust faults lie to the south of the South Tibetan Detachment System( STDS) which is a system of low angle [normal fault]s and is also an important aspect of Nepal Himalayan tectonics.

Geological Map of Nepal Showing Major Tectonic Thrusts.

The thrust faults trend generally 120°N in western Nepal, curving to 90°N in the eastern part of the country (Upreti & Le Fort 1999). These thrust faults, with generally southerly transport directions (Brunel 1986; Pecher 1991; Mugnier et al. ,1999), are inferred to branch off the major basal detachment of the Himalayan thrust belt called the main Himalayan thrust (MHT) that localizes the underthrusting of the Indian lithospere beneath the Himalayas and Tibet (Zhao et al. , 1993). All the cross-sections made through the Himalayan belt advocate a mid-crustal ramp, below a large-scale antiformal structure of the Lesser Himalayas and to be north of a synformal structure(Schelling & Arita 1991; Srivastava & Mitra 1994; Pandey et al. 1990; DeCelles et al. 1998; Mugnier et al. 2003). Geological, geophysical and structural data indicate that there are lateral variations in the geometry of the MHT (Zhao et al. ,1993; Pandey et al. 1995,1999), but direct knowledge of the geometry of the MHT is sparse and therefore the validity of the profiles is still in debate. The thrusts are generally younger from north to south (24-21 Ma for the MCT, less than 2 Ma for the MFT) (Hodges et al. 1996; Harrison et al. 1997). On the basis of these faults, the structure of Nepal is generally subdivided into five tectonic zones:

1. Gangetic Plain (Terai) (area on the south of MFT)
2. Sub-Himalayas (Siwaliks)( area between MFT and MBT)
3. Lesser Himalayas (area between MBT and MCT)
4. Higher Himalayas (area between MCT and STDS)
5. Tibetan-Tethys ( area north of STDS)

Present-day deformation of Nepal

The modern deformation of the Himalayas is characterized by big earthquakes. The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India The Sivalik Hills also known as the Sivalik mountains (also spelled Shiwalik, Shivalik, or Siwalik) and sometimes called Churia or An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer Almost half of the continuing convergence between India and Eurasia is absorbed by underthrusting of the Indian lithosphere, beneath the Himalayas and Tibet along the MHT, as proposed by seismic investigations (Zhao et al. The lithosphere (IPA, from the Greek λίθος for "rocky" + σφαίρα for "sphere" is the solid outermost shell of a rocky Planet. 1993). Three of the big Nepalese earthquakes (1905,1934 and 1950, with magnitudes around 8) were caused by the mid-crustal ramp along MHT (Pandey & Molnar 1989). The territory of Nepal is characterized by very intense microseismic activity, most of which follows approximately the topographic front of the Higher Himalaya (Pandey et al. ,1999). Most of the earthquakes cluster between the MCT and MBT (Fig: Seismicity in the Himalayas of Nepal).

Seismicity in the Himalayas of Nepal.

Earthquake focal mechanisms indicate that the intermediate magnitude earthquakes are shallow depth (10-20km) beneath the Lesser Himalayas, demonstrating the activation of thrust planes gently dipping to the north (Ni and Barazangi, 1984). An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer The focal mechanism of an Earthquake describes the inelastic deformation in the source region that generates the seismic waves Detailed analysis of the Uttarkashi earthquake (Cotton et al. 1996) in the west of Nepal indicates that this event was initiated to the south of the Higher Himalayas front at 12±3 km depth corresponding to the southward propagation of a rupture along this segment of the MHT. A detailed study of the microseismic clusters suggests segmentation of the Himalayan arc (Pandey et al. 1999) and two major discontinuities segment the microseismicity belt at 82. 5°E and 86. 5°E. The projection along cross sections of the microseismic event (Fig:Cross-section and Projection of Microseimic Activity) reveals a noticeable change in shape of the clusters between central Nepal (rounded clusters are located in the vicinity of the flat-ramp transition of the MHT) and western Nepal (clusters are elongated and nearly horizontal) (F. Jouanne et al. ,2004). Similarly, vertical displacement rates, expressed with reference to the Gangetic plain, indicate current uplift of the high Himalayas at 6mm/yr, but also suggest active displacement along frontal thrusts inducing localized uplift (B. Antoine et al. , 2004). There is change in maximum elevation between central (8500m) and western (7500m) Nepal and also a big difference in incision between eastern-central Nepal (6000m) and western Nepal (4500m)(B. Antoine et al. , 2004). This is reflected in gentler relief in western Nepal and confirms the segmentation of geology and deformation observed with microseismicity and GPS measurements (Fig:Cross-section and Projection of Microseimic Activity). Basic concept of GPS operation A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS Satellites high above the Earth

Cross-section and Projection of Microseimic Activity.

Conclusion: To summarise, the neotectonic deformation of Nepal is characterised by three major thrust faults (MCT, MBT and MFT) which are inferred to be the splay thrust of MHT that marks the underthrusting of Indian lithosphere beneath the Himalayas. Likewise, there is a sudden change in geometry of the MHT between central and western Nepal, which is also marked in the Himalayan relief. The MHT is the main structure responsible for recent uplift and continuing deformation in Nepal. This hypothesis is reinforced by the observation that Quaternary displacement along the Main Frontal Thrust, southern emergence of the MHT and the convergence rate estimated across the Himalayas by GPS are both estimated at 18-20 mm/yr, which suggests that nearly all the displacement between India and Tibet is today transferred along the MHT (B. Antoine et al. , 2004).

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Nepal

Nepal has seen rapid political changes during the last two decades. The politics of Nepal function within a framework of a Republic with a Multi-party system. Until 1990, Nepal was an absolute monarchy running under the executive control of the king. Absolute monarchy is a monarchical Form of government where the king and queen have absolute power over everything Faced with a people's movement against the absolute monarchy, King Birendra, in 1990, agreed to large-scale political reforms by creating a parliamentary monarchy with the king as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of the government. Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह ( December 28, 1945 &ndash June 1, 2001) was A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State

Nepal's legislature was bicameral, consisting of a House of Representatives called the Pratinidhi Sabha and a National Council called the Rastriya Sabha. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral The House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha was the lower house of Parliament during the 1990 Constitution in Nepal. The National Assembly (Rashtriya Sabha was the upper house of parliament in Nepal during the 1990 Constitution The House of Representatives consisted of 205 members directly elected by the people. The National Council had sixty members: ten nominated by the king, thirty-five elected by the House of Representatives and the remaining fifteen elected by an electoral college made up of chairs of villages and towns. The legislature had a five-year term, but was dissolvable by the king before its term could end. All Nepali citizens 18 years and older became eligible to vote.

The executive comprised the King and the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet). A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. The leader of the coalition or party securing the maximum seats in an election was appointed as the Prime Minister. The Cabinet was appointed by the king on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Governments in Nepal tended to be highly unstable, falling either through internal collapse or parliamentary dissolution by the monarch, on the recommendation of prime minister, according to the constitution; no government has survived for more than two years since 1991.

The movement in April, 2006, brought about a change in the nation's governance: an interim constitution was promulgated, with the King giving up power, and an interim House of Representatives was formed with Maoist members after the new government held peace talks with the Maoist rebels. The number of parliamentary seats was also increased to 330. In April, 2007, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) joined the interim government of Nepal. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist (नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (माओवादी is a Maoist Political party

On December 28, 2007, the interim parliament passed a bill that would make Nepal a federal republic, with the Prime Minister becoming head of state. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A federation ( Latin: foedus, covenant is a union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central ("federal" A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The bill was passed by the Constituent Assembly on May 28, 2008.

On April 10, 2008, there was the first election in Nepal for the constitution assembly. Events 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks. 1407 - the lama 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Maoist party led the poll results, but failed to gain a simple majority in the parliament. Maoism, variably and officially known as Mao Zedong Thought ( is a variant of Marxism derived from the teachings of the late Chinese leader ^[37]

On May 28, 2008, lawmakers in Nepal legally abolished the monarchy and declared the country a republic, ending 239 years of royal rule in the Himalayan nation. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The newly elected assembly, led by the former communist rebels, adopted the resolution at its first meeting by an overwhelming majority. King Gyanendra has been given 15 days to leave his palace in central Katmandu. Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( Nepali: ज्ञानेन्द्र वीर बिक्रम शाह Jñānendra Vīra Vikrama Śāhadeva (born 7 July ^[38]

Military and foreign affairs

Main articles: Military of Nepal and Foreign relations of Nepal

The famous outpost of Naamche Bazaar in the Khumbu region close to Mount Everest. The Military of Nepal basically consists of the Armed Nepalese Force Nepal has traditionally maintained a non-aligned policy and enjoys friendly relations with neighboring countries especially India and China. The town is built on terraces in what resembles a giant Greek theatre.

Nepal's military consists of the Nepalese Army which includes the Nepalese Army Air Service, (the air force unit under it). The Nepal Army ( Nepali: Nepali Sena नेपाली सेना is the army of Nepal and a major component of the Military of Nepal Nepal has no separate Air Force but flies several aircraft within Nepalese Army Service also known as the Nepal Army Air Wing An air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps, is in the broadest sense the national military or armed service Nepalese Police Force is the civilian police and the Armed Police Force Nepal^[39] is the paramilitary force. The Nepalese Police Force is the National police of Nepal. It is independent of the Nepalese Army. History The Armed Police Force (APF of Nepal is a paramilitary force with the basic roles of catalyst in maintaining law and order and containing insurgency Service is voluntary and the minimum age for enlistment is 18 years. Nepal spends $99. 2 million (2004) on its military—1. 5% of its GDP. Many of the equipment and arms are imported from India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

Nepal has close ties with both of its neighbours, India and China. In accordance with a long standing treaty, Indian and Nepalese citizens may travel to each others' countries without a passport or visa. A passport is a document issued by a national government which certifies for the purpose of international travel the identity and nationality of its holder A visa (short for the Latin carta visa, lit "a document that has been seen" is a document issued by a Country giving an individual Nepalese citizens may work in India without legal restriction. Although Nepal and India typically have close ties, from time to time Nepal becomes caught up in the problematic Sino-Indian relationship. Recently China has been asking Nepal to curb protests in Nepal against China's Tibet policy^[40], and on April 17th, 2008, police arrested over 500 Tibetan protestors^[41] citing a need to maintain positive relations with China. The 2008 Tibetan unrest, also known as the 3•14 Riots in China began with demonstrations on March 10, 2008 ( Tibetan Uprising Day

Economy

Main article: Economy of Nepal

Terraced farming on the foothills of the Himalayas. An isolated agrarian society until the mid-20th century Nepal entered the modern era in 1951 without schools hospitals roads Telecommunications, electric power industry

Nepal's gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2005 was estimated at just over US$39 billion (adjusted to Purchasing Power Parity), making it the 83rd-largest economy in the world. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. Agriculture accounts for about 40% of Nepal's GDP, services comprise 41% and industry 22%. Agriculture employs 76% of the workforce, services 18% and manufacturing/craft-based industry 6%. Agricultural produce——mostly grown in the Terai region bordering India——includes tea, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, and water buffalo meat. Industry mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce, including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Jute is a long soft shiny Vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse strong threads Its workforce of about 10 million suffers from a severe shortage of skilled labour. The spectacular landscape and diverse, exotic cultures of Nepal represent considerable potential for tourism, but growth in this hospitality industry has been stifled by recent political events. The rate of unemployment and underemployment approaches half of the working-age population. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. Thus many Nepali citizens move to India in search of work; the Gulf countries and Malaysia being new sources of work. Nepal receives US$50 million a year through the Gurkha soldiers who serve in the Indian and British armies and are highly esteemed for their skill and bravery. Prithvi Naraya Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur The Way of Sacrifice The Rajputs Pages 28-30 Graduate Thesis South Asian Studies Department Dr The Indian Army (Bharatiya Thalsena भारतीय थाल्सेना is one of the armed forces of India and has the responsibility for land-based The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The total remittance value is worth around 1 billion USD, including money sent from Persian Gulf and Malaysia, who combined employ around 700,000 Nepali citizens. A long-standing economic agreement underpins a close relationship with India. The country receives foreign aid from India, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, China, Switzerland, and Scandinavian countries. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Poverty is acute; per-capita income is less than US$ 470. ^[42] The distribution of wealth among the Nepalis is consistent with that in many developed and developing countries: the highest 10% of households control 39. Distribution of wealth is a comparison of the Wealth of various members or groups in a Society, and is one aspect of the Economy and Social structure 1% of the national wealth and the lowest 10% control only 2. 6%.

The government's budget is about US$1. 153 billion, with expenditures of $1. 789bn (FY05/06). The Nepalese rupee has been tied to the Indian Rupee at an exchange rate of 1. The rupee (रूपैयाँ ( sign: ₨; code: NPR)is the official Currency of Nepal. The rupee (रुपया ( code: INR) is the Currency of India. 6 for many years. Since the loosening of exchange rate controls in the early 1990s, the black market for foreign exchange has all but disappeared. The inflation rate has dropped to 2. In economics inflation or price inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services over a period of time 9% after a period of higher inflation during the 1990s.

Nepal's exports of mainly carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods and grain total $822 million. Jute is a long soft shiny Vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse strong threads Import commodities of mainly gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products and fertilizer total US$2 bn. India (53. 7%), the US (17. 4%), and Germany (7. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. 1%) are its main export partners. Nepal's import partners include India (47. 5%), the United Arab Emirates (11. 2%), China (10. 7%), Saudi Arabia (4. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi 9%), and Singapore (4%). Singapore

A Rs. 500 banknote of The Republic of Nepal. (Yet the watermark on the right contains picture of King Gyanendra, later admitted clerical error by state owned Nepal Rashtra Bank. ^[43])

Nepal remains isolated from the world’s major land, air and sea transport routes although, within the country, aviation is in a better state, with 48 airports, ten of them with paved runways; flights are frequent and support a sizeable traffic. Hilly and mountainous terrain in the northern two-thirds of the country has made the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. There were just over 8,500 km of paved roads, and one 59 km railway line in the south in 2003. There is only one reliable road route from India to the Kathmandu Valley. The only practical seaport of entry for goods bound for Kathmandu is Kolkata in India. Internally, the poor state of development of the road system (22 of 75 administrative districts lack road links) makes volume distribution unrealistic. Besides having landlocked, rugged geography, few tangible natural resources and poor infrastructure, the long-running civil war is also a factor in stunting the economic growth. ^[44]

There is less than one telephone per 19 people. Landline telephone services are not adequate nationwide but are concentrated in cities and district headquarters. Mobile telephony is in a reasonable state in most parts of the country with increased accessibility and affordability; there were around 175,000 Internet connections in 2005. After the imposition of the "state of emergency", intermittent losses of service-signals were reported, but uninterrupted Internet connections have resumed after Nepal's second major people's revolution to overthrow the King's absolute power. ^[45]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Nepal

The Population Density map of Nepal. Perched on the southern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains, State of Nepal is as ethnically diverse as its terrain of fertile plains broad valleys terraced hillsides Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume

Perched on the southern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains, Nepal is as ethnically diverse as its terrain of fertile plains, broad valleys, and the highest mountain peaks in the world. The Nepalese are descendants of three major migrations from India, Tibet, and North Burma and Yunnan via Assam. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city

Among the earliest inhabitants were the Kirat of east mid-region, Newar of the Kathmandu Valley and aboriginal Tharu in the southern Terai region. The Newa ( Nepal Bhasa:नेवाः Newa or Newah, Old Nepal Bhasa नेवार Newar, नेवाल Newal) are the The Kathmandu Valley (नेपाः स्वनिगः Nepāḥ Svānigaḥ) located in the Nepal, lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of The Tharu people are Indigenous people living in the Surkhet Valley in the west mountain region Chitwan Valley Dang ValleyDeukhuri ValleySindhuli and Udyapur The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India The ancestors of the Brahman and Chetri caste groups came from India's present Kumaon, Garhwal and Kashmir regions, while other ethnic groups trace their origins to North Burma and Yunnan and Tibet, e. Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय kṣatriya from क्षत्र kṣatra) is one of the four varnas (social orders in Hinduism This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. g. the Gurung and Magar in the west, Rai and Limbu in the east, and Sherpa and Bhotia in the north. Gurung (surnameThe Gurung is an ethnic group from the Central region of Nepal. Magar is a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group of Nepal and northern India whose homeland extends from the western and southern edges of the Dhaulagiri section of The Rai, also known as the Khambu (people of Khumbu region is one of Nepal 's most ancient indigenous ethnolinguistic groups The Limbu (meaning archer or Yakthumba/Yakthung (in Limbu language) are an indigenous ethnic group that belongs to the Kiranti group or Kirat confederation that For other uses of the word Sherpa see Sherpa (disambiguation. For the Bhutia pony see Indian Country Bred. The Bhutias are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Sikkim, other parts

In the Terai, a part of the Ganges Basin with 20% of the land, much of the population is physically and culturally similar to the Indo-Aryans of northern India. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, Indo-Aryan and East Asian looking mixed people live in the hill region. The mountainous highlands are sparsely populated. Kathmandu Valley, in the middle hill region, constitutes a small fraction of the nation's area but is the most densely populated, with almost 5% of the population.

Nepal is a multilingual, multireligious and multiethnic society. Multi-ethnic societies, in contrast to single ethnic societies integrate different Ethnic groups irrespective of differences in culture race and history under a common These data are largely derived from Nepal's 2001 census results published in the Nepal Population Report 2002.

Languages Spoken in Nepal. A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them

Despite the migration of a significant section of the population to the southern plains or terai in recent years, the majority of the population still lives in the central highlands. The northern mountains are sparsely populated.

Kathmandu, with a population of around 800,000 (metropolitan area: 1. 5 million), is the largest city in the country.

Religion

Shaiva-devotees gather at the Hindu Pashupatinath Temple

The main religion of Nepal is Hinduism. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Lord Shiva is regarded as the guardian deity of the country. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva ^[46] Nepal is home to the largest Shiva temple in the world, the famous Pashupatinath Temple, where Hindus from all over the world come for pilgrimage. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Pashupatinath temple (पशुपितनाथ मन्िदर) is a Hindu temple located on the shore of the Bagmati river on the eastern part of Kathmandu A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical According to mythology, Sita Devi of the epic Ramayana was born in the Mithila Kingdom of King Janaka Raja. SITA is a multinational Information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the Aviation industry Devi ( Devanagari: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism. The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki ^[47] Buddhism was relatively more common among the Newar. But, differences between Hindus and Buddhists have been in general very subtle and academic in nature due to the intermingling of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. Both share common temples and worship common deities and many of Nepal's Buddhists could also be regarded as Hindus and vice versa. S T U V Tragedy of the commons --> Gurkhas from Nepal are Hindu. Prithvi Naraya Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur The Way of Sacrifice The Rajputs Pages 28-30 Graduate Thesis South Asian Studies Department Dr Among other natives of Nepal, those most influenced by Hinduism were the Magar, Sunwar, Limbu and Rai. Magar is a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group of Nepal and northern India whose homeland extends from the western and southern edges of the Dhaulagiri section of The Sunwar are a tribe in Nepal. The tribe is influenced by Hinduism. The Limbu (meaning archer or Yakthumba/Yakthung (in Limbu language) are an indigenous ethnic group that belongs to the Kiranti group or Kirat confederation that Rai - Radiotelevisione Italiana, known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian public service broadcaster, and is considered Hindu influence is less prominent among the Gurung, Bhutia, and Thakali groups, who employ Buddhist monks for their religious ceremonies. Gurung (surnameThe Gurung is an ethnic group from the Central region of Nepal. For the Bhutia pony see Indian Country Bred. The Bhutias are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Sikkim, other parts The Thakali ethnolinguistic group originated from the Thak Khola region of the Mustang district in the Dhaulagiri zone of Nepal. ^[45][19] Most of the festivals in Nepal are Hindu. ^[48] The Machendrajatra festival, dedicated to Hindu Shaiva Siddha, is celebrated even by Buddhists and it is the Buddhists' main festival. Shaivism, also spelled "Saivism" names the oldest of the four sects of Hinduism. for the towns in Nepal see Siddha Nepal A siddha சித்தா in Tamil means "one who is accomplished" and refers to ^[49] As it is believed that Ne Muni established Nepal,^[50] important priests in Nepal are called "Tirthaguru Nemuni". Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Nepal

Nepalese culture is diverse, reflecting different ethnic origins of the people. The rich Cultural heritage of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, has evolved over centuries The Newar community is particularly rich in cultural diversity; they celebrate many festivals, well known for their music and dance. The Newa ( Nepal Bhasa:नेवाः Newa or Newah, Old Nepal Bhasa नेवार Newar, नेवाल Newal) are the

A typical Nepalese meal is dal-bhat-tarkari. Dal is a spicy lentil soup, served over bhat (boiled rice), served with tarkari (curried vegetables) together with achar (pickles) or chutni (spicy condiment made from fresh ingredients). . The Newar community, however, has its own unique cuisine. The Newa ( Nepal Bhasa:नेवाः Newa or Newah, Old Nepal Bhasa नेवार Newar, नेवाल Newal) are the It consists of non-vegetarian as well as vegetarian items served with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Mustard oil is the cooking medium and a host of spices, such as cumin, coriander, black peppers, sesame seeds, turmeric, garlic, ginger, methi (fenugreek), bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, chillies, mustard seeds etc. , are used in the cooking. The cuisine served on festivals is generally the best.

Nepalese children practicing dance

The Newari Music orchestra consists mainly of percussion instruments, though wind instruments, such as flutes and other similar instruments, are also used. String instruments are very rare. There are songs pertaining to particular seasons and festivals. Paahan chare music is probably the fastest played music whereas the Dapa the slowest. There are certain musical instruments such as Dhimay and Bhusya which are played as instrumental only and are not accompanied with songs. The dhimay music is the loudest one. In the hills, people enjoy their own kind of music, playing saarangi (a string instrument), madal and flute. They also have many popular folk songs known as lok geet and lok dohari.

The Newar dances can be broadly classified into masked dances and non-masked dances. The most representative of Newari dances is Lakhey dance. Lakhey ( Nepal Bhasa:लाखे lā-khé is a famous character in Newar culture Almost all the settlements of Newaris organise Lakhey dance at least once a year, mostly in the Goonlaa month. Lakhey ( Nepal Bhasa:लाखे lā-khé is a famous character in Newar culture So, they are called Goonlaa Lakhey. However, the most famous Lakhey dance is the Majipa Lakhey dance; it is performed by the Ranjitkars of Kathmandu and the celeberation continues for one whole week that contains the full moon of Yenlaa month. Majipa Lakhey (Lakhey Aaju Devnagari: मजिपा लाखे लाखे आजु is a special Lakhey. Ranjitkar (रंजितकार aka Chhipaa or Ranjit) is one of the Castes of Newar. The Lakhey are considered as the saviors of children.

Folklore is an integral part of Nepalese society. Traditional stories are rooted in the reality of day-to-day life, tales of love, affection and battles as well as demons and ghosts and thus reflect local lifestyles, cultures and beliefs. Many Nepalese folktales are enacted through the medium of dance and music.

The Nepali year begins in mid-April and is divided into 12 months. Saturday is the official weekly holiday. Main annual holidays include the National Day, celebrated on the birthday of the king (December 28), Prithvi Jayanti, (January 11), Martyr's Day (February 18) and a mix of Hindu and Buddhist festivals such as dashain in autumn, and tihar in late autumn. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Dashain (दशैं is the 15-day national festival of Nepal, and a state festival of Indian states of Sikkim and the Darjeeling district of West Bengal Tihar (ितहार is a five-day Nepalese festival celebrated in late autumn which comes soon after Dashain. During tihar, the Newar community also celebrates its New Year as per their local calendar Nepal Sambat. The Lunar calendar Nepal Sambat ( Nepal Bhasa: नेपाल सम्बत is commonly used in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal.

Most houses in rural lowland of Nepal are made up of a tight bamboo framework and walls of a mud and cow-dung mix. These dwellings remain cool in summer and retain warmth in winter. Houses in the hills are usually made of unbaked bricks with thatch or tile roofing. At high elevations construction changes to stone masonry and slate may be used on roofs.

See also

• List of Nepal-related topics

Notes

References

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• Tiwari, Sudarshan Raj (2002). The Brick and the Bull: An account of Handigaun, the Ancient Capital of Nepal. Himal Books. ISBN 9993343528.  
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• Football at the heart of the Himalaya. FIFA. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football) Retrieved on 2005-09-23. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English
• Nepal: Information Portal. Explore Nepal. Retrieved on 2007-09-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle.
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• Jailed ex-PM in Nepal court plea. BBC News. Retrieved on 2005-09-29. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire.
• Nepal's new emblem. Citizen Journalism Nepal. Retrieved on 2007-02-07. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince
• Gotz Hagmuller (2003). Patan Museum: The Transformation of a Royal Palace in Nepal. London: Serindia. ISBN 0962658X.  
• Kunda Dixit (2006). A people war: Images of the Nepal conflict 1996–2006. Kathmandu: nepa-laya.  
• Barbara Crossette (1995). So Close to Heaven: The Vanishing Buddhist Kingdoms of the Himalayas. New York: Vintage. ISBN 0679743634.  
• Bista, Dor Bahadur (1967). People of Nepal. Dept. of Publicity, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of Nepal. ISBN 9993304182.  
• Michael Hutt, ed. , Himalayan 'people's war' : Nepal's Maoist rebellion, London: C. Hurst, 2004
• Peter Matthiessen (1993). The Snow Leopard. Penguin. ISBN 0002720256.  
• Joe Simpson (1997). Storms of Silence. Mountaineers Books. ISBN 0898865123.  
• Samrat Upadhyay (2001). Arresting God in Kathmandu. Mariner Books. ISBN 0618043713.  
• Joseph R. Pietri (2001). The King of Nepal. ISBN 061511928X.  
• Maurice Herzog (1951). Annapurna. Annapurna ( Sanskrit, Nepali, Nepal Bhasa: अन्नपूर्णा is a series of peaks in the Himalaya, a -long Massif The Lyons Press. ISBN 1558215492.  
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• Rishikesh Shaha (2001). Rishikesh Shaha (b 1925 d November 13, 2002) was a Nepalese writer politician and Human rights activist Modern Nepal: A Political History. Manohar Publishers and Distributors. ISBN 8173044031.  

External links

• Wikimedia Atlas of Nepal topics
• Nepal topics at the Open Directory Project
• Government of Nepal
• Nepal travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: Nepal topics
• Planet Nepal Encyclopedia Project
• Library of Congress — Nepal
• United States Department of State Profile of Nepal
• Nepal topics entry at The World Factbook
• Languages of Nepal from the Ethnologue
• National Geographic Country Profile: Nepal