Nepal is in Southern Asia, between China and India. It covers a total area of 143,351 sq km and its boundary is 2,926 km long in total, bordered by China at 1,236 km and India at 1,690 km. It is a landlocked country.
The weather and climate vary from hot summers to severe winters. Nepal has varieties of lands as it has weather and people. The land starts from 70m from sea level from Kanchan Kalan in Terai and passes through the hilly region to the world’s highest point Mount Everest at 8,850 m.
Nepal is known for its natural beauty and it has its own culture. It has more than 70 ethnic groups and more than 60 different languages are spoken in different parts of Nepal. Nepali is the national language of Nepal. People practice several religions. Till now Hinduism and Buddhism have the largest population. Kathmandu is the capital, and Nepal has 30 million people.
Newars are thought to have lived in the Nepal Valley since the 4th century AD, developing a Hindu-Buddhist culture. The Gurkha principality was later established by RAJPUT warriors from India, and in 1769 they conquered lands beyond the present-day borders of Nepal. After incursions into northern India in which the Gurkhas were defeated, Nepal lost part of its territory to British India but retained its independence and enjoyed close ties with the British.It has maintained its close association with India since the latter gained independence in 1947.
Nepal, the world’s only Hindu monarchy, was controlled by a hereditary prime ministership until 1951. The nation’s first election was held in 1959, but in 1960, King Mahendra dismissed the cabinet, dissolved parliament, and banned political parties. A 1962 constitution created a nonparty panchayat (council) system of government. After a 1980 referendum approved a modified version of the panchayat system, direct parliamentary elections were held in 1981. A dispute with India led to India’s closing of most border crossings from March 1989 to July 1990, and the resultant economic crisis fueled demands for political reform. After months of violence, King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev dissolved parliament. The opposition formed an interim government in April 1990, and a new constitution creating a constitutional monarchy and a bicameral legislature became effective on Nov. 9, 1990. Multiparty legislative elections held in May 1991 were won by the centrist Nepali Congress party; the Communists became the leading opposition party. Mid-term elections in November 1994, which were called after the government lost a parliamentary vote, resulted in a hung parliament and the communists, who emerged as the single largest party, formed a minority government.
| Period | Description |
| ca. 563 B.C. | Buddha was born in Lumbini; |
| ca. A.D.400-750 | Licchavi kingdom in power in Kathmandu |
| 750-1200 | “Transitional” kingdom in power in Kathmandu Valley |
| 1100-1484 | Khasa Mall Kings rule in western Nepal |
| 1200-16 | Arimalla, the first monarch of the Malla Dynasty, rules in Kathmandu Valley. |
| 1312 | Khasa king Ripumalla leads raid in Kathmandu Valley |
| 1345-46 | Sultan Shams ud-din Ilyas of Bengal leads a raid in Kathmandu Valley. |
| 1382-95 | Jayasthitimalla rules as king of United Malla kingdom in Kathmandu Valley. |
| 1428-82 | Yakshamalla reigns – the height of the united Malla kingdom. |
| 1484 | Malla kingdom was divided; three kingdoms of Kathmandu, Bhadgaon, and Patan were established. |
| 1559 | Gorkha kingdom was established by Dravya Shah. |
| 1606-33 | Ram Shah of Gorkha reigns; the Gorkha kingdom experiences its first expansion. |
| 1743 | Prithvi Narayan Shah ascends to the throne of Gorkha. |
| 1768-90 | Gorkha conquers Kathmandu and Patan, Bhadgaon, eastern Nepal, and western Nepal. |
| 1775 | Prithvi Narayan Shah dies the first king of united Nepal. |
| 1814-1816 | The Anglo-Nepalese War and the resulting Treaty of Sagauli reduce the territory of Nepal. |
| 1846 | Jang Bahadur Rana takes over as prime minister and establishes hereditary Rana rule. |
| 1946 | The Nepali Congress Party is founded. |
| 1947 | The United States establishes diplomatic relations with Nepal. |
| 1948 | The country’s first constitution, the Government of Nepal Act, is promulgated; Prime Minister Padma Shamsher Rana resigns in the wake of opposition to the new constitution from conservative Ranas; Mohan Shamsher becomes prime minister; the constitution is suspended. |
| 1950 | Ranas are in open conflict with King Tribhuvan implicated in Nepali Congress Party conspiracy against Rana power, seeks and is granted asylum in India; government troops desert to the rebel side; over 140 Ranas join the dissidents. The Treaty of Peace and Friendship and Treaty of Trade and Commerce are signed with India. |
| 1951 | Mohan Shamsher capitulates; King Tribhuvan is restored to the throne; Mohan Shamsher heads a new coalition cabinet for 10 months; he is succeeded by Nepali Congress Party leader M.P. Koirala as prime minister; |
Nepal’s climate varies with its topography. It ranges from tropical to arctic depending upon the altitude. The Terai region, which lies in the tropical southern part of the country, for instance, has a hot, humid climate. The midland regions are pleasant almost all year round, although winter mornings and nights are cool. The northern mountain region, around an altitude above 3,353 meters has an alpine climate with a considerably lower temperature and thin air in winter as can be expected.
Nepal has four climatic seasons.
(a) Spring: March-May,
(b) Summer: June – August,
(c) Autumn: September – November and
(d) Winter: December -February.
Spring is the colourful season which is punctuated by the odd shower of life-giving rain but the heat gradually builds until the monsoon relief arrives. During summer the Monsoon; moisture-laden wind, gathers in the Bay of Bengal and sweeps up across India to spend its force on the Himalayan mountain chain. Autumn is renowned for clear skies and pleasant temperatures. By winter the high hills take dry brown shades and the mountains are occasionally dusted with fresh snow. However, due to Nepal’s vast range of diversified land orientations as well as its amazing climatic variation effects regular seasons are different and are six in Nepal.
Nepali Seasons
Spring – Basanta April-May
Summer – Grishma June-July
Monsoon – Barsha Late June-Mid September
Autumn – Sharad September-November
Winter – Hinud December-January
Windy – Sisir February-March
People in Nepal commonly welcome you Namaste as a traditional salute (means I salute the divine in you) which is wisely used in the most part of country. About 23 million Nepalese are made of 69 different cultural and linguistic group also known as ethnic groups living in different, regions of the country. Mostly each ethnic group has their own unique costumes, speak their own languages or dialects, and follow their own religious practices. They live under different diverse geographic and environmental orientations, from the low plains near the Indian border, northward through the middle hills of Mahabharat range and valleys, and up to the high plain valleys of the Himalayan zone.
However, the globalization motives and innovations effect to the Nepalese society which made many changes day by day in addition of several infrastructural developments new roads building, modern public education, democracy since 1990 and Federal Democratic Republic since in on 23 May 2008, and even rapid innovation of information technology, Internet access are making massive changes brought among new generation. More and more Nepalese, especially young folks speak Nepali and fluent English language, dresses western style clothes most of the time and generally relate to the outside world.
In Nepal generally two major groups of people can be found in high Himalayan region Tibitan origin (Tibeto-Burman or Bhot Burmes) and in low land to mid hill Indo-Aryan (Bharopeli) origin groups. Himalayan region settlements of Tibetan-speaking groups Sherpa, Tibetan origin Gurung of Manang, Mustang and Dolpo region and Thakali of Mustang’s high plain are found in sub alpine to trans Himalayan areas. Outside Nepal, the best known are the Sherpa people who has gained world renown and interest because of their mountaineering skills. In fact, the word “Sherpa,” meaning mountain guide in English, comes from the group’s proud Sherpa name.
In the mid hill mostly settled Rai, Limbu, Tamang, Magar, Sunwar, Gurung and Chepang groups as well as other mongoloid groups live in this areas. The Brahmans, Chhetris, Newar and Thakuris and different occupational groups Kami, Damai Sarki, Gaine are spread generally over most parts of the country. In towns Newar, Marbadi, Punjabi, Brahaman, Kshetri and other mixed groups are also settled. The groups of Rai, Limbu, Gurung, Magar are popular as Gurkha solder in the world.
In Terai Plain Brahaman, Kshetri, Rajput, Tharu, Danuwar, Majhi, Darai, Rajbansi, Satar, Dhimal, and Jhangar, Singh, Jha, Yadav and Lal(Mithila) people inhabit in the dun, valleys and different occupational groups are living and being bound together by the ideas of peace and harmony. Terai’s Mithila groups are popular for their authentic traditional arts and paintings. But however mostly either living in hilly region or Terai region their major occupation is traditional agriculture broadly adopted.
Social Structure
As Nepal being a very broad diversified home land of several ethnical groups it has common social family structure. In general living in joint family system at a home, respecting and following own socio-traditional conducts generation to generation. Showing physical affection openly in public is restricted; gents and ladies socialize separately both before and after marriage with family gatherings. Normally marriage is arranged by parents with help of marriage consular called Lahmi. Among new generations love marriage is also popular now a day. They have right to choose their mate and decide their own future bright. There is no way to say that Nepalese society remained untouched by global changes, mainly in major cities and towns of young generation hugely influenced by information technology of world and adopted several fascinating ways.
Main Occupations
In general mostly Nepalese people are involved in their traditional occupation agriculture. Most of the people those who are living out of town they belongs their own family farm land where they grow both main crops and different cash crops seasonally. About 76% of total population in Nepal still belongs to traditional agriculture system as their main source of economy and rest of do other jobs as cottage industries, general manufactures, goods trading, government officials, hospitality tourism and others. All together still about 33% of total populations are dependent in agriculture.
Food Habit
In normal way Nepalese people’s food habit can be marked as a rice culture social adoption. Nepalese main course of meal known as Dal-Bhat-Tarkari traditionally which is perfect combination of carbohydrate, protein, vitamin, mineral, and fat. The real wholesome Dal-Bhat-Tarkari is being eaten all over Nepal generally and it is habitual way of twice a day. Besides morning and late afternoon time tea, coffee other drinks and light food snacks are also can be eaten normally. Dall is well cooked lentil soup from different beans, Bhat is boiled rice, Tarkari is curried vegetables, pickle of seasonal vegetable or fruits, salad and curried or fried meat as a non-vegetarian food can be eaten commonly. Well refined mustard oil, ghee are used for the typical Nepalese cooking propose of curry items for taste and flavor spices are used such as cumin seed, coriander, black pepper, sesame seed, turmeric, garlic, ginger, methi (fenugreek), bay leaf, clove, cinnamon, pepper, chilies, mustard seed and salt added by taste.
In the mountain area, where rice is growing very less, millet, barley, bark wheat and maize are growing commonly in suitable climate so people of there mostly eat Dhindo with Gundruk or different vegetable curry, meat curry, home made pickle, yoghurt and milk as a their main course but they also like to have Dall Bhat time to time. This authentic tradition of food habit is very common all over Nepal’s mountain areas. There is also several common continental food items are available in cities abundantly as well many countries food items are prepared by several restaurants and fast food stalls of around main hub of tourists.
Dress
There are many specific dressing style in Nepal as a country is being home of multi cultural and lingual groups people. Most Nepalese ethnic groups have their own unique style of dress according to region and culture. Among gents Daura Suruwal Dhaka Topi,T- shirt, Shirt Pant, different casual wears and ladies Kurta Salwar, Saries Blouse (Cholo) T- shirt, Shirt Pant, different casual wears are commonly worn by Nepalese people all over the country. In the cities particularly, young hearts both men and women often dress in western style clothing, while elder women mostly wear Saries Blouse (Cholo), Kurta Salwar modestly.
Religion Belief
Nepal is multi religious country in the world so different ethnic groups live with their own way of religious practice, lifestyle, language, culture and tradition with ever peace of harmony in society. About 80% of total populations are Hindu religion follower lives in the all over Nepal’s east to west up to Maha Bharat range in north, about 10% Buddhist religion people among live bellow of Himalayan region to mid hill, valleys and in towns together 4% Muslim religious people and rest of other religious people live in different parts of the country. In Hindu community every ritual ceremony handled by priest (pundit), by Lama (monk) in Buddhism community as well by Mullah in Muslim community.
In term of vast range geographical varied land orientation features of the country Hinduism among Indo-Aryan communities influence in the lower elevation and the Buddhism among Tibetan-origin in the Himalayan region and other different parts of the Nepal. In Nepal moreover traditionally, Buddhism and Hinduism both were never two distinct religions for societies they believe these two religion have inter relation since then so that share faiths and worship common deities in temples, monasteries and mostly pilgrimage by both communities people. Though Nepal has number of religious group they always live in peace and harmony. There is not any record of religious conflict in Nepal yet. All Nepali has respected the national feeling of ‘unity in diversity, Nepali’s specialty and establishing own reorganization to the world.
Since Nepal was declared a federal democratic republic nation, the people of Nepal living in various societies got the right to establish there own religious beliefs so thereafter Nepal is known as multi-religious to the entire world. Due to its huge diversified land division people living in the various regions in different ethnic groups they follow their own way of religious practice, lifestyle, language, culture and tradition with ever peace of harmony in society. About 80% of total populations are Hindu religion follower lives in the all over Nepal’s east to west up to Maha Bharat range in north, about 10% Buddhist religion people among live bellow of Himalayan region to mid hill, valleys and in towns together 4% Muslim religious people and rest of other religious people live in different parts of the country.
In Nepal moreover traditionally, Buddhism and Hinduism both were never two distinct religions for societies they believe these two religion have inter relation since then so that share faiths and worship common deities in temples, monasteries and mostly pilgrimage by both communities people. Though Nepal has number of religious group they always live in peace and harmony. There is not any record of religious conflict in Nepal yet. All Nepali has respected the national feeling of ‘unity in diversity, Nepali’s specialty and establishing own reorganization to the world.
