The remarkable geography of Nepal has attracted visitors for decades. Covering an area of only 147181 square kilometers, Nepal encompasses the world’s highest mountains and deepest valleys as well as low-elevation forests filled with rare animals. The terrain is divided into three elevation zones: the cool Himalaya, the moderate hills and the warm lowland Terai. Precipitation ranges from dry in the west to pleasantly moist in the east. Thus, Nepal

In the middle of the 18th century, the country of Nepal was unified from numerous small principalities by King Prithvi Narayan Shah. In 1846, the power was usurped by the Rana prime ministers, who ruled the country for more than 100 years. In 1951, the Shah Dynasty was reinstated and Nepal opened its doors to the outside world. Today, Nepal is a democratic constitutional monarchy, under the aegis of His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.

Hinduism is the official religion of the Kingdom of Nepal and is practiced by the majority. Many people throughout the country are Buddhists and the two religions have co-existed in harmony throughout Nepal’s history. In fact, Hinduism and Buddhism are so intertwined that their temples often share the same location and rites of both faiths may be practiced by a single family. Christianity and Islam have a small number of adherents. Whatever their

Nepal spans 885 kms east to west and 193 kms (widest) north to south. Great altitudinal variations exist – from the flat an fertile land of the Terai in the south, barely 150 m above sea level, the land rises abruptly in several chains of hills and valleys to the towering Himalayan mountains to the north within a distance of less than 200 km.