Nepal

Nepal (नेपाल) is a country in South Asia bordering the Republic of India and the People's Republic of China. Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is found there, as well as the Himalaya Mountains. 12 of the world's highest mountain peaks are in Nepal. It is also the birthplace of Buddha. It has recently become a secular country, but before it was the only Hindu kingdom in the world. Nepal is a very important pilgrimage place for both Hindus and Buddhists. The population of Nepal in 2007 was almost 29 million people. Nepali is the official language, and there are many other regional languages. English and Hindi are widely understood. The capital city of Nepal is Kathmandu which has a population of over two million people. The second largest city is Pokhara. Pokhara is a major tourist attraction of Nepal which is rich in natural beauty. Pokhara includes many lakes, Phewa Tal is one of them.

Geography
Nepal is a landlocked country, which means it is not next to any ocean, and it is surrounded by India and China. Mount Everest is on the border Nepal shares with China. Nepal is a little smaller than Illinois and Bangladesh, but a little bigger than Tajikistan. It also has the second-highest average elevation in the world at (10,715 ft), only behind Bhutan.

Economy
Nepal used to be an agricultural country till 1950. Since 1951 it entered the modern era and has made progress. Agriculture, however is still a major economic activity, employing 80% of the population and providing 37% of GDP. Only about 20% of the total area is cultivable; another 33% is forested; most of the rest is mountainous. Rice and wheat are the main food crops. The lowland Terai region produces an agricultural surplus, part of which supplies the food-deficient hill areas.

China is the 2nd largest exporter to Nepal, but India is the largest buyer of Nepal's goods, China's imports from Nepal are zero, thus burdening Nepal's monetary stability and monetary balance. The yearly monsoon rain, or lack of it, strongly influences economic growth. From 1996 to 1999, real GDP growth averaged less than 4%. The growth rate recovered in 1999, rising to 6% before slipping slightly in 2001 to 5.5%.

Demographics
The people of Nepal belong to two main groups; Indo-Aryan group and Tibeto-Burman group. Indo-Aryans are mostly Hindus and they celebrate Hindu festivals like Dashain, Tihar, Teej, Maghe Sankranti, Krishna Janmastami, Holi, Janai Purnima, Matatirtha Aunsi, Chhath, etc. Tibeto-Burmans are Buddhist and they celebrate Lhosar, Buddha Jayanti, etc.

Education


Modern education in Nepal began with the opening of the first school in 1853. This school was only for the members of the ruling families and their courtiers. Schooling for the general people began only after 1951 when a popular movement ended the autocratic Rana family regime and started a democratic system. In the past 50 years, there has been a big expansion of education facilities in the country. As a result, adult literacy (age 15+) of the country was reported to be 48.2% (female: 34.6%, male: 62.2%) in the Population Census, 2001, up from about 5% in 1952–54. Beginning from about 300 schools and two colleges with about 10,000 students in 1951, there now are 26,000 schools (including higher secondary), 415 colleges, five universities, and two academies of higher studies. Altogether 5.5 million students are enrolled in those schools and colleges who are served by more than 150,000 teachers. Despite such examples of success, there are problems and challenges. Education management, quality, relevance, and access are some of the critical issues of education in Nepal. Societal disparities based on gender, ethnicity, location, economic class, etc. are yet to be rid of completely. Resource crunch has always been a problem in education. These problems have made the goal of education for all a challenge for the country.

Administrative subdivisions


Nepal is divided into 14 zones and 77 districts, grouped into five development regions. Each district is headed by a permanent chief district officer. The five regions and 14 zones are:


 * Eastern Region (Purwanchal)
 * Koshi
 * Mechi
 * Sagarmatha
 * Central Region (Madhyamanchal)
 * Bagmati
 * Janakpur
 * Narayani
 * Western Region (Pashchimanchal)
 * Dhawalagiri
 * Gandaki
 * Lumbini
 * Mid-Western Region (Madhya Pashchimanchal)
 * Bheri
 * Karnali
 * Rapti
 * Far-Western Region (Sudur Pashchimanchal)
 * Mahakali
 * Seti

Culture
The official calendar of Nepal is the Vikram Samvat, which is a Hindu calendar. Their new year begins in Baishakh, which is around mid-April. Nepal has 36 public holidays in the year. This makes Nepal the country with the most public holidays.

The national cuisine of Nepal is Dhindo and Gundruk. Dhindo is a type of dough that is served very hot. Gundruk is a dish with fermented green vegetables.

Association football is the most popular sport in Nepal. The Nepal national football team plays at Dasarath Rangasala Stadium in Tripureswar, Kathmandu, Nepal.

National symbols of Nepal
The national symbols of Nepal, according to the Interim Constitution, are:



Related pages

 * List of rivers of Nepal
 * Nepal at the Olympics
 * Nepal national football team
 * Nepali language
 * Theravada