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Nepal: GEOGRAPHY
Location: Nepal is located in the Himalaya Mountains of South Asia, with India to the east, south, and west and China to the north.
Size: Nepal’s total land area is 147,181 square kilometers.
Land Boundaries: Nepal’s northern boundary (1,236 kilometers in length) is shared with China, and the other borders (1,690 kilometers) are shared with India.
Disputed Territory: Nepal and China have no territorial disputes, but Nepal and India have several: possession of a 75-square-kilometer area called Kalapani, which is further complicated by its proximity to the Chinese border; the boundary of the Maha Kali River (Sarda River in India), with ramifications for development and distribution of hydropower and water resources; possession of 209 hectares of land after changes in the course of the Mechi River; and sovereignty over several areas comprising nearly 600 square kilometers along the border.
Length of Coastline: None. Nepal is landlocked.
Click to Enlarge Image Topography: Mountains and rugged hills cover nearly 75 percent of Nepal’s land area. The landscape is composed of three main physiographic regions that run laterally across the country. In the south, the plains of the Tarai Region cover approximately 23 percent of Nepal’s total area and are both the main agricultural region and the most densely populated region. To the north, the Hill Region covers approximately 42 percent of the total area and consists of mountains, hills, flatlands, and valleys with elevations ranging from 600 to 3,000 meters. Farther north, the Himalayan Region covers nearly 35 percent of the total area and contains 200 peaks more than 6,000 meters in elevation and 13 peaks more than 8,000 meters high, including Sagarmatha (Mount Everest), the world’s highest mountain (8,850 meters). This area often experiences intense geological activity, with nearly 50 earthquakes from 1870 to 1996.
Principal Rivers: Nepal’s three major river systems are—from east to west—the Kosi (513 kilometers), Narayani (332 kilometers), and Karnali (507 kilometers). All are major tributaries of the Ganga in northern India.
Climate: Nepal lies within a subtropical monsoon climate zone. Climatic conditions and precipitation tend to vary with elevation, ranging from tropical in the Tarai plains to alpine and tundra in the northern mountain areas. Temperatures range from 5° C to 47° C in the Tarai Region, from 0° to 28° C in the Hill Region, and from below 0° C to 16° C in the Himalayas. Annual rainfall generally increases with elevation up to 3,000 meters, thereafter declining with elevation and latitude. Precipitation tends to be highest in the east and declines westward, but certain areas in central Nepal have consistently high rainfall. The majority of precipitation—nearly 80 percent—occurs during the annual monsoon. The pre-monsoon season from March to May is hot and dry, the monsoon season (generally June to September) is hot, and the post-monsoon season typically lasts through mid-October. Mid-October through March is typically dry and cold.
Natural Resources: Nepal’s natural resource base is widely regarded as insufficient for economic needs, and “scenic beauty” is seen as one of the most commercially important resources. Fuel resources are especially scarce. Although some methane gas has been discovered, petroleum reserves have not materialized. Renewable resources, particularly arable land, are perhaps the most economically important resources, but hydropower is underutilized. The most available metallic minerals are copper, gold, lead, and zinc, but only lead and zinc have been commercially viable. Nonmetallic minerals such as marble, talc, and particularly limestone have been commercially viable, and there are some deposits of dolomite and magnesite.
Land Use: Nepal’s mountainous terrain constrains land use options, and nearly one-third of the land area is unfit for agriculture or forestry. According to government figures for 2002, approximately 18 percent of the total land area was used for agriculture, of which 88.8 percent was categorized as arable land, 4.4 percent as land under permanent crops, and the remainder as pastures, woodlands, and other categories. Most agricultural land is in the Hill and Tarai regions. From 1962 to 2002, the total area of arable land increased (from 1.6 million to 2.5 million hectares) but declined as a proportion of land for agriculture (from 94.5 to 88.8 percent) because of the increase in land used for grazing and permanent crops, particularly fruit. Permanent crop cultivation also has reduced the proportion of land used for woodland and forest harvesting.
Environmental Factors: Nepal has numerous environmental problems. Sedimentation and discharge of industrial effluents are prominent sources of water pollution, and fuelwood burning is a significant source of indoor air pollution and respiratory problems. Vehicular and industrial emissions increasingly have contributed to air pollution in urban areas. Deforestation and land degradation appear to affect a far greater proportion of the population and have the worst consequences for economic growth and individuals’ livelihoods. Forest loss has contributed to floods, soil erosion, and stagnant agricultural output. Estimates suggest that from 1966 to 2000 forest cover declined from 45 to 29 percent of the total land area. Often cited causes of deforestation include population growth, high fuelwood consumption, infrastructure projects, and conversion of forests into grazing- and cropland. According to government estimates, 1.5 million tons of soil nutrients are lost annually, and by 2002 approximately 5 percent of agricultural holdings had been rendered uncultivable as a result of soil erosion and flooding. Land degradation is attributed to population growth, improper use of agro-chemicals, and overly intensive use of landholdings that are too small to provide most households with sufficient food. Since the late 1980s, government policies have attempted to address these numerous and related problems, but policies often are hampered by lack of funding, insufficient understanding of Nepal’s mountain ecosystems, bureaucratic inefficiency, and sometimes contentious relations between the central government and local communities.
Time Zone: Nepal is 5:45 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and does not observe daylight saving time.
EurofundingMag,The European Commission has allocated €2.8 million to assist victims of drought that has affected many regions especially in western Nepal. ... Opposing class forces face off in post-monarchy Nepal - 24 Oct 2006 Party for Socialism and Liberation...social classes that united in the streets against the monarchy are now facing the basic question: Which class will hold the upper hand in post-monarchy Nepal? ... Nepal - Cautious Optimism or Continued Instability - 24 Oct 2006 Desicritics.org,Nepal's historic return to parliamentary democracy was heralded on 28 June this year raising hopes of rapid normalcy in India's turbulent Northern neighbour ... Nepal: 'The Key Is Stuck In New Delhi' - 24 Oct 2006 NewsBlaze,...to our stalled peace process lies down south was apparent long before Ian Martin, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan special representative for Nepal, decided to ... Govt. to recognize Nepal Sambat as national calendar: PM Koirala - 24 Oct 2006 Nepalnews.com,...has directed the Ministry for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to set up a committee of experts to further study the historic background of Nepal Sambat to ... Festival Season In Nepal - 24 Oct 2006 Telluride Watch,Tihar lagyo. Tihar is happening! Dasain has come and gone, and the tens of thousands of Nepalis that returned to their villages ... Nepal without the trek - A1 blends Everest and elephants with ... - 24 Oct 2006 e-Travel Blackboard (press release),...$100 per person ‘early bird’ discount on all bookings made before 24 December 2006 for an exclusive, luxury-oriented 10-day ‘Armchair Nepal’ group tour ... Health care against all odds: leprosy in Nepal - 24 Oct 2006 McGill Daily,As my friend and I prepared for three months of volunteer work in Nepal, the last thing we were anticipating was the outbreak of mass civilian protests against ... The Challenges Nepal Faces - 24 Oct 2006 American Chronicle,The democratic political parties and the Nepalese Army (NA) must have the pivotal role to for see a democratic Nepal with Constitutional Monarchy. ... Bomb stored in house by Nepalese rebels blows up, wounding 6 - 24 Oct 2006 International Herald Tribune,AP. POKHARA, Nepal A bomb being stored in a house by Nepalese communist rebels exploded on Tuesday, wounding six people, officials and doctors said. ... Happy New Year again, Nepal - 24 Oct 2006 NewsBlaze,It's New Year's Day again in Nepal, this time by the Nepal Sambat calendar, one of four commonly used in this tiny country. It's ... Maoists on ‘crime control’ drive - 24 Oct 2006 Indian Express,According to human right groups a Rajbanshi tribal was allegedly killed as a result of excessive torture by the Maoists in east Nepal’s Jhapa district. ... Tribal Terrorists Mourn their Dead - 24 Oct 2006 Strategy PageOctober 22, 2006: Indian police arrested a soldier on his way to Nepal, to hand over military secrets (on a memory sticks, and photos) to Pakistani intelligence ... Caste-Based Discrimination in Nepal - Oct 22, 2006 OhmyNews International,Nepal has survived a decade of internal, armed conflict, which has thrown human rights violations into relief. The root cause of ... UN makes Nepal Maoist food pledge - Oct 23, 2006 BBC News,The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has proposed to feed Nepal's Maoist rebels and their families once a peace deal has been signed with the government. ... Nepal Era New year today - Oct 22, 2006 Nepalnews.com,The Nepal Sambat (Nepal Era), which was started by Shankhadhar Shakhwaa entered its 1127th year Monday with the Newar community from all over the country eager ... Nepal still in a state of flux - Oct 23, 2006 Asia Times Online,...and reconcile positions on issues between an alliance of seven parties with democratic credentials and the leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) are ... 'Nepal Era' to be adopted as national calendar: Koirala - Oct 23, 2006 Zee News,Kathmandu, Oct 23: The Nepal government would take initiatives to adopt 'Nepal Era' as the national calendar replacing 'Bikram Era' used from the period of ... Nepal: Cease-Fire Violations Increase - Oct 23, 2006 StratforCease-fire violations by Maoist rebels in Nepal have increased by 75 percent in recent weeks, the National Monitoring Committee said Oct. 23. ... Nepal to allow private sectors to enter petroleum dealings - Oct 21, 2006 People's Daily Online,Ending Nepal Oil Corporation's ( NOC) monopoly over petroleum dealings, the government has passed a bill that will now allow private sectors to enter the ... Festival of Lights in Nepal - Oct 21, 2006 OhmyNews International,Nepal is currently celebrating one of the most significant Hindu festivals, Tihar, also called "the festival of light.". The festival ... Preparations planned to mark Nepal Era 1127 - Oct 21, 2006 People's Daily Online,Over 50 programs will be organized, mainly in Nepali capital Kathmandu Valley, to mark the Nepal Era 1127, which falls on Monday, a leading newspaper The ... Nepal striving to make air transportation safe - Oct 21, 2006 People's Daily Online,The Nepal Air Traffic Controller 's Association has been striving to make air transportation safe, regular and reliable in Nepal since its establishment in 1991 ... Australia, UNDP sign accord to promote micro-enterprises in Nepal - Oct 20, 2006 People's Daily Online,With a view to improve the living standard of poor people in Nepal, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Australia have signed an agreement here on ... UN to start work of assisting Nepal's peace process ... - Oct 20, 2006 People's Daily Online,Speaking at the 61st United Nations Day in Kathmandu on Friday, Martin said that they will formally start their work of assisting Nepal's peace process once ... Human error, fog to blame for Nepal WWF crash - Oct 20, 2006 ABC Online,...was carrying several members of the WWF, including conservation director, Australian Jill Bowling, and some of the most respected conservationists in Nepal. ... UN regional disarmament office to be set up in Nepal - Oct 21, 2006 Nepalnews.com,An Asia Pacific regional UN office for peace and disarmament is going to be set up in Nepal two decades after it was formally approved by the General Assembly. ... Human error, fog to blame for Nepal WWF crash - Oct 20, 2006 Reuters AlertNet,KATHMANDU, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Human error and bad weather were responsible for last month's crash of a helicopter chartered by world conservation group WWF in ... This series of profiles of foreign nations is part of the Country Studies Program, formerly the Army Area Handbook Program. The profiles offer brief, summarized information on a country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. In addition to being featured in the front matter of published Country Studies, they are now being prepared as stand-alone reference aides for all countries in the series, as well as for a number of additional countries of interest. The profiles offer reasonably current country information independent of the existence of a recently published Country Study and will be updated annually or more frequently as events warrant. |
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