Nepal Overview
Nepal is a republic on the southern slope of the Himalayas between China in the north and India in the south. Until 1990, Nepal was an absolute monarchy, and the country was ruled directly by the king, while foreign policy was long determined by Britain and India.
Capital: | Kathmandu |
Biggest city: | Kathmandu |
State: | republic |
Language: | nepali |
Religion: | Hinduism, Buddhism |
Surface: | 140 800 km² |
Population: | 27.4 million (2013) |
Population density: | 203 residents per km² |
Life expectancy: | 65 years |
Illiteracy: | 51% |
Currency: | rupee (NPR) 1 rupee = 0.08 kr |
GDP per capita: | $ 1,200 (2010) |
Time difference: | +4 hours |
Electricity: | 220 V AC, 50Hz |
National Day: | July 7 |
Country area code: | 977 |
2-Letter country abbreviation: | NP (See more abbreviations on Abbreviationfinder) |
Business: | agriculture 93%, service sector 6%, industry 1% |
Climate: | subtropical in the south, rainy season from July to October; cold and snowy in the north, wetter in the east |
In 1990, the king agreed to a major political reform, due to pressure from the people. A parliamentary monarchy was established, and the king became head of state, at the same time as a prime minister was appointed head of government. In 2008, the country changed state and went from monarchy to republic.
The country is one of the poorest countries in the world, and about half of the population can be considered poor by definition. Nepal lacks a coast. Of the country’s total area, 20 percent is arable. Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, is located in Nepal.
WORLD HERITAGE
The following objects in Nepal are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The year in which the item was added to the list is indicated in parentheses.
- Kathmandu Valley (1979)
- Sagarmatha National Park (1979)
- Chitwan National Park (1984)
- Lumbini, The Birthplace of the Buddha (1997)
ELECTRICAL OUTLET
Electricity and electrical outlets in Nepal
Voltage: 230 V
Frequency: 50 Hz
Type of plug: C, D
Need an adapter: No, you do not need an adapter.
Type C (Europlug)
Europlug is a European standard (EN 50075) for sockets. It is designed to be used in most electrical outlets in Europe, with the exception of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Type D (BS 546)
BS 546, also called type D, is an older British standard that is mainly used in countries that were previously ruled by the United Kingdom. Although type D is still allowed in the country, this is highly unusual. Instead, Britain has been using Type G since 1947.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Weather in Kathmandu
Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Christmas | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Average temperature °C | 9 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 15 | 11 |
Day °C | 17 | 19 | 24 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 22 | 18 |
Night °C | 2 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 4 |
Rain (mm) | 13 | 14 | 10 | 29 | 70 | 129 | 325 | 239 | 175 | 67 | 7 | 8 |
Rainy days | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 26 | 24 | 26 |
Soltim / day | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
Kathmandu
According to Countryaah, Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal. It is located in the Kathmandu Valley between the Himalayas in the north and the Mahabharat Mountains in the south at 1325 meters above sea level, near the Vishnumati River. The city has 790,612 residents (2005).
Kathmandu was founded in 723 and was an independent kingdom until 1769 when the Shah dynasty conquered the city and merged it with the other two city-states in the Kathmandu Valley, Patan just south of the Bagmati River, and Bhaktapur 12 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu. The city was isolated from the outside world for several centuries and was not opened to foreign aid and immigration until the 1950s.
The city is located in a place severely exposed to earthquakes and has several times been almost leveled to the ground. It is expected that there will be a new earthquake in a short time which will have catastrophic consequences. The buildings are low but are not built to withstand earthquakes. The residents live close together and the water quality is poor.
In the city there are several buildings that have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.