Nepal rests in the Himalayas between India and China and marks the center of ancient trade routes accross this great mountain range. Historically the land was divided into several principalities; it wasn't until the 18th century that Kathmandu was conquered by an outside king and Nepal was unified into one kingdom--the world's only Hindu monarchy. There are dozens of different ethnic groups throughout Nepal, with each valley and changing landscape bringing new varieties of dress, custom, language, and belief.
The country is almost entirely mountainous. It is home to Mt. Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. Despite the sparse vegetation and rugged living conditions, a small percentage of the population live in the high regions of the Himalayas at the northern border of the country. Known as the Sherpas, these people of Tibeto-Burman origin are predominantly Buddhist. They work as trekking porters and guides, and depend upon trade with Tibet to sell their goods.
Eighty percent of Nepal's population are farmers inhabiting the flat, fertile lowlands of the warm southern region known as the Terai. An area of plentiful wildlife, dense jungle and spectacular Himalayan river gorges, culturally, it is influenced by its close proximity to India. Aside from the Kathmandu Valley, the Terai is the urban, agricultural and industrial center of Nepal.
Nearly half of the population live in the "Hills", the true heartland of traditional Nepalese culture. This region of forests, streams, and extensive fields includes the Kathmandu Valley, home to the Newar people who, by the 13th century, had built three small kingdoms--Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. The recorded history of Nepal is essentially the history of this valley, consistently Nepal's center of trade, of major Buddhist and Hindu pilgrimages, and the political and urban center. Kathmandu offers ancient monuments, international restaurants, art galleries, majestic landscapes, and a subtropical climate that often surprises most first-time visitors. Kathmandu symbolizes the harmonious co-existence of religions and ethnicities, mirrored by beautifully diverse nature, found throughout Nepal |
