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Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.
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Nepal
Much of Nepal lies among the steep, snowy peaks of the Himalayan mountain range. Eight of the world’s ten highest peaks are found along its northern border, including Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth. The climate in northern Nepal is extremely cold and dry. Central Nepal is cut through by steep-sided river valleys such as the Kathmandu Valley. Farther south, the foothills of the Himalayas slope to a region of tropical lowlands, known as the Terai. Lying across the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, Nepal suffers frequent earthquakes.
People
Nepal has over 100 ethnic groups. The largest group are the Khas peoples, who have lived in the Himalayan region since ancient times. The majority of people are Hindu, but many practise some form of Buddhism as well, as the two religions are closely related in Nepal’s culture.
Nepal’s Sherpa people live high in the Himalayas, many above 3600 metres (12,000 feet). They are known for their skills in climbing and their respect for the land. Many of the highest peaks are sacred to the Sherpas, who are Buddhists and associate mountains with the Buddha and the gods.
Economy
Three-quarters of Nepalese people work in agriculture. Most of them live in the central highlands, particularly the Kathmandu Valley. Farmers grow rice, the staple food, on terraces cut into the mountains to create as much level land in the steep terrain as possible. They keep water buffalo for milk and to help plough the fields. In the eastern Terai, people grow cash crops for export, such as sugar cane and jute, a plant with fibres that can be woven into a strong fabric.
Industries such as construction and financial services are growing in Nepal, leading to a huge reduction in the number of people living in poverty over the last decade. Today still around 20% of the population live on less than $2.15 / £1.72 per day). However, unemployment is still high, forcing many Nepalis to move abroad to countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia for work.
Consultant: Nicholas Harris
Facts about Nepal
Area 143,351 sq km (55,348 sq miles)
Population 31,122,387 (2024 estimate)
Highest point Mount Everest (Sagarmatha) 8848 m (29,032 ft)
Capital Kathmandu (metro area population 1,621,640; city proper 845,767)
Other major cities Pokhara (518,452), Bharatpur (369,377)
Languages Nepali (official language), Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang, Nepal Bhasa, Sherpa
Religions Hindu 81%, Buddhist 9%, Muslim 5%, other 5%
Ethnicity Khas peoples 40%, Magar 7%, Tharu 7%, Tamang 6%, Newar 6%, other 34%
Currency Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Chief exports Clothing, textiles, carpets, grain
History of Nepal
c.563 BC
Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, is born in Lumbini, near the modern Indian border.
c. 249 BC
India's Maurya Emperor Ashoka makes a pilgrimage to Lumbini and erects a pillar at Buddha's birthplace
11th–14th century
Khas empire emerges in western Nepal; the language of the Khas people is the ancestor of the Pahari languages, which includes Nepali as well as Kumaoni and Garhwali
AD c.1200
The first king of the Malla dynasty reigns in Kathmandu Valley.
14th century
Nepal’s many small kingdoms are united under the Malla dynasty, who establish their rule in the Kathmandu valley.
15th century
Nepal is divided into three kingdoms under different Malla rulers.
1768
Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Gurkha ruler, conquers Kathmandu and starts to re-unite Nepal. The Hindu Kingdom of Nepal will exist for 240 years until the abolition of the monarchy in 2008.
1814–16
The Anglo-Nepalese War: land is lost to the British East India Company and Nepal’s current boundaries are set.
1846–1951
The king’s power is reduced, and Nepal is ruled by a series of authoritarian prime ministers belonging to the Rana dynasty.
1951
A revolt against the Rana family results in King Tribhuvan being restored to power. He rules Nepal with assistance from the leaders of political parties.
1960
King Mahendra dismisses the elected government and has many of them imprisoned.
1996–2006
The Nepalese Civil War: Maoist fighters revolt against the Nepalese monarchy, attempting to bring about a people's republic.
2001
Ten members of the Nepalese royal family are killed in a massacre at the royal palace.
2006
Nepalese revolution: on 18th May, the restored parliament of Nepal votes to strip the monarchy of its powers and declares Nepal a secular country, not a Hindu kingdom. The country becomes a federal republic in 2008.
2014
Sixteen Nepalese sherpa guides die in an avalanche on Mount Everest in the worst recorded accident in the mountain's history
2015
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Nepal on 25th April. Its epicentre is around 80 km (50 miles) from Kathmandu. Around 9000 people are reported killed, with the more than 19,000 injured. Many tens of thousands are left homeless.
2023
A 5.7-magnitude earthquake strikes Jajarkot District, Karnali Province, on 3rd November, killing 153 people and injuring at least 375
2024
Torrential rainfall during the July–September monsoon season causes massive flooding and mudslides. The Kathmandu Valley receives between 24 and 32 cm on 28-29th September, causing extensive flooding in the capital.
2025
(September) Protests take place across Nepal, led by students and young citizens ("Gen Z"), in response to a nationwide ban on social media platforms and also against government corruption. The protests escalate in the face of police violence, leading to the storming of Parliament on 9th September. They die down after Prime Minister Oli resigns and Sushila Karki is sworn in as interim prime minister, becoming the first woman to lead Nepal
2026
(August) Devastating flash floods, caused by a collapsing glacier, strike dozens of settlements along the River Trishuli near the border with Tibet, claiming more than 1300 lives in Nepal and a further 43 in Tibet. More than 5000 people are missing, feared dead.
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