Geographical Account of Nepal for B.A. I, Paper – II (B), Unit - 5 By Dr. Rashmi Ranjana Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography, College of Commerce, Arts & Science, Patna Email Id: [email protected] Introduction ⚫ Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia located mainly in the Himalayas. ⚫ Nepal is of roughly trapezoidal shape, about 800 km. long and 200 km. wide, with an area of 147,181 sq. km. ⚫ It lies between latitudes 26° and 31° N, and longitudes 80 ° and 89 ° E. ⚫ It is the 49th largest country by population and 93rd largest country by area. ⚫ It borders China in the north and India in the south, east and west. ⚫ Kathmandu is the capital and the largest city. ⚫ Nepal is a multiethnic country with Nepali as the official language. ⚫ Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in Lumbini in southern Nepal. ⚫ The country was never colonized but served as a buffer state between Imperial China and British India. Physical Map of Nepal ⚫ Nepal became a secular state on 28 May 2008 and declared a Federal Republic, ending its time-honoured status as the world's only Hindu Kingdom. ⚫ The Constitution of Nepal was adopted in 2015 and is divided into 7 provinces. ⚫ Nepal became member of the United Nations in 1955. ⚫ Friendship treaties were signed with India in 1950 and China in 1960. ⚫ Nepal is a founding member of the SAARC. ⚫ Nepal's geological processes began 75 million years ago when the Indian plate began a north-eastward drift by convection in the Earth's mantle causing the Indian plate to subduct under the Eurasian plate, uplifting the Himalayas. ⚫ Nepal lies within the collision zone of Eurasian and Indian plate, occupying the central sector of the Himalayan arc, nearly 1/3rd of the Himalayas, with a small strip of southernmost Nepal stretching into the Indo-Gangetic plain and two districts in the northwest stretching up to the Tibetan plateau. Physiography of Nepal ⚫ Nepal has a diverse geography, including fertile plains, subalpine forested hills, and 8 of the world's highest mountain peaks, including Mount Everest or Sagarmatha, the highest point on Earth. ⚫ Nepal is divided into three principal physiographic belts known as Himal-Pahad-Terai. ⚫ Nepal is also divided into three major river systems from east to west: Koshi, Gandaki or Narayani and Karnali (including the Mahakali/Sharda along the western border), all tributaries of the River Ganga. ⚫ The Ganges- Yarlung Tsangpo/Brahmaputra watershed largely coincides with the Nepal-Tibet border, save for certain tributaries rising beyond it. 1. Physiographic Division – Himal and Trans-Himalayan Region Himal ⚫ It is situated in the snowy Great Himalayan Range in the north, contains the highest elevations in the world including 8,848 m. high Mount Everest (Sagarmāthā in Nepali) on the China border. ⚫ Seven other world’s highest peaks are Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu. ⚫ The Mountain Region begin substantially rising above 3,000 metres into the sub-alpine and alpine zone and covers 15% of the total area of Nepal. Trans-Himalayan Region ⚫ The main watershed between the Brahmaputra (called Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet) and the Ganges system (including all of Nepal) lies north of the highest ranges. ⚫ Alpine, often semi-arid valleys—including Humla, Jumla, Dolpo, Mustang, Manang and Khumbu—cut between Himalayan sub ranges or lie north of them. 2. Physiographic Division – Pahad Region ⚫ Pahad begin at a higher range of foothills called the Mahabharat Range. ⚫ This region does not generally contain snow (only in winter) and vary from 800 to 4000 metres in altitude in the south of the Himal, with progression from subtropical climates below 1,200 metres to alpine climates above 3,600 metres. ⚫ The lower Himalayan Range, reaching 1,500 to 3,000 metres, is the southern limit of this region, with subtropical river valleys and "hills" alternating to the north of this range. ⚫ It covers 68% of the total area of Nepal. ⚫ The increasingly urbanized Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys fall within the Hill region. ⚫ Newars are an indigenous ethnic group with their own Tibeto-Burman language. The other group includes Magar, Kham Magar , Gurung, Tamang, Rai, Koinch Sunuwar and Limbu . ⚫ Population density is high in valleys but notably less above 2,000 metres . ⚫ Temperate and subtropical fruits are grown as cash crops and people rely on animal husbandry with increasing elevation. 3. Physiographic Division - Terai ⚫ The southern lowland containing some hill ranges and plains is known as Terai bordering with India and is a part of the northern Indo-Gangetic Plain. ⚫ It is formed and fed by 3 major Himalayan rivers: Koshi, Narayani, and Karnali as well as smaller rivers rising below the permanent snowline. ⚫ It covers 17% of the total area of Nepal. ⚫ This region has subtropical to tropical climate. ⚫ The outermost range of the foothills are Siwalik Hills or Churia Range, cresting at 700 - 1000 m. steeper on their southern flanks . ⚫ The Outer Terai ends at the base of the first range of Siwaliks or Churia and has a densely forested skirt of coarse alluvium called the bhabhar. ⚫ In several places beyond the Siwaliks there are low dun valleys called Inner Terai (Bhitri Tarai Upatyaka) which has very productive soil. Drainage Systems ⚫ Nepal has three categories of rivers from east to west – the Koshi, Gandaki/Narayani,Karnali/Ghaghra and Mahakali which originates in multiple tributaries rising in or beyond the high Himalaya. ⚫ These tributaries cross the highest mountains in deep gorges, flow south through the Middle Hills and the Mahabharat Range and emerging onto the plains to join River Ganga . ⚫ The Koshi is also called Sapta Koshi for its seven Himalayan tributaries in eastern Nepal: Indrawati, Sun Koshi, Tama Koshi, Dudh Koshi, Liku, Arun Koshi, And Tamor. ⚫ The Gandaki/Narayani has 7 Himalayan tributaries in the center of the country: Daraudi, Seti Gandaki, Madi, Kali, Marsyandi, Budhi, and Trisuli. ⚫ The Karnali drains western Nepal, with the Bheri and Seti as major tributaries. ⚫ The Mahakali or Kali along the Nepal-India border on the west joins the Karnali in India, where the river is known as Ghaghara. ⚫ Other rivers from east to west are - Mechi, Kankai and Kamala south of the Kosi; the Bagmati between the Kosi and Gandaki systems, the West Rapti and the Babai between the Gandaki and Karnali systems. KOSI RIVER NARAYANI/GANDAKI RIVER GHAGHARA/KARNALI RIVER SHARDA/MAHAKALI RIVER VEGETATION OF NEPAL Climate ⚫ Köppen’s climate classification recognizes five principal groups of world climates - tropical, arid, temperate, cold, and polar. 1. The tropical zone - below 1,000 m. extend far up river valleys across the Middle Hills and even into the Mountain regions. Fruit, winter crops like grains and vegetables are grown here. ⚫ The sub-tropical climate zone from 1,000 to 2,000 m. occupies 22% of land area and is the most prevalent climate of the Middle Hills above river valleys. Crops include rice, maize, millet, wheat, potato and fruits. 2. The Arid zone – Trans-Himalayan climate is found in arid and semi-arid area of the rain shadow areas where cultivation and husbandry conform to subalpine and alpine patterns. 3 . The Temperate climate zone - from 1200 to 2400 m. occupies 12% of Nepal's land area in higher parts of the Middle Hills and throughout much of the Mountain region. Crops include cold-tolerant rice, maize, wheat, barley, potato, apple, walnut, peach, various cole, amaranthus and buckwheat. 4. The Sub-alpine zone - from 3,000 to 4,000 m. occupies 9% of Nepal's land area, mainly in the Mountain and Himalayan regions. Crops include barley, potato, cabbage, cauliflower, amaranthus, buckwheat and apple. Medicinal plants are also gathered. 5. The Alpine zone from 4000 to 5000 m. occupies 8% of the country's land area. No plant cultivation although medicinal herbs are gathered. Sheep, goats and yaks are pastured in warmer months. ⚫ Above 5000 m. the climate becomes Nival and there is no human habitation or even seasonal use. ⚫ Precipitation generally decreases from east to west. Eastern Nepal gets about 250 cm annually and western Nepal about 100 cm. In rain shadows beyond the high mountains, annual precipitation drops as low as 16 cm. ⚫ Nepal experiences five seasons: summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring. ⚫ In the Terai temperatures can go up to 44° Celsius in the summer and fall to 5° Celsius in the winter. ⚫ Temperatures for the Hill and Mountain areas are 41° Celsius and 30° Celsius, respectively, in the summer, and 3 ° centigrade and way below 0° centigrade, respectively, in the winter. Flora and Fauna The natural vegetation of Nepal forms the western portion of the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot and follows the pattern of climate and altitude. They can be divided into 4 parts: 1. A tropical, moist zone (up to 1000m) - Deciduous vegetation occurs in the Tarai and the Churia Range. ⚫ These forests consist mainly of khair, sissoo, asna and sal. ⚫ Birds - peacock, jungle fowl and black partridge and other migrating birds . ⚫ Wildlife - tigers, deers, gaurs, leopards, buffaloes, rhino and others. Crocodile and Gangetic dolphin are found in the rivers. 2. Subtropical Zone (1100m-2400m) - On the Mahabharat Range, vegetation consists of a mixture of many species, chiefly pines, oaks, rhododendrons, poplars, walnuts, and larch. ⚫ Wild animals - Ghoral, Bear, Deer, and Wild Boar along with several species of birds. 3. Temperate Zone (2500m- 4000m) - The great Himalayan zone includes plant species like Oaks, Pines, Larix, Rhododendron, etc. ⚫ Wild life - The Red Panda, Himalayan Black Bear, Serow, Himalayan Tahr, Ghoral, Barking Deer and Wild. ⚫ Among several species of birds, Danfe is a beautiful and national bird found in the temperate zone.