Coordinates: 28°10′N 84°15′E Nepal [12] Nepal (/nə pɔ l/ ( listen); Nepali: ˈ ː नेपाल Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Nepāl [neˈpal]), officially the Federal (Nepali) Democratic Republic of Nepal (Nepali: सघीय सघीय लोकताक गणत नेपाल लोकताक गणत नेपाल Sanghiya Loktāntrik Sanghiya Loktāntrik Ganatantra Nepāl Ganatantra Nepāl),[13] is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is located mainly in the Himalayas but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. With an estimated population of 26.4 million, it is 48th largest country by population and 93rd largest country by area.[2][14] It Emblem borders China in the north and India in the south, Flag east, and west while Bangladesh is located within only 27 km (17 mi) of its southeastern tip and Motto: जननी जमभिू म वगादप गरयसी (Sanskrit) Bhutan is separated from it by the Indian state of Mother and Motherland are Greater than Heaven (English) Sikkim. Nepal has a diverse geography, including [15] fertile plains, subalpine forested hills, and Anthem: सय थँुगा फू लका (Nepali) eight of the world's ten tallest mountains, Made of Hundreds of Flowers (English) including Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and largest city. Nepal is a multiethnic nation with Nepali as the official language. The name "Nepal" is first recorded in texts from the Vedic Age, the era in which Hinduism was founded, the predominant religion of the country. In the middle of the first millennium BCE, Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in southern Nepal. Parts of northern Nepal were intertwined with the culture of Tibet. The centrally located Kathmandu Valley was the seat of the prosperous Newar confederacy known as Nepal Mandala. The Himalayan branch of the ancient Silk Road was dominated by the valley's traders. The cosmopolitan region developed distinct traditional art and architecture. By the 18th century, the Gorkha Kingdom achieved the unification of Nepal. The Shah dynasty established the Kingdom of Nepal and later formed an alliance with the British Empire, under its Rana dynasty of premiers. The country was never colonised but served as a buffer state between Imperial China and colonial Capital Kathmandu and largest city 28°10′N 84°15′E India.[16][17][18] Parliamentary democracy was introduced in 1951, but was twice suspended by Official languages Nepali(Official at National Nepalese monarchs, in 1960 and 2005. The level including in 6 Provinces) Maithili and Bhojpuri (Official Nepalese Civil War in the 1990s and early 2000s in 1 Federal State and Co- resulted in the proclamation of a secular republic official at National level) in 2008, ending the world's last Hindu English(de-facto lingua franca [19] and medium in legal monarchy. documents) Recognised Awadhi · Bhojpuri · Bajjika · The Constitution of Nepal, adopted in 2015, national languages Doteli · Gurung · Kiranti · establishes Nepal as a federal secular Limbu · Magar · Maithili · parliamentary republic divided into seven Newar · Rai · Sherpa · Tamang · Tharu · Urdu[1] provinces. Nepal was admitted to the United Nations in 1955, and friendship treaties were Ethnic groups Ethnic demography (2011[2] ) signed with India in 1950 and the People's Republic of China in 1960.[20][21] Nepal hosts the Religion 81.3% Hinduism 9% Buddhism permanent secretariat of the South Asian 4.4% Islam Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), 3% Kirant of which it is a founding member. Nepal is also a 1.4% Christianity member of the Non Aligned Movement and the 0.4% Animism 0.5% Irreligion[3][4] Bay of Bengal Initiative. The military of Nepal is the fifth largest in South Asia; it is notable for its Demonym Nepalese Gurkha history, particularly during the world Government Federal parliamentary republic wars, and has been a significant contributor to • President Bidhya Devi Bhandari United Nations peacekeeping operations. • Vice President Nanda Kishor Pun • Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli • Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra (Acting) • Assembly Chairman Ganesh Prasad Timilsina Contents • House Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara[5] Etymology Legislature Federal Parliament History • Upper house National Assembly Ancient • Lower house House of Representatives Medieval Kingdom of Nepal (1768–2008) Formation Republic of Nepal (2008–present) • Kingdom declared 25 September 1768[6] [7] Geography • State declared 18 May 2006 Climate • Republic declared 29 May 2008 Geology Area Environment • Total 147,181 km2 (56,827 sq mi) Politics (93rd) Government • Water (%) 2.8 Administrative divisions Foreign relations and military Population • 2016 estimate [8] Economy 28,982,771 (48th) • 2011 census 26,494,504[2] Infrastructure 2 Energy • Density 180/km (466.2/sq mi) (62nd) Transport GDP (PPP) 2016 estimate Telecommunications and mass media • Total $74.020 billion[9] Science and technology • Per capita [9] Community forestry $2,573 Crime and law enforcement GDP (nominal) 2016 estimate Demographics • Total $24.067 billion[9] ((107th)) Languages • Per capita $837[9] Religion [10] Education Gini (2010) 32.8 Health medium Largest cities HDI (2016) 0.558[11] Culture medium · 144th Holidays and festivals Cuisine Currency Nepalese rupee (NPR) Sports Time zone Nepal Standard Time Units of measurement (UTC+05:45) In popular media DST not observed Books Films Drives on the left Gallery Calling code +977 See also ISO 3166 code NP References Internet TLD .np Further reading .नपे ाल External links Etymology Local legends have it that a Hindu sage named "Ne" established himself in the valley of Kathmandu in prehistoric times, and that the word "Nepal" came into existence as the place was protected ("pala" in Pali) by the sage "Nemi". It is mentioned in Vedic texts that this region was called Nepal centuries ago. According to the Skanda Purana, a rishi called "Nemi" used to live in the Himalayas.[22] In the Pashupati Purana, he is mentioned as a saint and a protector.[23] He is said to have practised meditation at the Bagmati and Kesavati rivers[24] and to have taught there.[25] The name of the country is also identical in origin to the name of the Newar people. The terms "Nepāl", "Newār", "Newāl" and "Nepār" are phonetically different forms of the same word, and instances of the various forms appear in texts in different times in history. Nepal is the learned Sanskrit form and Newar is the colloquial Prakrit form.[26] A Sanskrit inscription dated 512 CE found in Tistung, a valley to the west of Kathmandu, contains the phrase "greetings to the Nepals" indicating that the term "Nepal" was used to refer to both the country and the people.[27][28] It has been suggested that "Nepal" may be a Sanskritization of "Newar", or "Newar" may be a later form of "Nepal".[29] According to another explanation, the words "Newar" and "Newari" are vulgarisms arising from the mutation of P to V, and L to R.[30] History Ancient Neolithic tools found in the Kathmandu Valley indicate that people have been living in the Himalayan region for at least eleven thousand years.[31] Nepal is first mentioned in the late Vedic Atharvaveda Pariśisṭạ as a place exporting blankets, and in the post-Vedic Atharvashirsha Upanishad.[32] In Samudragupta's Allahabad Pillar it is mentioned as a border country. The Skanda Purana has a separate chapter known as "Nepal Mahatmya", which explains in more detail about the beauty and power of Nepal.[33] Nepal is also mentioned in Hindu texts such as the Narayana Puja.[32] Legends and ancient texts that mention the region now known as Lumbini, listed as the birthplace of Nepal reach back to the 30th century BC.[34] The Gopal Bansa Gautama Buddha by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention were likely one of the earliest inhabitants of Kathmandu valley. The earliest rulers of Nepal were the Kiratas (Kirata Kingdom), peoples often mentioned in Hindu texts, who ruled Nepal for many centuries.[34] Various sources mention up to 32 Kirati kings.[35] Around 500 BCE, small kingdoms and confederations of clans arose in the southern regions of Nepal. From one of these, the Shakya polity, arose a prince who later renounced his status to lead an ascetic life, founded Buddhism, and came to be known as Gautama Buddha (traditionally dated 563–483 BCE).[36] By 250 BCE, the southern regions had come under the influence of the Maurya Empire of North India and later became a vassal state under the Gupta Empire in the 4th century CE.[36] There is a quite detailed description of the kingdom of Nepal in the account of the renowned Chinese Buddhist pilgrim monk Xuanzang, dating from about 645 CE.[37][38] Stone inscriptions in the Kathmandu Valley are important sources for the history of Nepal. The kings of the Lichhavi dynasty have been found to have ruled Nepal after the Kirat monarchical dynasty. The context that "Suryavansi Kshetriyas had established a new regime by defeating the Kirats" can be found in some genealogies and Puranas.[35] It is not clear yet when the Lichhavi dynasty was established in Nepal. According to the opinion of Baburam Acharya, the prominent historian of Nepal, Lichhavies established their independent rule by abolishing the Kirati state that prevailed in Nepal around 250 CE.[35] The Licchavi dynasty went into decline in the late 8th century, and was followed by a Newar or Thakuri era. Thakuri kings ruled over the country up to the middle of the 12th century CE; King Raghav Dev is said to have founded the ruling dynasty in October 869 CE.[39] King Raghav Dev also started the Nepal Sambat.[40] Medieval In the early 12th century, leaders emerged in far western Nepal whose names ended with the Sanskrit suffix malla ("wrestler").