The Economy of Nepal
The Economy of Nepal Arturo Y, Consing* HE KINGDOM OF NEPAL is a landlocked country bordered on the west, south, and east by India, on the north by Tibet, and Ton the northeast by Sikkim. It extends approximately 500 miles from east to west and 100 miles from north to south, and covers an area of about 54,000 square miles. Comparatively few miles apart are jungles, rice valleys, alpine highlands, and snow peaks. Elevation rather than latitude is the main determinant of climate. The country is divided into three geographical regions: the Hima- layan North, the central region (Inner Himalaya or the Hills), and the southern region (Terai). The Himalayan North contains the Nepalese portion of the Himalayan Mountains. The central region lies between the Great Himalaya and the Churia Hills (a continua- tion of the Siwalik Range of India); it is a succession of mountain chains which vary between 4,000 and 10,000 feet in elevation. Be- tween the well-defined Mahabharat Range (8,000 feet) and the Himalayan North is the Kathmandu Valley (4,500 feet), which is not only the political and cultural heart of the nation, but also one of its principal economic areas. The precipitation in the Valley averages about 58 inches a year; most of it occurs during the period from June through September—the time of the monsoon winds. Tem- peratures range from about 50°F in January to 78°F in July. The southern region lies between the Indian border and the Churia Hills; included in this general area are the forest-clad Churia Hills and the Bhabar slope, known together as the foothills or the Inner Terai.
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