Nepal is located in South Asia and shares territorial borders with India and China. Previously ruled as a kingdom, today it is a Federal Democratic Republic. Nepal is known for its exquisite natural beauty, with the iconic Himalayas running across the northern and western part of the country. Eight of the ten highest mountains in the world, including Mount Everest, reside within its borders. Although Nepal is a relatively small country in comparison with its neighbors, it has an astonishingly diverse landscape, from the rugged Himalayas in the north to the humid Terai plains in the south. The capital and largest city is Kathmandu.

People of Nepal: Perched on the southern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains, the Country f Nepal is as ethnically diverse as its terrain of fertile plains, broad valleys, and the highest mountain peaks in the world. The Nepalese are descendants of three major migrations from India, Tibet, and Central Asia.

Among the earliest inhabitants were the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley and aboriginal Tharus in the southern Terai region. The ancestors of the Brahman and Chetri caste groups came from India, while other ethnic groups trace their origins to Central Asia and Tibet, including the Gurungs and Magars in the west, Rais and Limbus in the east, and Sherpas and Tibeto-burmies in the north.

In the Terai, a part of the Ganges Basin with 20% of the land, much of the population is physically and culturally similar to the Indo-Aryan people of northern India. People of Indo-Aryan and Mongoloid stock live in the hill region. The mountainous highlands are sparsely populated. Kathmandu Valley, in the middle hill region, constitutes a small fraction of the nation's area but is the most densely populated, with almost 5% of the population.

Religion is important in Nepal; Kathmandu Valley has more than 2,700 religious shrines alone. Nepal is about 86% Hindu. The constitution describes the country as a "Hindu Kingdom," although it does not establish Hinduism as the state religion. Buddhists account for about 8% of the population. Buddhist and Hindu shrines and festivals are respected and celebrated by all. Nepal also has small Muslim and Christian minorities. Certain animistic practices of old indigenous religions survive.

Nepali is the official language, although a dozen different languages and about 30 major dialects are spoken throughout the country. Derived from Sanskrit, Nepali is related to the Indian language, Hindi, and is spoken by about 90% of the population. Many Nepalese in government and business also speak English

Languages: Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English.

Geography - Landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 14 highest peaks, including Mount Everest on the border with China, which is the world's tallest.

Infant mortality rate: 74.14 deaths/1,000 live births

Economy of Nepal: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with nearly half of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 41% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Production of textiles and carpets has expanded recently and accounted for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in the past three years. Agricultural production is growing by about 5% on average as compared with annual population growth of 2.3%. Since May 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms, particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by reducing business licenses and registration requirements in order to simplify investment procedures. The government has also been cutting expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. More recently, however, political instability - five different governments over the past few years - has hampered Kathmandu's ability to forge consensus to implement key economic reforms. Nepal has considerable scope for accelerating economic growth by exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth.

Currency: 1 Nepalese rupee (NRs) = 100 paisa, Exchange rates against foreign currency: http://www.nrb.org.np/fxmexchangerate1.php

Government: An interim constitution adopted in Jan., 2007, transferred the executive power of the Nepalese monarch to the prime minister and established a 330-seat Interim Parliament, which was replaced by an elected 601-seat Constituent Assembly in 2008. The assembly, which is also an interim body, is responsible for both acting as Nepal's legislature and writing a new constitution. Administratively, the country is divided into 14 zones.

Nepal - Entry and Exit Points: The following is the list of entry and exit points for the foreigners entering into Nepal and departing from the country. Upon entry, the immigration officials stamps on your passports with the permit to enter and explore the Himalayan Kingdom. But before you leave the desk of the immigration official make sure to check the stamp and the date. Usually, the immigration offices at these entry and exit points are open 24 hours.

Travelling by air: Nepal Airlines is the national flag carrier of Nepal with flights to/from Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

Other international airlines operating from/ to Kathmandu are Air Arabia (Sharjah), Air China (Lhasa, Chengdu), ArkeFly(Amsterdam ), Bahrain Air (Bahrain ), Biman Bangladesh (Dhaka), China Southern Airlines (Guanzhou), China Eastern (Kunming), Dragon Air (Hong Kong), Druk Air (Delhi, Paro), Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi), GMG Airlines (Dhaka), Gulf Air (Bahrain, Muscat), Indian Airlines (Delhi, Kolkotta, Varanasi), Jet Airways (Delhi), Jet Lite (Delhi), Korean Air (Seoul), Pakistan International Airlines (Karachi), Qatar Airways (Doha), Silk Air (Singapore) and Thai Airways (Bangkok).

Airfares fluctuate with the changes in exchange rates and are to be paid in foreign currency by foreign nationals. Only Nepalese and Indian nationals are permitted to pay in rupees for air passage between Nepal and India. Departure flight tickets should be reconfirmed three days in advance to avoid inconveniences by possible flight cancellation or changes in the flight schedule. Overweight luggage charges are levied in foreign exchange

Visa process and its fees: Fill in the visa application form before you arrive and go straight to the head of the line. Carry US dollar cash for the visa you want.

•             60-day single-entry:         US$30

•             60-day multiple-entry:     US$80

If you have already visited Nepal in the same calendar year the fees are:

•             Single-entry:          US$30 for 30 days only

•             Multiple-entry:       US$60 for the balance of your original visa

Important: below attached visa application form is for use when you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. It is not the correct form to submit if you are applying to a Nepal embassy or consulate abroad. Please kindly consult with the Nepalese embassy or Consulate located nearest to you.

* Above quoted Visa fees effective from 12 February 2009

Children under the age of 10 shall be issued visit visa free of cost.

A visa year covers a period from 1 January to 31 December each year.

Entry validity: Six months from the date of issue. The validity of visa date is counted from the date of arrival in Nepal. 

Visa Extension:  A tourist visa can be extended from the Department of Immigration Kathmandu and also from Pokhara Immigration Office for a total of 120 days. An additional 30 days visa may be granted on reasonable grounds from the apartment. Over the course of a visa year, a tourist cannot stay in Nepal more than cumulative 150 days.

Click here for visa form

Requirements for Visa:

a)            Valid Passport. (With a validity of a minimum period of six months)

b) One Application Form.

c) One PP size Photograph.

d) Visa fees should be paid in cash for on arrival visa. By Postal Order or Bank Draft made payable to the Embassy.

e) If you are applying by post, please send prepaid Self Addressed Envelope (SAE) with recorded mail.

f) Visa applications made in person need 24 hours processing time.

g) Application by post may take up to two weeks to be processed.

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