Nepal

Nepal
Information
Capital	Kathmandu
Language(s)	Nepali 48% (official), Maithali 12%, Bhojpuri 7%, Tharu 6%, Tamang 5%, others. English spoken by many in government and business (2001)
Ethnic Groups	Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Chetri 15.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001)
Government	Federal republic, Federation, Republic
Currency	Nepalese rupee
Anthem	Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka

flag of Nepal

Nepal is a small South-Asian country, landlocked between two Asian giants; China (Tibet) and India. The large natural diversity of Nepal has caused many different types of civilization to develop there. From the heights of the Himalayas to the plains of the Terai regions, Nepal offers amazing and exotic flora and fauna, as well as diverse cultures and languages. The people are very friendly and respect the tourists. Convenient flights are available from many locations in India, and some other countries of South Asia. In case, you desire to savour the beauty of the nature in its splendid glory, you may drive all the way to Kathmandu from many points in India like Birgunj and Raxaul.

Hotels and lodging

Nepal Homestay, Katmandu

Maps and transportation

Getting to Nepal

Visas and Passports

All visitors to Nepal except the citizens of India and Bhutan, should have valid passports and visas. Visas for entry into Nepal are issued very easily by Nepalese diplomatic offices.

Entry

• By Air: Arriving in Nepal by air is more convenient. The international airport is at Kathmandu and the airport is called Tribhuvan International Airport. It is just located on the outskirts of the city at a distance of eight km. The Royal Nepal Airlines is the flag carrier of the country. Many other airlines operate their services like Biman of Nagladesh, Burma Airways, China Airlines, Indian Airlines, Lufthansa, Pakistan International Airlines, Royal Bhutan Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Thai International Airlines. Direct air connections link Kathmandu with many important cities of India like Patna, Kolkata, Delhi and Varanasi]] and many other destinations from other parts of the world like Frankfurt, Dubai, Karachi, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Colombo, Dhaka, Yangon and Lhasa.
• By Rail: The rail services in Nepal is almost non-existent and negligible largely due to the terrain.
• By Road: You may enter Nepal through five official entry points at these places:
  • Rani Sikiyahi, located south of Biratnagar.
  • Birgunj, near Raxaul in India.
  • Kodari, on the borders of China and Tibet and is used mostly by the visitors going to Lhasa from Nepal and vice versa.
  • Sonauli is near Bhairawa on road to Pokhara
  • Kakar Bhitta is connected to Darjeeling and Siliguri in India

Local Transport

While inside Nepal you may travel by taxis or luxury buses. Some inland flights from Kathmandu to Pokhra are also available. It is always a good idea to cover some distances in the Nepal by road to enjoy the natural beauty of this Himalayan country.

Practical information and resources

• Currency: Nepalese rupee (NPR)

• Language: Majority of the people speak Nepali. A tourist may also manage with Simple English, and in most of the areas with Hindi.

• Time Zone: UTC+5:45

Photo gallery

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Patan's temples

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Everything else

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External resources

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• Planet Nepal Encyclopedia project - Nepali encyclopedia
• Information on Nepal flights and travel
• Once Is Not Enough! - official website of the Tourism Board, Nepal.
• Nepal - A Collection of Photographs at Flickr
• Nepal Review

• NepalNomad - www.nepalnomad.com - Nepal Nomad offers walking,trekking,mountaineering 7 other activities in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, India

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