Nepal Fact File
Kingdom of Nepal
GMT +5.75
Southern Asia, between China and India.
Flag
The flag of Nepal is the only flag in the world that is not either square or rectangular in shape.
The two triangles symbolise the Himalaya Mountains and represent the two dominant religions in Nepal - Hinduism and Buddhism. The current incarnation of the flag was officially adopted on 16 December, 1962. Before that, two separate triangular pennants were flown one above the other; these were then joined to form a single flag.
Crimson is the national colour of Nepal and also of the rhododendron; the country’s national flower. Red is also considered to be the sign of victory in war and the blue border is said to represent peace.
Until 1962, the flag’s emblems, the sun and the crescent moon, had human faces. They were removed to modernise the flag. The moon in the upper part represents the royal house. The twelve-pointed sun in the lower part symbolises a branch of the Rana family, members of which acted as prime ministers until 1961. They also represent the wish that the nation might live as long as these celestial bodies exist.
Capital City
Kathmandu (27° 43' North, 85° 19' East)
Total: 147,181 sq km (56,827 sq miles)
Land: 143,181 sq km (55,282 sq miles)
Water: 4,000 sq km (1,544 sq miles)
Border countries: China 1,236 km (768 miles), India 1,690 km (1,050 miles)
Population
28,287,147 (July 2006 est.)
Climate
Varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south.
Terrain
The terrain consists of the Terai (the flat river plain of the Ganges) in the South, a central hill region and the rugged Himalayas in the North.
Elevation Extremes
Lowest point: Kanchan Kalan (70 m [230ft])
Highest point: Mount Everest (8,848 m [29,035ft])
In 2002 land use was estimated as:
Forests: 29% (4.27 million hectares), with an average annual deforestation rate of 1.7%
Scrubland and degraded forest: 10.6% (1.56 million hectares)
Grassland: 12% (1.7 million hectares)
Cultivated farmland: 21% (3.2 million hectares), principal crops rice, maize, wheat, millet and potatoes
Uncultivated land: 7% (1.0 million hectares)
Others: 20.3% (4.72 million hectares)
Of the agricultural land 55.7% is in Terai, 37.3% in the Hills, and 6.9% in the Mountains.
Irrigated land
11,700 sq km (4,517 sq miles) (2003 figures)
Languages
Nepali (official)
More than a hundred languages are registered as mother tongues in Nepal.
90% Hindu
5% Buddhist
3% Muslim
2% other
Currency
Nepali Rupee (Rs)
Natural hazards
Severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons.
Current Environmental Issues
Deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives)
Contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents)
Wildlife conservation
Vehicular emissions
Airports
Total: 48 (2006)
Paved: 10 (highest at over 3,047m [10,000ft])
Unpaved: 38
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