Country Profile

Situated in the lap of the himalayas, Nepal, now officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia and the world's youngest republic. It is bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by India with an area of 147,181 square kilometres (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 30 million. Nepal is the world's 93rd largest country by land mass. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolitan city. Nepal is a country of highly diverse and rich geography, culture, and religions. The mountainous north contains eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including the highest, Mount Everest. Nepal is linked historically with the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.