Don's Home Places Nepal Contact

Nepal

Nepal Information
American Embassy in Kathmandu.

Nepal Pages at:
Yahoo, Rec.travel library, Google
Virtual Tourist, Lonely Planet, Virtual Library Nepal.com, Travel-Nepal.com, Info Please, countryWatch, susan-tomdilts@att.net

Katmandu Info at: Lonley Planet, Sites List here Info at Magellan's, CIA World FactBook page for Nepal

The Himalayan Times

Nepal Facts and Figures: Language(s): Nepali (Gorkhali) As a descendent of Sanskrit, like the languages of North India, it uses the Devanagari script. Currency: 1.00 NPR (Nepal Rupees) = $0.0127 US Dollars 78 NPR / $ Population: 23 million (growth rate: 2.3%) Ethnic groups: : Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)

Government: Parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy See: NepalDemocracy.org

News/Maoists:
Maoists set off bomb blasts set off on Sept. 15
See The Communist Party of Nepal(Maoist).

On Oct. 4, 2002 King Gyanendra of Nepal fired the country's Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, calling him "incompetent" and "incapable" of holding parliamentary elections on schedule. See Article.

On Oct. 11 he appointed an new Prime Minister who said "We will open a window to have a dialogue with the Maoists." See Article.

A Jan. 2004 BBC article says: "Trekkers are returning to the trails - with the chance of meeting a Maoist rebel one of the main attractions."
Declared a terrorist organisation by the government, the CPN(M) has stated officially that it does not intend to harm tourists and for the seven years of the insurgency has so far kept its word.
The rebels stop by teahouses to talk to tourists and ask for donations. Trekkers usually hand over an average of $14 (1,000 rupees).

In June, 2004 King Gyanendra reappointed Deuba, with a mandate to hold elections.
However, His major coalition partner, the communist party, is deeply divided over the election call. In addition, Maoist rebels have stated in no uncertain terms that there will be a massive bloodbath if Deuba announces elections.

In Feb. 2005 King Gyanendra dissolved the government of Nepal and has declared a state of emergency as he takes control of the Himalayan kingdom.

See Nepal Blog at: nepalnow.blogspot.com

Religion: Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2% Average Income: $165 US Literacy: 41% male, 14% female Safety / Crime: Although the rate of violent crime is low in Kathmandu relative to comparably sized American cities, street crime is prevalent in Kathmandu as well as in other areas frequented by foreigners. Take particular care when walking around Thamel, a popular tourist spot in Kathmandu, where bag snatching and pick pocketing are common.
(Source: US State Dept. Consular Information Sheet)

See State Department announcements on the Maoist call for an escalation in violent activities in the Fall of 2002.

Maoists set off bomb blasts set off on Sept. 15
No major incidents during Sept. 16 bandh

Health risks: For Travelers to the Indian Subcontinent at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Consular Information Sheets from the US State Dept., United Kingdom, Time Zone: GMT+5:45
Place Zone Examples
Kathmandu GMT+5:45 6:45AM 8:45PM
San Francisco PDT GMT-7 6PM 8AM
New York EDT GMT-4 9PM 11AM

Weather: Kathmandu
Mo.  Hi   Low
Oct  80°  55°
 Kathmandu from CNN , The Weather Channel.
Maps
Himalayan Mountains.
Trips 
Sierra club - Jewel in the Ice: Kathmandu-Lhasa Overland, Nepal & Tibet

Unique Path
North Face Trekking
Eco Adventures
Mount Everest in the Tibet site
Books
Plants and People of Nepal, by Narayan P. Manandhar. 2002. 636 pp

Return to Places.
last updated 12 Feb 2005
copan