Wikijunior:Asia/Nepal

Nepal

Nepal (Nepali: नेपाल) is a country in Asia that is, officially, called the "Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal" (सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल). Their flag is in a shape of a triangle instead of a rectangle like most are.

The Government of Nepal (नेपाल सरकार in Nepali) was known as His Majesty's Government, before the monarchy was abolished. Nepal's President is mainly ceremonial. The Prime Minister is in charge of the government. The current Prime Minister is Khadga Prassad Oli and the President is Bidhya Devi Bhandari. Bidhya is the first woman to be the President of Nepal. She is also the chief commander in the Nepalese Army.

Where is Nepal?

Nepal is a country in southern Asia. It is landlocked, meaning that it is totally surrounded by land. It is between China and India. It is just under 150 thousand kilometres squared. Kathmandu (काठमाडौं in Nepali) is Nepal's capital and has the largest number of people living there for any city in Nepal. About 1.5 million live in the centre of Kathmandu and 3 million people in the wider urban area.

How many people live in Nepal?

Nearly 29 million people live in Nepal, according to an estimate in 2016. This means they have the 48th largest population in the world and about 0.38% of the world's population lives there. The population of Nepal is rising. In the 2011 census, the age bracket 10-14 had the most members. The overall life expectancy is rising. Over two-million Nepalese people do not live in Nepal. There were over 100,000 non-Nepalese people living in Nepal in 2001.

What are the most common languages in Nepal?

The official language is Nepali. Many other languages are spoken. These include, among others, Nepal Bhasa, Urdu and at least four sign-languages.

What is the most common religion in Nepal?

Over 80% of Nepal's population is Hindu. Nepal has a higher proportion of Hindus than any other nation. Nearly 10% are Buddhist and nearly 5% are Muslim.

What is the sport of Nepal?

Football and cricket are quite popular in Nepal. The Nepalese team has never won any medal in the Olympic or Paralympic games. They have participated in twelve of the Summer Games, four Paralympic games and four Winter Olympics. They have taken part in all the summer games between 1964 and 2016, with the exception of the 1968 one, and the winter ones between 2002 and 2014. They took part in the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Paralympic games.

What are some important sites?

Mount Everest, the world's highgest mountain, is on Nepal's border with China.
Pashupatinath Temple is a famous Hindu temple. It was built in the 5th century.
Lumbini is on the place where the Buddha is said to have been born. It is a Buddhist pilgrimage site.