Facts about Nepal

Capital: Kathmandu

Language: Nepali (official) and 20 other languages divided into numerous ethnic dialects. Derived from Sanskrit, Nepali is related to the Indian language -Hindi, and is spoken by about 90 percent of the population in either native or second language fluency. Many Nepalese in government and business also speak English.

Time Zone: 5 hrs 45 min ahead of GMT

Currency: 1 Nepalese Rupee (NR) divided into 100 paise  Exchange Rate: 120 NR = 1 US Dollar

International Calling Code: 977 + city codes (Kathmandu 1, Pokhara 61)

National Calendar: The Nepali year begins in mid-April and is divided into 12 months: Baisakh, Jestha, Asadh, Shrawan, Bhadra, Aswin, Kartik, Marga, Poush, Phalgun, Chaitra.

Saturday is the official weekly holiday.

Unification Day: 1768 (by Prithvi Narayan Shah – First King)

Constitution Birth: November 9, 1990

National Anthem: “Sayaun Thunga Phool ka”

National Motto: “The Motherland Is Worth More than the Kingdom of Heaven.”

National Bird: Danfe Lophophorus impejanus

National Flower: the spectacular rhododendron ‘guras’ in Nepali

Land: 147516sqkm

Geography: landlocked; strategic location between India and Chinese-occupied Tibet; extremely diverse terrain ranging from fertile plains and broad valleys to containing eight of the world’s ten highest peaks.