Nepal

Kathmandu serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Nepal, positioned in Southern Asia. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Pokhara, Lalitpur — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Kathmandu sits in a valley at 1,400 metres, its historic Durbar Squares still recovering from the 2015 earthquake that killed 9,000 people and destroyed temples predating European Gothic cathedrals — yet the same earthquake accelerated mountaineering certification reforms that made Everest expeditions marginally safer for the Sherpas whose traditional expertise those expeditions depend upon.

With a population of approximately 29.7M, Nepal is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is Nepali, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, Nepal is reached via the dialling code +977. Nepal's 125 ethnic groups navigate a caste system officially abolished but practically persistent, a federal democratic republic replacing a 240-year Hindu monarchy in 2008, and the extraordinary position of being the country whose citizens (Sherpas specifically) are the world's most experienced high-altitude mountaineers — a distinction earned through generations of high-altitude farming in the Khumbu region rather than any athletic training programme.

Nepal spans 147,181 km², in the Southern Asia subregion of Asia. Geographically centred around 28.0°N, 84.0°E, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the left-hand rule, in line with surrounding Asia convention.

The official currency is the Nepalese rupee (₨), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Nepal's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC+05:45, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.

The emblematic dish of Nepal is Dal Bhat. Dal bhat — lentil soup with rice and vegetable curry — is consumed twice daily by most Nepalis, morning and evening, with the mountain trekking tradition turning this austere meal into a cultural institution for international visitors who learn that the combination eaten daily with a basic sufficiency is infinitely more satisfying than elaborate restaurant food consumed occasionally.

Volleyball / Football holds a special place in the heart of Nepal's national identity. Volleyball is Nepal's national sport by official designation, but it is mountaineering that defines Nepal's international identity — Tenzing Norgay's 1953 summit of Everest with Edmund Hillary making Nepal simultaneously a destination and a metaphor for human ambition, with the commercial mountaineering industry now generating more than 50% of the country's tourism revenue.

The highest point in Nepal is Mount Everest, rising to 8,849 metres above sea level. Sagarmatha (Everest) at 8,849 metres is the world's highest peak — a summit that has attracted over 6,000 successful ascents since 1953 and accumulated significant quantities of human waste, discarded equipment, and uncollected bodies at altitude, creating a mountain whose spiritual significance to the Sherpa people now competes with its function as an adventure tourism product generating queue-like conditions at the Hillary Step.