Nepal Fast Facts

For the ease of tourists, here are some facts about Nepal that has met increased number of tourist form all around the world. These fun facts about Nepal add fun to the life of travelers and provide some sort of knowledge to travelers before they would actually visit the place. Some of such interesting facts about Nepal are discussed below:-

Capital: Kathmandu

Language: Nepali (official) & 20 other languages divided into numerous 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: 74.5 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: "May Glory Crown Our Illustrious Sovereign"

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

National Bird: Danphe

National Flower: the spectacular rhododendron 'gras' in Nepali

Land:
Area Total: 140,800 km2, Area Land: 136,800 km2
Land use: arable land: 17% permanent pastures: 15%
Forests and woodland: 42%

Population: 23,200,000 (2001 census)

Population growth rate: 2.27% (2001 census)

Kathmandu Valley Population Growth: 6%+ (2001 census)

Birth rate: 33.83 births/1,000 population (2000 EST.)

Death rate: 10.41 deaths/1,000 population (2000 EST.)

Infant mortality rate: 75.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 EST.)

Life expectancy at birth: total: 57.84 years

Male: 58.3 years, female: 57.35 years (2000 EST.)

Total fertility rate: 4.68 children born/woman (2000 EST.)

Sex Distribution: 49.5% male, 50.5% female (2001 census)

Distribution: 15% Urban, 85% Rural (2001 census)