Area: 147,181 sq.km.
Population: 16,300,000 (1985).
Nepal is a small, landlocked, mountainous Kingdom on the south slope of the Great Himalaya.
The country is roughly rectangular in shape and runs parallel to the Himalayan axis; it is
approximately 880 km from east to west, and on average about 140 km from north to south. It is
bounded to the north by the Tibetan Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, to the
east by Sikkim, and to the south and west by India.
Nepal is an agricultural country, with about 94% of the population engaged in farming. The major
cops are rice, maize and wheat as cereals, and jute, oil-seeds, sugar cane, potatoes and tobacco as
cash crops. The population of about 16.3 million is growing at the rate of 2.7% per year, and this
rate is likely to increase because of the age structure.
Most of the country has a monsoonal climate, with an average annual rainfall of between 1,000
and 2,500 mm, 80-90% of which falls during the summer monsoon from June to September.
Average maximum temperatures during summer range from over 40°C in the lowlands to about
20°C in the midland hills and 16°C at 4,000m in the highlands.
On the basis of its topography and climate, Nepal can be divided into four major ecological
zones: Lowland, Midland, Highland and Trans Himalayan. The Lowland Zone or Terai occupies
a narrow strip along the southern edge of the country, on the border with India. Altitudes range
from 60-300 metres above sea level, and the climate is tropical. The region is characterized by
large rivers and their flood plains, dense tropical forest and extensive areas of tall grassland. The
human population density is very high, and large areas of the forest and natural grassland have
been converted into agricultural land.
The Midland Zone is comprised of a series of hill ranges, steep sided valleys and intermontane
basins stretching across the middle of the country, at elevations from 1,000m to 3,500m. The
climate is subtropical or temperate, and varies greatly according to the local topography.
Population pressure has increased considerably in recent decades and extensive deforestation has
taken place in the centre and east of the country. Soil erosion is severe, and landslides are
becoming increasingly frequent during the heavy rains of the summer monsoon. Most of the
natural ecosystems are under threat, and many species of wildlife have shown a drastic decline in
numbers in recent years.
The Highland Zone includes all the northern regions of Nepal from the bottom edge of the
coniferous forest zone at about 2,750m up through the rhododendron, birch and alpine meadow
zones to the barren rocky slopes and perpetual snows at over 8,000m on the summits of the high
Himalayas. Many areas are extremely remote and difficult of access, and as such are naturally
protected from any major incursions by man.
The relatively small Trans Himalayan Zone lies to the north of the main Himalayan chain in
western Nepal. It is situated within the rain shadow of the Himalayas and, with an annual rainfall
of less than 500 mm, is significantly drier than the other zones. It lies at the extreme southern
edge of the great Tibetan Plateau, and like that region, is typified by a semi-arid steppic
vegetation.
Nepal straddles the transition zone between the Palearctic Realm to the north and the
Indomalayan Realm to the south. Thus, most species of animals and plants occurring at high
altitudes in the Himalayas are characteristic of the Palearctic Realm, while the fauna and flora of
the southern lowlands, on the edge of the great Gangetic plain, are typically Indomalayan.
Because of this meeting of biogeographical realms, the great range in altitudes and the diversity
of climatic zones, Nepal has an extremely rich fauna and flora. Nearly 100 species of mammals
and 850 species of birds have been recorded, and it is estimated that there are some 10,000
indigenous species of plants.
