Nepal Country & Tourist Information

Location
South Asia.

Area
147,181 sq km (56,827 sq miles).

Population
28.3 million (UN estimate 2007).

Population Density
192 per sq km.

Capital
Kathmandu.
Population: 822,930 (2006).

Government
Democratic Republic.

Language
The official language is Nepali (spoken by 49%). There are many other languages, including Maithili and Bhojpuri. English is spoken in business circles and by people involved in the travel trade.

Religion
Mainly Hindu (85%) and Buddhist (8%), with a small Muslim minority (4%).

Time
GMT + 5.45.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. There are frequent power cuts.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Prachanda since 2008.

Recent History
King Gyanendra ascended the throne in June 2001 after Crown Prince Dipendra gunned down his parents and seven royals before killing himself. On 1 February 2005, the king dismissed the prime minister and his government for failing its mandate to hold elections and restore peace. He took power and a state of emergency followed, with press censorship and suspension of fundamental rights. He appointed a pro-monarchist cabinet and the escalating crisis between the king, political parties and Maoist insurgents culminated in strikes and demonstrations in spring 2006. The king recalled parliament in April 2006 and appointed Girija Prasad Koirala, leader of the largest political party Nepali Congress, as prime minister. A landmark peace deal was agreed in November 2006 and in early 2007 Maoists joined an interim government.

Elections in April 2008 resulted in a victory for the Maoists, following a 10-year insurgency. Their leader, Prachanda, became the senior political leader of Nepal. A planned abolition of the monarchy took place in May 2008 and the nation was declared a republic. The Maoists have the task of rewriting the constitution.

Telephone
Country code: 977.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage is sporadic and variable.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in Kathmandu, Patan and Pokhara - many with high-speed broadband links. Internet services are also provided by hotels.

Media
The Maoist rebellion in Nepal, and the efforts to suppress it, have had a profound impact on the media. Media rights groups say attacks on media workers have been perpetrated by both sides in the conflict. In recent years, more journalists had been arrested in Nepal than in any other country. Press freedoms were suspended under a state of emergency invoked by King Gyanendra in February 2005, and then enshrined in law. As a result, some newspapers left their editorial pages blank, or published editorials on deliberately bland topics. Up to 60 private FM radio stations were ordered not to broadcast political news. The new multi-party government of 2006 has eased some of the edicts but in 2007 there were reports of reporters fleeing violence in the south. The government publishes newspapers, and operates national radio and TV services. However, there is a growing number of private radio stations.

Post
Postal services are available in most centers. Make sure letters are hand-cancelled at the post office (post boxes should not be used for important communications).

Post office hours: The general post office in Kathmandu (near the Dharahara Tower) is open Mon-Fri 0900-1700. Main hotels will also handle post.

Press
• English-language newspapers available in Nepal are The Himalayan Times, The Kathmandu Post, Rising Nepal and The Nepali Times.
• Other dailies include Kantipur and Annapurna Post.
• The International Herald Tribune, Newsweek and Time can all be found in Kathmandu.
• State-owned Gorkhapatra is Nepal’s oldest newspaper.

Radio
• Radio Nepal is state-run.
• HBC 94 FM is operated by the Himalayan Broadcasting Company.
• FM station Radio Sagarmatha is a public, community station.
• Kantipur FM, Image FM and Hits FM are commercial stations.
• BBC World Service is available on FM in Kathmandu.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2009 period. 

2009
Jan/Feb* Basanta Panchami. 
30 Jan Martyrs' Day. 
19 Feb Rashtriya Prajatantra Divas (National Democracy Day). 
4 Apr Ghode Jatra (Festival of Horses).
Mar* Holi.
Mar* Ram Nawami (Birthday of Lord Ram).
6 Mar Shivaratri (in honor of Lord Shiva).
8 Mar Nepalese Women's Day.
Mar/Apr* Chaite Dashain. 
14 Apr Navabarsha (New Year's Day).
2 May Buddha Jayanti (Birthday of Lord Buddha).
Aug* Rakshya Bandhan (Janai Purnima).
20 Aug Children's Day.
Aug/Sep* Krishna Janmashtami.
Sep* Fulpati Saptami.
Sep* Maha Asthami.
Sep* Maha Nawami.
Sep* Vijaya Dashami.
Oct* Laxhmi Puja.
Oct* Ghatasthapana.
Oct* Gobardhan Puja.
9 Nov Constitution Day.

* Dates to be confirmed.

Note
Some of the above are Hindu festivals, which are declared according to local astronomical observations. It is not possible to predict the exact dates of festivals occuring and the dates published are approximations. Travelers should check locally nearer the time for precise dates.

Contact Information:

Nepal Tourism Board
Bhrikuti Mandap, PO Box 11018, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: (1) 425 6909 or 6229.
Website: www.welcomenepal.com



Embassy of Nepal in the UK
12A Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QU, UK
Tel: (020) 7229 1594 or 6231 or 5352.
Website: www.nepembassy.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 1000-1200 (consular section).

Embassy of Nepal in the USA
2131 Leroy Place, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 667 4550.
Website: www.nepalembassyusa.org


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