Encyclopedia
Nepal , officially
Kingdom of Nepal, is a
landlocked Himalayan country in
South Asia, bordered by the
People's Republic of China to the north and by
India to the south, east and west. More than 80% of Nepalese follow
Hinduism. For a small territory, the Nepali landscape is uncommonly diverse, ranging from the humid Terai in the south to the lofty
Himalayas in the north. It is notable that within a very small width the elevation of Nepal increases from the plain terrain to the tallest Himalayas leading to great variegation. Nepal boasts eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including
Mount Everest on the border with
Tibet in the People's Republic of China.
Kathmandu is the capital and largest city. The other main cities include
Bharatpur,Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, Birgunj, Janakpur,
Pokhara, Nepalgunj, and Mahendranagar. The origin of the name
Nepal is uncertain, but the most popular understanding is that it derived from
Ne and
pal .
After a long and rich history, during which the region splintered and coalesced under a variety of absolute rulers, Nepal became a
constitutional monarchy in 1990. However, the monarchy retained many important and ill-defined powers. This arrangement was marked by increasing instability, both in the parliament and, since 1996, in large swathes of the country that have been fought over by Maoist insurgents. The Maoists, alienated from mainstream political parties, went underground and started a guerilla war against both monarchy and mainstream political parties. They have sought to overthrow feudal institutions, including the monarchy, and establish a republic. This has led to the ongoing Nepalese Civil War in which more than 13,000 people have died. On the pretext of quashing the insurgents, who now control about 60% of the country, the king closed down the parliament and sacked the elected prime minister in 2002 and started ruling through prime ministers appointed by him. He then unilaterally declared a "state of emergency" early in 2005, and assumed all executive powers. Following the
Loktantra Andolan, the king agreed to relinquish the sovereign power back to the people and reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives on April 24, 2006. Using its newly acquired sovereign authority, on May 19, 2006, the newly resumed House of Representatives unanimously passed a motion to curtail the power of the king and declared Nepal a
Secular state. A complete rewrite of the realm's
constitution is expected to happen in the near future.
History
Neolithic tools found in the
Kathmandu Valley indicate that people have been living in the Himalayan region for at least 9,000 years. It appears that people who were probably of Tibeto-Burman ethnicity lived in Nepal 2,500 years ago.
Indo-Aryan tribes entered the valley around 1500 BCE. Around 1000 BCE, small kingdoms and confederations of clans arose. One of the princes of the Shakya confederation was
Siddharta Gautama , who renounced his royalty to lead an ascetic life and came to be known as the
Buddha .
By 250 BCE, the region came under the influence of the
Mauryan empire of northern India, and later became a puppet state under the
Gupta Dynasty in the 4th century CE. From the late 5th century CE, rulers called
the Licchavis governed the area. The Licchavi dynasty went into decline in the late 8th century and was followed by a
Newari era, from 879, although the extent of their control over the entire country is uncertain. By late 11th century, southern Nepal came under the influence of the
Chalukaya Empire of
southern India. Under the Chalukayas, Nepal's religious establishment changed as the kings patronised
Hinduism instead of the prevailing Buddhism.
By the early 12th century, leaders were emerging whose names ended with the Sanskrit suffix
malla . Initially their reign was marked by upheaval, but the kings consolidated their power over the next 200 years. By late 14th century much of the country began to come under a unified rule. This unity was short-lived: in 1482 the kingdom was carved into three --
Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhadgaon -- which had petty rivalry for centuries.
In 1765 the
Gorkha ruler
Prithvi Narayan Shah set out to unify the kingdoms, after first seeking arms and aid from Indian kings and buying the neutrality of bordering Indian kingdoms. After several bloody battles and sieges, he managed to unify Nepal three years later. This marked the birth of the modern nation of Nepal. A dispute and subsequent war with
Tibet over control of mountain passes forced Nepal to retreat and pay heavy repatriations to
China, who came to Tibet's rescue. Rivalry with the
British East India Company over the annexation of minor states bordering Nepal eventually led to the brief but bloody
Anglo-Nepalese War , in which Nepal defended its present day borders but lost its territories west of the Kali River, including present day
Uttaranchal state and several Punjab Hill States of present day
Himachal Pradesh. The
Treaty of Sugauli also ceded parts of the Terai and
Sikkim to the Company in exchange for Nepalese autonomy.
Factionalism among the
royal family led to instability after the war. In 1846, a discovered plot to overthrow
Jang Bahadur, a fast-rising military leader by the reigning queen, led to the Kot Massacre. Armed clashes between
military personnel and administrators loyal to the queen led to the execution of several hundred princes and chieftains around the country. Bahadur won and founded the Rana lineage. The king was made a titular figure, and the post of Prime Minister was made powerful and hereditary. The Ranas were staunchly pro-British, and assisted the British during the
Sepoy Rebellion in 1857, and later in both
World Wars. In 1923 the United Kingdom and Nepal formally signed an agreement of friendship, in which Nepal's independence was recognised by the UK.
In the late 1940s, emerging pro-democracy movements and political parties in Nepal were critical of the Rana autocracy. Meanwhile, China annexed Tibet in 1950, making India keen on stability in Nepal, to avoid an expansive military campaign. Thus India sponsored Tribhuvan as Nepal's new king in 1951, and a new government, mostly comprising the
Nepali Congress Party. After years of power wrangling between the king and the government, the democratic experiment was dissolved in 1959, and a "partyless" panchayat system was made to govern Nepal. In 1989, the "Jan Andolan" Movement forced the monarchy to accept constitutional reforms and establish a multiparty parliament in May 1991. Nepali Congress Party wins first democratic elections. Girija Prasad Koirala becomes prime minister.
Recent events
On June 1, 2001, the Heir Apparent
Dipendra reportedly went on a killing spree in the royal palace, in response to his parents' rejection of his choice of wife. His parents were killed and he died 3 days later. Following the carnage, the throne was inherited by Birendra's brother
Gyanendra. In the face of unstable governments and a Maoist siege on the Kathmandu Valley in August 2004, popular support for the monarchy waned.
On February 1, 2005 Gyanendra dismissed the entire government and assumed full executive powers in the name of combating Maoist movement. In September 2005, the Maoists declared a three-month unilateral ceasefire but which was not reciprocated by the royal government which adamantly vowed to defeat the rebels by force. A few weeks later, the government stated that parliamentary elections would be held by 2007 even after the flopped municipal elections.
By then with the support from the Maoists the seven parliamentary parties had arranged a mass uprising against the reign of King Gyanendra. However, the royal government used various reasons to quell the uprising. By then frustrated by lack of security, jobs and good governance, thousands of people ushered onto the streets demanding the king to renounce power outright but the royal government turned even more ferocious and continued its atrocities including daytime curfews amid Maoist blockade. Food shortages hit people so that they prepared to march into the city centre and encircle royal palace. The security forces turned brutal and the king seemed to think nothing had happened so far. Thousands were injured and 21 people died in the uprising, which was meant to be peaceful but turned violent by the government and its vigilantes.
Foreign pressure continued to increase on King Gyanendra to surrender power so that on April 21 2006 Gyanendra announced that he was giving up absolute power and that "Power was being returned to the People". He called on the seven party coalitions to name a possible Prime Minister and that elections would be held as soon as possible. Many Nepalese protesters however, still carried out rallies in numerous cities and vowed to continue the stir until they would achieve complete abolishment of the monarchy. Finally after 19 days of protests, on April 24 midnight, the king called for the country's parliament to reassemble on April 28.
Parliament has since reassembled and already stripped the king of his power over the military, abolished his title as the descendent of a Hindu God, and required royalty to pay taxes. Furthermore, several royal officials have been indicted, and the Nepalese government is no longer referred to as "His Majesty's Government" which has been changed to "Government of Nepal". An election of the constituent assembly to rewrite the constitution has been declared unanimously to be held in the near future, with the possible abolition of the monarchy as part of constitutional change..
Following Gyanendra's relinquishing of absolute power, the Nepalese government and Maoist rebels agreed on a ceasefire. In August 2006, both parties came to an agreement on the issue of arms accountability, agreeing to ask the
United Nations to oversee and keep track of the weapons cache of both sides. The government and the Maoists are trying to come to an agreement on the future of the monarchy.
Geography
Nepal is of roughly rectangular shape, 650 km wide and 200 km broad, with an area of 147,181 km². Nepal is commonly divided into three physiographic areas: the Mountain, Hill, and Terai Regions. These ecological belts run east-west and are bisected by Nepal's major river systems.
The Terai Plains bordering India are part of the northern rim of the
Indo-Gangetic plains. They were formed and are fed by three major rivers: the Kosi, the Narayani , and the Karnali. This region has a hot, humid climate.
The Hill Region abuts the mountains and varies from 1,000 to 4,000 metres in altitude. Two low mountain ranges, the Mahabharat Lekh and Shiwalik Range dominate the region. The hilly belt includes the Kathmandu Valley, the country's most fertile and urbanised area. Despite its geographical isolation and limited economic potential, the region always has been the political and cultural centre of Nepal. Unlike the valleys, elevations above 2,500 m are sparsely populated.
The Mountain Region contains the highest region in the world. The world's highest mountain,
Mount Everest at 8,850 m is located on the border with
Tibet. Eight of the world's
ten highest mountains are located in Nepal.
Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, is also located on its eastern border with
Sikkim. Deforestation is a major problem in all regions, with resulting erosion and degradation of ecosystems.
Nepal has five climatic zones, broadly corresponding to altitude. The
tropical and subtropical zones lie below 1,200 m, the temperate zone 1,200 to 2,400 m, the cold zone 2,400 to 3,600 m, the subarctic zone 3,600 to 4,400 m, and the arctic zone above 4,400 m. Nepal experiences five seasons: summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring. The Himalaya blocks cold winds from
Central Asia in winter, and forms the northern limit of the monsoon wind patterns.
Although Nepal shares no boundary with
Bangladesh, the two countries are separated by a narrow strip of land about 21 km wide, called the
Chicken's Neck. Efforts are underway to make this area a free-trade zone.
Economy
Nepal is a poor country; nearly half of its population lives below the
poverty line. The capital crunch has affected development. The capital market is in its initial stage.
Agriculture sustains 76% of the population and accounts for about 39% of the
GDP; services comprise 42%, and industry 21%. Hilly and mountainous terrain in the northern two-thirds of the country has made the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. There are just over 4,000 km of paved roads, and one 59 km railway line in the south. Aviation is in a better state, with 46 airports, nine of them with paved runways. There is less than one telephone per 46 people; landline services are poor, although mobile telephony is in a reasonable state in some parts of the country. There are around 100,000 Internet connections, but after the imposition of the "state of emergency", intermittent losses of service have been reported.
A lack of natural resources, its landlocked location, technological backwardness and the long-running civil war have also prevented Nepal from fully developing its economy. The country receives foreign aid from
India,
China, the
United States,
Japan and the
European Union. The government's budget is about US$665 million, with expenditures of $1.1bn. The inflation rate has dropped to 2.9% after a period of higher inflation during the 1990s. The Nepalese Rupee has been tied to the
Indian Rupee at an exchange rate of 1.6 for many years. Since the loosening of exchange rate controls in the early 1990s, the black market for foreign exchange has all but disappeared. A long-standing economic agreement underpins a close relationship with India.
The distribution of wealth among people is consistent with that in many developed and developing countries: the highest 10% of households control 39.1% of the national wealth and the lowest 10% control only 2.6%.
Nepal's workforce of about 10 million suffers from a severe shortage of skilled labour. Agriculture employs 81% of the workforce, services 16% and manufacturing/craft-based industry 3%. Agricultural produce——mostly grown in the Terrai region bordering India——includes rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, and water buffalo meat. Industry mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce, including
jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. The spectacular landscape and deep, exotic culture of Nepal represents considerable potential for tourism, but growth in this export industry has been stifled by recent political events. The
rate of unemployment and underemployment approaches half of the working-age population. Thus many Nepalese move to India in search of work, the Gulf countries and Malaysia being new sources of work. Poverty is acute. Nepal receives US$50 million a year through the
Gurkha soldiers who serve in the
Indian and
British armies and are highly esteemed for their skill and bravery. The total remittance value is worth around 1 billion USD, including money sent from Arab and Malaysia, who combinedly employ around 200,000 Nepalese.
Nepal's GDP for the year 2005 is estimated at just over US$37 billion , making it the 83rd-largest economy in the world. Per-capita income is around US$1,402, ranked 163rd. Nepal's exports of mainly carpets, clothing, leather goods,
jute goods and grain total $568 million. Import commodities of mainly gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products and fertiliser total US$1.419 bn. India , the US , and
Germany are its main export partners. Nepal's import partners include India , the
United Arab Emirates , China ,
Saudi Arabia , and
Singapore .
Government and politics
Until 1990, Nepal was an
absolute monarchy running under the executive control of the king. Faced with a people's movement against the absolute monarchy, King Birendra, in 1990, agreed to large-scale political reforms by creating a
parliamentary monarchy with the king as the
head of state and a prime minister as the head of the government.
Nepal's legislature was
bicameral consisting of a House of Representatives and a National Council. The House of Representatives consist of 205 members directly elected by the people. The National Council had 60 members, 10 nominated by the king, 35 elected by the House of Representatives and the remaining 15 elected by an electoral college made up of chairs of villages and towns. The legislature had a five-year term, but was dissolvable by the king before its term could end. All Nepalese citizens 18 years and older became eligible to vote.
The executive comprised the King and the Council of Ministers . The leader of the coalition or party securing the maximum seats in an election was appointed as the Prime Minister. The Cabinet was appointed by the king on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Governments in Nepal have tended to be highly unstable; no government has survived for more than two years since 1991, either through internal collapse or parliamentary dissolution by the monarch.
The judiciary is made of the
Sarbochha Adalat—the Supreme Court, appellate courts and various district courts. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges were appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council.
The Nepalese political landscape consists of more than two dozen political parties. Based on the parliamentary seats occupied by various parties since 1991,
Nepali Congress Party , Communist Party of Nepal ,
National Democratic Party , Nepal Sadbhawana Party , People’s Front Nepal and
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party are significant ones. The Communist Party of Nepal whose electoral front, the
United People's Front of Nepal , had won third largest number of seats in 1991 parliamentary election was divided in 1994. One faction later merged with Communist Party of Nepal to form the Communist Party of Nepal . However, the other faction renamed itself as Communist Party of Nepal in 1995 and staged an armed rebellion in 1996. The CPN gradually emerged as a major political force - holding a balance of power in Nepal. All these political realignments have made the political scene of Nepal one of the most confusing in the world. Breakup of the parties had become a norm rather than an exception in Nepal. Parties never agreed on most issues of National significance. However, the situation began to change after King Gyanendra took an absolute power in 2005.
In November 22, 2005, the seven parliamentary parties of the Seven Party Alliance and the Communist Party of Nepal agreed on a historic and unprecedented 12-point memorandum of understanding in November 22, 2005 for peace and democracy. Nepalese from various walks of life and the international community regarded the MOU as an appropriate political response to the crisis that was developing in Nepal. In the backdrop of the historical sufferings of the Nepalese people and the enormous human cost of the last ten years of violent conflict, the MOU, which proposes a peaceful transition through an elected constituent assembly, created an acceptable formula for a united movement for democracy. As per the 12-point MOU, the Seven Party Alliance called for a protest movement and the Communist Party of Nepal supported it. This led to a countrywide uprising that started in April 2006. All political forces including civil society and professional organizations actively galvanized the people. This resulted into massive and spontaneous demonstrations and rallies held across Nepal against the King Gyanendra's autocratic rule.
The people's participation was so broad, momentous and pervasive that the king feared of being overrun. On April 21, 2006, King Gyanendra declared that the "power would be returned to the people". This had little effect on the people, who continued to occupy the streets of Kathmandu and other towns, openly defying the daytime curfew. Finally King Gyanendra announced the reinstatement the House of Representatives, so conceding one of the major demands of the SPA, at midnight of April 24, 2006. With this the coalition of political forces decided to call off the protests. Twenty-one people died and thousands were injured during the 19 days of protests.
On May 19, 2006, the parliament assumed total legislative power and gave executive power to the Government of Nepal . Names of many institutions were stripped of the "royal" adjective and the Raj Parishad was abolished, with his duties assigned to the Parliament itself. The activities of the King became subject to parliamentary scrutiny and the King's properties were subjected to taxation. Moreover, Nepal was declared a secular state abrogating the previous status of a Hindu Kingdom, albeit the fear shown by midline Hindu communities over their concern over the abolishment of long founded tradition of Vedic systems. On July 19, 2006, the prime minister, G. P. Koirala, sent a letter to the United Nations announcing the intentions of the Nepalese Government to hold elections to a constituent assembly by April 2007.
Military and foreign affairs
Nepal's military consists of the Nepalese Army which includes the Nepalese Army Air Service, , and the Nepalese Police Force. On May 19, 2006 The House unanimously passed the proposal to rename Royal Nepal Army as the “Nepali Army”.
Service is voluntary and the minimum age for enlistment is 18 years. Nepal spends $99.2 million on its military—1.5% of its GDP. Nepali Army having 90,000 soldiers of the country, which is currently engaged in the civil war against the
Maoist insurgents. Most of the equipment and arms are supplied by
India.
Nepal has close ties with both of its neighbours, India and China. In accordance with a long standing treaty, Indian and Nepalese citizens may travel to each others' countries without a
passport or visa. Nepalese citizens may work in India without legal restriction. Although Nepal and India typically have close ties, from time to time Nepal becomes caught up in the problematic Sino-Indian relationship. India considers Nepal as part of its realm of influence, and views Chinese aid with concern. Some Indians consider Nepal to be part of a greater pan-Indian state, an attitude that has caused Nepalese antagonism towards India. In 2005, after King Gyanendra took over, Nepalese relations with India, the US, and the UK have worsened. These three foreign countries have been vociferous opponents to the crackdown on civil liberties in Nepal. China mainly seeks cooperation with Nepal on the issues of Tibet.
Outside of Asia, Nepal has especially friendly relations with
Germany and has historical military links with the
United Kingdom. In July 2006, British authorities will be granting full British citizenship to all Nepalese and its dependants serving the British army during its occupation in the territory, and entitling them a full privilege to stay and work in the United Kingdom, this as a gesture of serving them. According to the press secretary approximately there are 100,000 eligible for application. Application can be obtained on the immigration website.
Administrative divisions
Nepal is divided into 14
zones and 75
districts grouped into five
development regions. Each district is headed by a chief district officer responsible for maintaining law and order and coordinating the work of field agencies of the various government ministries.
See also:
Demographics
Nepal has a total population of 27,676,547 as of July 2005, with a growth rate of 2.2%. 39% of the population is up to 14 years old, 57.3% are aged between 15 and 64, and 3.7% above 65. The median age is 20.07 . There are 1,060 males for every 1,000 females. Life expectancy is 59.8 years . Nepal is the only country in the world where males outlive females. Total
literacy rate is 53.74% .
According to the 2001 census,
Hindus constitute 80.6% of the population.
Buddhists make up 10.7%,
Muslims 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other religions 0.9%. The largest ethnic group is the Chhettri . Other groups are the Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%,
Tamang 5.5%,
Newar 5.4%,
Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8%. Nepali is the national language with 47.8% of the population speaking it as their first language. Other languages include Maithili 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu 5.8%,
Tamang 5.1%, Nepal Bhasa 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5%. Differences between Hindus and Buddhists have been in general very subtle and academic in nature due to the intermingling of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. Both share common temples and worship common deities and many of Nepal's Hindus could also be regarded as Buddhists and vice versa. Buddhists are mostly concentrated in the eastern regions and the central Terrai. Buddhism was relatively more common among the Newar and Tibeto-Nepalese groups. Among the Tibeto-Nepalese, those most influenced by Hinduism were the Magar, Sunwar, Limbu and Rai peoples. Hindu influence is less prominent among the Gurung, Bhutia, and Thakali groups, who employ Buddhist monks for their religious ceremonies.
The northern mountains are sparsely populated. A majority of the population live in the central highlands despite the migration of a significant section of the population to the fertile Terrai belt in recent years. Kathmandu, with a population of 800,000, is the largest city in the country.
Culture
Nepali culture is influenced by the cultures of Tibet, which borders to the north, and India, which borders to the south. There are similarities in clothing, language and food. A typical Nepali meal is
dal-bhat, boiled lentils served with rice and vegetables, and some spicy relish. This is consumed twice daily, once in the morning and again after sunset. Between these main meals, snacks such as
chiura and tea are consumed. Meat, eggs, and fish are also eaten, particularly in the mountainous regions, where the diet tends to be richer in protein. Millet-based alcoholic drinks are popular, including
chhaang and the distilled
rakshi.
Folklore is an integral part of Nepali society. Traditional stories are rooted in the reality of day-to-day life—tales of love, affection, battles, and demons and ghosts; they reflect and explain local lifestyles, cultures and belief systems. Many Nepali folktales are enacted in dance and music. The Newar people are well known for masked
dance that tell stories of the gods and heroes. Music is percussion-based, sometimes with flutes or
shawm accompanying the intense, nasal vocal lines. Musical styles are a variety of
pop, religious and
folk music, among other styles. Musical genres from Tibet and India have had a strong influence on traditional Nepali music. Women, even of the musician castes, are less likely than men to play music, except in specific situations such as traditional all-female wedding parties.
The
sarangi, a four-stringed, hand-carved instrument is usually played by wandering minstrels. Since the sixties, Nepali rock or rock music, sung to Nepali lyrics, has become popular among youth. Also catching on fast is Nepali rap and reggae, derived from African American artists and genres, which has blossomed with the advent of the music video industry. There are also a lot of heavy metal bands which have concerts that are popular among certain group of music oriented people.
Football is the most popular sport, followed by
cricket and kabaddi. The Martyrs Memorial Football League is the national football championship.
There four television services viz. Nepal Television - the national television channel, NTV 2 Metro - a metro channel owned by the government and two private channels - Kantipur Television and Image Channel. Also many other networks, particularly those that originate in India, are available with the installation of increasingly popular satellite dishes. Lack of electrification makes this difficult. Radio is listened to throughout the kingdom; as of 2000, there were 12 radio stations.
The Nepali year begins in mid-April and is divided into 12 months. Saturday is the official weekly day of rest. Main holidays include the National Day December 28, Prithvi Jayanti, , and Martyr's Day and a mix of Hindu and Buddhist festivals such as
Teej,
Dashai in autumn, and
Tihar late autumn. Most marriages are arranged, and divorce is rare.
Polygamy is banned by law; relatively isolated tribes in the north, such as the Dolpo, practise polyandry. Nepal has a rich tradition of ceremonies, such as
nwaran , and the
Pasni, the day a child is first fed rice, and
bratabandha and
gupha for prepubescent boys and girls, respectively. In
bel bibaha, preadolescent girls are "married" to the bel fruit tree, ensuring that the girl becomes and remains fertile.
Most houses in rural Nepal are made up of a tight bamboo framework with mud and cow-dung walls. These dwellings remain cool in summers and retain warmth in winters. Dwellings at higher altitudes are mostly timber-based. The urban areas are filled with concrete structures up to 8 stories tall.
Information Technology
Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya
Places to visit
Nagbahal
Golden TempleSee also
External links
Notes
References
*******Michael Hutt, ed.,
Himalayan 'people's war' : Nepal's Maoist rebellion, London : C. Hurst, 2004
