Nepal

Nepal is home to the Gurkhas, among the only people of India the British could not conquer. The other people were the Pashtuns of Afghanistan.

History
Newars are thought to have lived in the Nepal Valley since the 4th century AD, developing a Hindu -Buddhist culture. The Gurkha principality was later established by Rajput warriors from India, and in 1769 they conquered lands beyond the present-day borders of Nepal. After incursions into northern India in which the Gurkhas were defeated, Nepal lost part of its territory to British India but retained its independence and enjoyed close ties with the British.It has maintained its close association with India since the latter gained independence in 1947. In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring down the regime after the 2003 ceasefire breakdown.. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. In 2004 he reinstated the prime minister to establish elections for 2005, but deposed them again when no progres was made.

Geography
For a small country, Nepal has great physical diversity, ranging from the Tarai Plain--the northern rim of the Gangetic Plain situated at about 300 meters above sea level in the south--to the almost 8,800-meter-high Mount Everest, locally known as Sagarmatha (its Nepali name), in the north. From the lowland Tarai belt, landforms rise in successive hill and mountain ranges, including the stupendous rampart of the towering Himalayas, ultimately reaching the Tibetan Plateau beyond the Inner Himalayas. This rise is punctuated by valleys situated between mountain ranges. Within this maze of mountains, hills, ridges, and low valleys, elevational changes results in ecological variations.

Politics
1768-90 - The present Shah dynasty begins after King Prithvi Narayan Shah conquers Kathmandu, Patan and Bhadgaon in Kathmandu valley and unites Nepal's eastern and western kingdoms.

1846 - Jang Bahadur Rana takes over as prime minister and establishes the hereditary rule of the Ranas as prime ministers which lasts for another 104 years. The Shah kings are reduced to figureheads with no authority.

1946 - The Nepali Congress party is formed.

1948 - The country's first constitution is promulgated.

1950 - King Tribhuvan seeks asylum in India after falling out with the Ranas, who implicate him in a conspiracy against them. The Ranas install Gyanendra, then a toddler, as king.

1951 - King Tribhuvan is restored to the throne and the monarchy once again becomes an important centre of power.

1955 - King Tribhuvan dies and is succeeded by King Mahendra.

1959 - New constitution is promulgated, first general elections are held. Nepali Congress party wins absolute majority.

1960 - King Mahendra bans all political parties.

1972 - Mahendra dies. He is succeeded by his son King Birendra.

1990, April - King Birendra, under pressure from the pro-democracy movement, lifts 1960 ban on political parties.

Nov - King proclaims a new constitution establishing a multi-party democracy under a constitutional monarchy.

1996 - Maoists launch an armed rebellion from remote Himalayan foothills to try to topple the monarchy.

2001, June - King Birendra and most members of the royal family are killed by then crown prince Dipendra, who also dies after the shoot out. Prince Gyanendra becomes king.

2005, Feb - King Gyanendra takes absolute power vowing to crush the Maoists.

2006, April - King Gyanendra gives up absolute power after widespread protests. Veteran politician Girija Prasad Koirala, sworn in as prime minister, invites the rebels for talks.

Nov - Prime Minister Koirala and rebel chief Prachanda sign a peace deal, ending a war that killed more than 13,000 people.

2007 - The ruling alliance and the Maoists agree to abolish the monarchy after elections.

2008, April - Nepalis vote in historic constituent assembly elections in which Maoists emerge as the largest political party.

2008, May 28 - Special assembly elected in April agrees to abolish the monarchy to make Nepal a republic.

Economy
By any measure, Nepal is one of the poorest and most underdeveloped countries in the world. The per capita income is only about USD 200 a year. This figure ranks Nepal as one of the five poorest countries in the world. Nepal's harsh geography, the lack of almost any natural resoures, a high population growth rate, and political instability make improving the economic situation very difficult. Over 80 percent of the labor force relies on agriculture.

Culture
There are many cultures in Nepal, so cultural tolerance is key for the nation. Traditions may differ greatly among neighbors, and even languages may change within a few steps.

Religion
Mostly Hindu with sizable Buddhist and Muslim minoralties.

Pokhara Valley
The Pokhara Valley one of the most picturesques spot of Nepal, is enhanced by its lovely lakes Phewa, Begnas and Rupa. Situated 200-kms west of Kathmandu, Pokhara is connected by air as well or by bus from Kathmandu and Bhairahawa a border town near India. Situated at an altitude of 827m, Pokhara offers the magnificent views of Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Machhapuchhre, five peaks of Annapurna and others. Pokhara’s numerous lakes known as ‘Tal’ in Nepali offer fishing, boating and swimming.

Gorkha
Gorkha has become one of the most loved tourist places in Nepal because of its historical background. Gorkha is the birth place of King Prithivi Narayan Shah - The Great, the founder of modern Nepal. Situated on a hill overlooking the snowy peaks of the himalayas, there is a beautiful old palace known as Gorkha Durbar. There are two attractive temples of Gorakhnath and Kali inside the palace precinct. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple of Gorakhnath. Gorkha can be reached in about 6 hours from Kathmandu and in about 4 hours from Pokhara. A side trip to Manakamana on the way to Gorkha is very enjoyable and interesting.

Gosainkunda
One of the most famous religious tourist places in Nepal is Gosainkunda lake, situated at an altitude of about 4,360m. The best approach to Gosainkunda is through Dhunche, 132-kms north east of Kathmandu. Dhunche is linked with Kathmandu by a motorable road. Surrounded by high mountains on the north and the south the lake is grand and picturesque. There are other nine famous lakes such as Saraswati Bhairv, Sourya and Ganesh Kund, etc.