Nepal: one foot in the past and one in the future

A nation of a little over 29 million people, Nepal is a country sandwiched between two powerhouses, China and India (1). Surrounded by the Himalayas, Nepal is considered one of the most bio-diverse countries. However, at the same time, it is one of the least-developed nations with about one-third of the population living below the poverty line (1). Nepal is also a nation that has undergone drastic political changes in the past, most of which took place over the past decade.
The basis of Nepal’s economy rests on the agriculture, accounting for about 38% of their gross domestic product (1). The nation also fuels their economy through the tourism trade; however in the past few years security concerns relating to political unrest have hurt the industry. There are some major manufacturing industries present that mainly produce textiles, but still, agriculture in the form raw products remain to be Nepal’s major source of a livelihood (2).
The political history and present situation of Nepal has undergone and is undergoing massive changes. Nepal was ruled by a monarchy, but King Birendra gave up his absolute power for a multi-party system in 1990. Currently, Nepal is officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, and is based on a three branch government. The Prime Minister and President were recently elected, and there exists a unicameral constituent assembly of 601 seats resides to work alongside the President and Prime Minister (1).
Culturally Nepal’s culture is an interesting fusion of both Chinese and Indian style. However, this is not to say that it does not have its own unique culture, because Nepal’s 60+ ethnic groups and more than 70 dialects do more than enough to create a Nepali culture that could never be compared with anything else (3). Religion is the most integral part of the Nepali way of life and is deeply embedded from their daily routines to the yearly holidays.

1. “CIA: The World Fact book.” Nepal. 8 Sept. 2008. Central Intelligence Agency. 24 Sept. 2008 .

2. “Country Studies.” Nepal- The Economy. Mongabay.com. 24 Sept. 2008 .

3. “Introduction to Nepal.” Your Gateway to Nepal. 2005. Yatra Nepal. 24 Sept. 2008 .