Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia, located mainly in the Himalayas between China and India. Its capital and largest city is Kathmandu. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s ten highest mountain peaks, including Mount Everest, and features rugged terrain, fertile plains, and subalpine hills.

The population is diverse, consisting of many ethnic groups and languages, with Nepali as the official language. Hinduism is the predominant religion, but Buddhism also has deep roots in the country as the birthplace of the Buddha. Nepal never came under foreign colonial rule, though it has a history of kingdoms and dynastic changes.

The country became a republic in 2008 after a period of civil war and political change and today relies largely on agriculture and tourism.