Nepal
Asia Β· Capital: Kathmandu
How it is run: Nepal is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Nepal is home to 29.6 million people in Southern Asia, where people speak Nepali.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
29.6 million people
That is 0.4% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
147,181 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 201 people per square kilometre β busy towns with countryside in between.
π Size in its region
20th most people in Asia
27th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Nepali
π° Money
Nepalese rupee (β¨)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
70.6 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$1,536
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
67% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
28.1% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+977
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.np
π§ People here are called
Nepalese
π·οΈ Name at home
ΰ€¨ΰ₯ΰ€ͺΰ€Ύΰ€²
Also written: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, LoktΔntrik Ganatantra NepΔl.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Nepal is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Nepal
French
NΓ©pal
Arabic
ΩΩΨ¨Ψ§Ω
Chinese
ε°Όζ³ε°
Japanese
γγγΌγ«
Russian
ΠΠ΅ΠΏΠ°Π»
Portuguese
Nepal
German
Nepal
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 49.4Γ as many people as Nepal.
- Nepal covers roughly 1,402 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Nepal lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 14,809 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: π³π΅ is the flag of Nepal. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is NP.
π·οΈ Official name
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
ποΈ Capital
Kathmandu
π Region
Asia Β· Southern Asia
π€ Country code
NP
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Nepal π
Boudhanath Stupa
One of the world's largest stupas, with painted eyes on all four sides. Pilgrims walk around it clockwise, spinning prayer wheels.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
28.0Β° N, 84.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+6 β when it is noon in London it is about 18:00 in Kathmandu.
- Nepal sits in Southern Asia, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Nepal is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- π³π΅ is the flag of Nepal. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is NP.
- The capital of Nepal is Kathmandu β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Nepal is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Nepal has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Nepal?
- If Nepal spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Nepal?
Kathmandu
Which money do people spend in Nepal?
Nepalese rupee (β¨)
How many countries share a land border with Nepal?
2 β China, India.
Roughly how many people live in Nepal?
29.6 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.