This year marks the first ever Impact Week in Nepal.
So while our international and local professionals are busy being trained as junior coaches in design thinking, we’d like to give you a little introduction to Nepal. Read on to find out more about the country, its environment and population!
Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia, bordering China in the north, and India in the south, east and west. The country is probably most famous for being home to the world’s highest peak: Mount Everest. However, there is a lot more to Nepal than just one mountain…
Size
Nepal is approximately 147,181 sq km big. This is approximately half the size of Germany (357,022 sq km), and approximately the same size as the state of New York (122,283 sq km).
Population
Nepal has an estimated population of almost 30 million. This is similar to the population of Peru, and approximately half the population size of Italy.
Climate
The country has a varying climate from cool summers and severe winters in the north, to subtropical summers and mild winters in the south.
Ethnicities
A mix of ethnicities make up Nepal’s population. East Asian mixed people and Indo-Aryans live in the mountainous and hilly regions, while Tibetans inhabit the central and western parts of Nepal.
Languages
Nepal’s official language is Nepali. The languages used in the county include Nepali (44.6%), Maithali (11.7%), Bhojpuri (6%), Tharu (5.8%), Tamang (5.1%), and more.
Fun facts
- Nepal’s flag is the only national flag that isn’t square or rectangular
- Nepal is not only home to the highest mountain in the world, but to 8 peaks out of the 10 highest in the world including Mount Everest and Kangchenjunga
- Although best known for its mountains, Nepal is also home to one of the world’s deepest canyons, the Kali Gandaki Gorge (the exact depth remains unknown, but is estimated to be more than
6 km deep)
- Nepal is home to many endangered species, including the one-horned Asian Rhinoceros, Bengal Tiger, Red Panda, Snow Leopard, Asian Elephant, Ganges River Dolphin, Swamp Deer, Black Buck,
Pangolin, Himalayan Musk Deer and many more!
- Almost 900 species of bird have been recorded in Nepal which equates to approximately 9% of total bird species found worldwide
- Nepal is home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Kathmandu Valley (cultural); Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha (cultural); Chitwan National Park (natural); Sagarmatha
National Park (natural)
- The Nepali calendar is based on the Bikram Sambar (ancient calendar of the Hindu tradition) — the Nepali calendar is approximately 56 years and 8 months ahead of the Gregorian Calendar (the English calendar); in the Nepali calendar it is currently the year 2076
We hope you enjoyed this very short introduction to Nepal! Keep an eye out on this page and our social media channels to learn more about what makes the Impact Week Nepal special and find out what our tracks are for this year’s challenges!