The word Nepal is derived from Nepa: (नेपा) Nepal Bhasa, the language of Newars, as the old name of Kathmandu valley was Nepa: (नेपा). According to Skandha Purana, a rishi called "Ne" or "Nemuni" used to live in Himalayas. According to Himwatkhanda, a Hindu scripture, the word Nepal comes from "Ne"' (the seer) and "pal" meaning protection.
NEPAL, officially known according to its Interim Constitution as the State of Nepal, previously known as Kingdom of Nepal (Nepali: नेपाल) is a landlocked Himalayan country in South Asia that overlaps with East Asia, bordered by Tibet of China to the north and by India to the south, east and west. For a small territory, the Nepali landscape is uncommonly diverse, ranging from the humid Terai in the south to the lofty Himalayas in the north. Nepal boasts 8 of the world’s top ten highest mountains, including Mount Everest.
Capital: Kathmandu
Area: 147,181 Sq. Km
Population: 27,133,000 (2005)
Language: Nepali
Currency: Nepali Rupee
Religion: Hinduism
Time Zone: UTC+5:45
GDP: 39.14 Billion (2005)
Per Capita: 1,675 USD
Calling Code: +977
The country is famous for: tourism, trekking, hiking, camping, mountain biking, national wildlife parks, jungle safaris, river rafting, sport fishing, and its many beautiful temples and places of worship.