Land area

147,181 sq km

Population

29.3m (2009; IMF)

Main towns

Population in '000; 2001 estimates (Central Bureau of Statistics)

Kathmandu (capital): 671.8

Biratnagar: 166.6

Lalitpur: 162.9

Pokhara: 156.3

Birgunj: 112.4

Climate

Varies from cool summers and severe winters in the north to subtropical summers and mild winters in the south (extreme cold at high altitudes)

Weather in Kathmandu (altitude 1,337 metres)

Hottest month, July, 20-29°C (average daily minimum and maximum); coldest month, January, 2-23°C; driest month, December, 3 mm average rainfall; wettest month, July, 373 mm average rainfall

Languages

Nepali (official). There are other languages and English is widely used in commerce

Measures

Metric system; local units also used include 1 seer = 0.933 kg; 1 maund = 40 seer; 1 ropani = 0.05087 ha; 1 bigha = 0.6773 ha

Currency

Nepali rupee (NRs) = 100 paisa. Since 1993 the currency has been subject to a de facto peg to the Indian rupee at the rate of NRs1.6:Rs1. Annual average exchange rate in 2010: NRs73.2:US$1

Fiscal year

July 16th-July 15th

Time

5 hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT

Public holidays

Basanta Panchami, January 8th; Martyrs' Day, January 30th; Rashtriya Prajatantra Divas (Democracy Day), February 18th; Holi, March 19th; Nepalese Women's Day, March 8th; Ghode Jatra (Festival of Horses), April 3rd; Navabarsha (New Year's Day), April 14th; Buddha Jayanti (Buddha's birthday), May 9th; Krishna Janmashtami, August 22nd; Maha Asthami, September; Ghatasthapana, September 28th; Fulpati, October 3rd; Maha Nawami, October 5th; Vijaya Dashami, October 6th; Laxhmi Puja, October 26th; Gobardhan Puja, October 27th; Constitution Day, November 9th; and various holidays for different religious groups