Home to Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, Nepal literally sits on top of the world. In addition to adventurous experiences you will have here, you may also visit widows and orphans in their times of distress and protect the innocent who are prey to human traffickers. This month of your World Race experience will submerge you in a culture that is desperate for an encounter with the living God.
Geography:
-Slightly larger than Arkansas
-Borders China and India
-Highest point is Mount Everest (29,035 ft)
-Capital is Kathmandu
People/Society:
-Nepali is the official language with 44.6% of the population speaking it, however there are 123 reported languages spoken
-81.3% Hindu, 9% Buddhist, 4.4% Muslim, 3% Kirant, 1.4% Christian, 0.7% other
-Population is 30,986,975
-Median age is 22.9 years old
-29.1% of children under 5 years old are underweight
-34% (2,467,549) of children 5-14 years old are in labor situations (2008 est)
Government:
-Federal Democratic Republic, President Ram Baran Yadav
-Gained independence in 1768
-National symbol is rhododendron blossom
-Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular or square. The color red represents the rhododendron and is a sign of victory and bravery, the blue border signifies peace and harmony; the two right triangles are a combination of two single of pennons that originally symbolized the Himalaya Mountains but today they are understood to denote Hinduism and Buddhism. The moon represents the serenity of the Nepalese people and the shade and cool weather in the Himalayas while the sun depicts the heat and higher temperatures of the lower parts of Nepal.
Economy:
-Agriculture: pulses, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops, milk, water buffalo meat
-46% unemployment rate (2008 est) -25.2% live below the poverty line
-Exchange rate: 87.96 Nepalese rupees to USD
