Geography of Nepal

Geography of Nepal

Nepal is a landlocked country lies between 800 4' and 800 12' east longitude and 260 22' and 300 4' north latitude. The total area comprises of 147,181 sq. km, its border touches Tibetan Autonomous Region of China in the north and India in the east, south and west. The country is almost like rectangular with average 885 km east-west length and average width of 193 km north-south. The country can be tentatively divided into three geographical regions running east to west. They are:

• The Himalayan Region
• The Mountain Region
• The Terai Region

THE HIMALAYAN REGION

This region covers the mountain range whose altitude is 3,000 meters to 8,848 meters above the sea level. With spare human habitation, most of the areas have a wild landscape, undisturbed tranquility of the nature rules over the land. Along with Mt. Everest, the region includes eight of the 14 peaks of the world which exceed the altitude of 8,000 meters and many more mountains. The Himalayan region also divided into 3 regions:

• Greater Himalaya
• Boarder Himalaya / Trans Himalaya
• Inner Himalaya / High Mountain Valley / Bhot

THE MOUNTAIN REGION

Mountain region covers the areas whose altitude is 600 meters to 3,000 meters above the sea-level and accounts for nearly 64 percent of total land area of the country. Along with the Mahabharat and Churia Mountain ranges, this region has many longitudinal fertile valleys of the principal rivers. Kathmandu valley is also situated in this very region. Likewise, the Himalayan regions are divided into 3 regions, Mountain region also divided into 3 regions:-

• The Midland Range (Valley/Tars/Beshi)
• Mahabharat Range
• Churia Range

THE TERAI REGION

This region form a low flat land belt and includes the most fertile land and dense forest areas of the Country. It accounts 17 percent of the total land of the country. It has the width of 26 to 32 kilometers and its altitude does not exceed 305 meters above the sea level. This region is also divided into 3 regions:

• Southern Terai Region
• Bhabar Pradesh Region
• Inner Terai Region