Land area: 52,819 sq mi (136,801 sq km); total area: 54,363 sq mi (140,800 sq km)

Population (2006): 28,287,147 (growth rate: 2.2%); birth rate: 31.0/1000; infant mortality rate: 65.3/1000; life expectancy: 60.2; density per sq mi: 536

Capital City: Kathmandu

Monetary unit: Nepalese rupee

Languages: Nepali 90% (official), over 40 other languages and major dialects, English (1995)

Ethnicity/race: Brahmin, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)

Religions: Hindu 86.2%, Buddhist 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2% (1995)

Although Nepal shares no boundary with Bangladesh, the two countries are separated by a narrow strip of land about 24 km wide, known as the Chicken's Neck. Efforts are underway to try and make this area a free-trade zone. Nepal is commonly divided into three physiographic areas—the Mountain, Hill, and Terai Regions. These ecological belts run east–west and are bisected by Nepal's major river systems.

The Terai Plains, bordering India are part of the northern rim of the Indo-Gangetic plains, were formed and are fed by three major rivers: the Kosi, the Narayani (India's Gandak River), and the Karnali. This region has a hot, humid climate. The Hill Region (Pahar in Nepali) protrudes the mountains and varies between 1,000 and 4,000 m in altitude. Two low mountain ranges, the Mahabharat Lekh and Shiwalik Range (also known as the Churia Range) dominate the region. The hilly belt includes the Kathmandu Valley, the country's most fertile and urbanised area. Eight of the top ten highest mountains in the world are located in Nepal. Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak is also located on its eastern border with Sikkim. Deforestation is a major problem in all regions, with resulting erosion and degradation of ecosystems.

Similarities of culture can be observed in the clothing, way of life, language and food to the south and Tibetan to the north. A typical Nepalese meal is dal-bhat, boiled lentils served with rice and usually vegetables. This is consumed twice daily, once in the morning and again after sunset. Between these main meals, snacks such as chiura (beaten rice) and tea are consumed. Meat, eggs, and fish are also consumed, particularly in the mountainous regions, where the diet tends to be richer in protein. Millet-based alcoholic drinks are popular, including jaad and the distilled rakshi.

Folklore is an integral part of Nepalese society. Traditional stories are rooted in the reality of day-to-day life—tales of love, affection, battles, and demons and ghosts; they reflect and explain local lifestyles, cultures and belief systems. Many Nepalese folktales are enacted in dance and music. The Newar people are well-known for masked dances that tell stories of the gods and heroes. Music is percussion-based, sometimes with flutes or shawm accompanying the intense, nasal vocal lines.

Most houses in rural Nepal are made up of a tight bamboo framework with mud and cow-dung walls. These dwellings remain cool in summers and retain warmth in winters. Dwellings at higher altitudes are mostly timber based.

In ancient sites of Nepal, temples and palaces can be found that are decorated with intricately carved windows, sculptural roof struts, and repoussé metalwork facades. The red brick and dark hardwood construction of densely packed neighborhoods has led many Western visitors to compare the cities of the Kathmandu Valley to medieval European cities. This architectural style is characteristic of the Newars, the ethnic group that has traditionally lived in the Kathmandu Valley.

Newari architecture is Nepal's most distinctive architectural style. The rosy glow of pink brick homes dotting the terraced fields of the Kathmandu Valley at sunset is one of the valley's most memorable images, especially when seen from a plane.

Most pagodas and buildings are constructed from brick, which, until recently, was the most common building material in the middle elevations of Nepal. However, a few temples are built in the shikhara style of architecture from northern India.

Two of Nepal's most important architectural constructions are the stupas of Swayambhunath and Boudhanath.