Nepal

A small, landlocked country, Nepal is rugged and remote. Nepal's terrain rises from 500 feet above sea level in the fertile Terai plain to the highest mountains on earth, including Mt. Everest. Culturally, Nepal's people are just as diverse. Dozens of ethnic groups maintain unique languages and customs. Most of the people are descendants of immigrants from India, Tibet and Mongolia who practice the Hindu religion. Although much of the land is mountainous or forested, 93 percent of the population support themselves through agriculture. They live according to ancient traditions in remote valleys hidden in the Himalayas.

Nepal is geographically positioned between India and China and has tried to maintain neutrality between these two often conflicting giants. Virtually closed to the outside world for centuries, Nepal now has transportation and communication links with its neighbors. Mountain isolation and rugged terrain have impeded the country's overall development. Literacy has increased in the last 10 years but is still only 28 percent. Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with more than half of its population living below the poverty line.

Links to country facts and maps:
Lonely Planet