Nepal is a small but very diverse country in South Asia. Within a short distance from south to north, the land rises from hot plains less than 100 metres above sea level to the highest point on Earth. This note covers the basic geography of Nepal that is asked again and again in Lok Sewa exams: location, area, borders, physical regions, mountains and climate.
1. Location and extent
Nepal lies in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres, on the southern slopes of the central Himalaya.
- Latitude: 26°22′ North to 30°27′ North (a span of about 4 degrees)
- Longitude: 80°04′ East to 88°12′ East (a span of about 8 degrees)
- East to west length: about 885 km
- North to south width: not uniform; on average it is about 193 km
- Shape: roughly rectangular, stretched from east to west
The Tropic of Cancer (about 23.5° North) does not pass through Nepal. It lies to the south, in India.
Nepal Standard Time is 5 hours 45 minutes ahead of UTC. It is based on the 86°15′ East meridian, which passes near Gaurishankar mountain. Because each degree of longitude equals 4 minutes of time, 86.25 x 4 = 345 minutes, that is 5 hours 45 minutes.
2. Area
The total area of Nepal is 147,516 square kilometres. This figure was adopted in 2077 BS (2020 AD), when Nepal published its updated political map including Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani in Darchula district. Before that, the area was usually given as 147,181 sq km. The same map was later added to the national coat of arms through the second amendment of the constitution.
3. Borders and neighbours
Nepal is a landlocked country. It has only two neighbours:
- China (Tibet Autonomous Region) in the north
- India in the east, south and west
Nepal shares its border with five Indian states: Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In the east, the Mechi river forms part of the border, and in the west the Mahakali river forms the border. The Mahakali became Nepal’s western boundary through the Sugauli Treaty of 1816 AD.
| Nepal side | India or China side |
|---|---|
| Kakarbhitta (Jhapa) | Panitanki, West Bengal |
| Biratnagar (Morang) | Jogbani, Bihar |
| Birgunj (Parsa) | Raxaul, Bihar |
| Bhairahawa (Rupandehi) | Sonauli, Uttar Pradesh |
| Nepalgunj (Banke) | Rupaidiha, Uttar Pradesh |
| Kodari-Tatopani (Sindhupalchok) | Khasa (Zhangmu), Tibet |
| Rasuwagadhi (Rasuwa) | Kerung (Gyirong), Tibet |
4. Highest and lowest points
- Highest point: Mount Everest (Sagarmatha), 8,848.86 m, in Solukhumbu district. Nepal and China announced this height jointly in 2077 BS (2020 AD).
- Lowest point: Kechana Kalan in Jhapa district, in the south-east corner of the country.
Both the highest and the lowest points of Nepal lie in Koshi Province.
5. Three ecological regions
From north to south, Nepal is commonly divided into three ecological belts. The shares of area below are the figures most often used in textbooks.
| Region | Share of area (approx.) | Main features |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain (Himal) | about 15% | Snow-covered peaks, cold climate, thin population |
| Hill (Pahad) | about 68% | Hills, valleys such as Kathmandu and Pokhara, terraced farming |
| Tarai | about 17% | Flat, fertile plains, hot climate, called the granary of Nepal |
The Hill region is the largest by area, while the Tarai is the most important farming area.
6. Physiographic divisions (south to north)
Geographers also divide Nepal into narrower east-west belts:
- Tarai: the flat southern plain, an extension of the Gangetic plain. Its northern edge is the Bhabar, a porous belt of boulders and gravel where streams often sink underground.
- Chure (Siwalik) range: the southernmost and youngest hill range. Its soil is loose and easily eroded, so protecting Chure is a national priority.
- Inner Tarai (Bhitri Madhesh): low valleys between the Chure and Mahabharat ranges, such as Chitwan, Dang and Surkhet.
- Mahabharat range: a higher range north of the Chure, which blocks some monsoon clouds.
- Midland hills and valleys: the main settled hill area, including the Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys.
- High Himalaya: the great snow peaks along the northern part of the country.
- Trans-Himalaya: dry areas north of the main Himalayan range, such as upper Mustang, Manang and Dolpa. They lie in a rain shadow and get very little rain.
7. Mountains of Nepal
Eight of the world’s fourteen peaks above 8,000 m lie fully or partly in Nepal:
| Peak | Note |
|---|---|
| Everest (Sagarmatha) | Highest in the world, Solukhumbu |
| Kangchenjunga | Third highest in the world, second in Nepal, Taplejung |
| Lhotse | Close neighbour of Everest |
| Makalu | Sankhuwasabha |
| Cho Oyu | On the Nepal-China border |
| Dhaulagiri | Myagdi |
| Manaslu | Gorkha |
| Annapurna I | First 8,000 m peak ever climbed (1950) |
Everest was first climbed on 29 May 1953 by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary.
8. Climate
Nepal’s climate changes mainly with altitude, not latitude. Going up from the Tarai to the Himalaya, the climate changes from tropical to subtropical, temperate, alpine and finally tundra-like cold near the snowline.
- Most rain falls in the summer monsoon (June to September), which comes from the Bay of Bengal.
- The monsoon enters from the east, so eastern Nepal generally receives more rain than western Nepal.
- In winter, western disturbances bring some rain and snow, mostly to western Nepal.
- Areas north of the Himalaya, such as Mustang and Manang, lie in a rain shadow and stay dry.
📌 Key points to remember
- Latitude 26°22′ N to 30°27′ N; longitude 80°04′ E to 88°12′ E.
- Area 147,516 sq km (since 2077 BS); east-west length about 885 km.
- Neighbours: China in the north, India on three sides; five Indian states touch Nepal.
- Mechi in the east and Mahakali in the west; Mahakali fixed by the Sugauli Treaty (1816 AD).
- Highest point Everest (8,848.86 m); lowest point Kechana Kalan, Jhapa.
- Hill region about 68%, Tarai about 17%, Mountain about 15% of the area.
- Chure is the youngest range; Chitwan, Dang and Surkhet are inner Tarai valleys.
- Nepal Standard Time UTC+5:45, based on 86°15′ E.
- Monsoon from the Bay of Bengal; the east is wetter than the west.
Test yourself: Geography of Nepal
50 questions check what you read about Location and extent, Three ecological regions and Climate. Each attempt picks 25 at random.