Nepal

NEPAL, an independent State, situated on the north-eastern frontier of India, lying between 8o° and and 88° io' E., and 26° 20' and 3o° o' N.; area, 54,00o square miles. Its extreme length is about 525 m., and its breadth varies from 90 to 140 miles. It is bounded on the north by Tibet; on the east by Sik kim; on the south by Bengal and the United Provinces; on the west by Kumaon from which it is separated by the Kali river. Its population is locally estimated at about 5,500,00o.

Physical Features.

Nepal consists physically of two dis tinct territories: (I) the tarai, or strip of level, cultivated and forest land lying along the southern border; and (2) the great mountainous tract stretching northwards to Tibet. Along the northern frontier stand many of the highest peaks of the Hima layan range, such as Dhaulagiri (26,837 ft.), Machapuchar, Gaurishankar and Yasa (24,000), Gosain Than (26,313), Mount Everest (29,140, Kinchinjunga (28,146), and numerous peaks varying from 20,000 to 24,000 feet. In clear weather this mag nificent snowy range may be seen in an almost continuous line from the top of some of the lower ranges near Kathmandu. South of these are numerous parallel lower ranges, varying from 16,000 to 6,000 ft. in height, which are broken up by cross ranges.

These mountain ranges determine the course of the rivers, which are divided by the cross ranges into four groups. The first of these extends from Kumaon eastward as far as Dhaulagiri, and consists of the affluents of the Kali (Sarda), Sarju, Kurnali, Eastern Sarju and Rapti, all of which ultimately form the Gogra or Gogari, and flow into the Ganges. The second group, known to the Nepalese as the Sapt Gandaki, rises from the peaks be tween Dhaulagiri and Gosain Than, and unites at Tribeni Ghat to form the Gandak. The third is a group of smaller rivers draining the great valley of Nepal, the valleys of Chitlong, Banepa and Panouti, and portions of the tarai around the Churiaghati range of hills. These are the various branches of the Bara Gan dak, the lesser Rapti, the Baghmati and Kumla. East of this again is the fourth group, known to the Nepalese as the Sapt Kosi, rising from the peaks between Gosain Than and Kinchin junga, and uniting to form the Sun Kosi, which falls into the Ganges. There is thus a natural division of the country into

four portions. The most western is the country of the Baisi (twenty-two) rajas, and contains the towns of Jumla, Doti and Sulliana. The second is the country of the Chaubisi (twenty four) rajas, and contains the towns of Malebum, Palpa, Gorkha and Nawakot. The third is the district containing Nepal proper, with the capital and many large towns. The fourth is the eastern portion of Nepal, comprising the country of the Kiratis, and many small towns, such as Dhankota, Ilam and Bijapur.

The only portion of Nepal (with the exception of some por tions of the tarai country which lies at the foot of the hills), ever visited by Europeans is the Valley of Kathmandu, and even this can only be entered by special permission of the Nepal Gov ernment. A narrow gauge railway was opened by the Nepal Gov ernment in Feb. 1927 and now runs to Amlekhganj, 25 m. from the British Indian border at Raxaul, a small junction on the Bengal and North-West railway in the Champaran district in northern Bihar, due south of Kathmandu. The road from Raxaul to Kathmandu is 75 m., the first 5o of which lie across the al luvial plain of the tarai through a sal forest to the foot of the hills, whence the road follows the beds of rivers and across low ridges till the small hamlet of Bhimphedi is reached. Up to this point the road is practicable for wheeled traffic. Motor-cars run over it throughout the year except when abnormal rains cause breaches of the road. From Bhimphedi there is only a mountain track, which crosses two ridges (elevation about 8,000 ft.), and reaches the valley of Kathmandu some 9 m. from the city, whence a fair carriage road is available. A ropeway has been constructed from near Bhimphedi to the Kathmandu valley operated by electricity from the power station in the valley, which also supplies electric light to the city.