Facts about Nepal ---

• Population: 27,913,000 (as of 2009)

• Area: 147,181 km2 (93rd in the world)

• Capital: Kathmandu

• Government: republic (monarchy overthrown in 2008)

• Currency: Rupee (NPR)

• GDP per capita: US$470.759

• Lowest salary: 4700 Nepali rupees (~2750 NT dollars) per month

• Car driving: on the left

• Brief history: unified by King Prithvi Narayan Shah as a kingdom in 1768; declared as a republic in 2008

(Pictures below: Riding elephants in Chitwan National Park; right above: national flag of Nepal)