About Nepal                 

 

Nepal is a small country between China and India. It has a land mass of one-hundred-forty-thousand square kilometers and a population of approximately thirty thousand. That’s only four million less than the population of Ontario and yet Ontario is seven times larger than Nepal. (Country Economy, 2015) There are three distinct geographical regions of Nepal. The first region in the South is the Teria which takes up twenty-three percent of Nepal’s land mass. The people settled here are influenced by the Hindu culture. This area has a sub-tropical climate and consists of flat lands. The Teria is optimum for growing tropical fruits and fresh vegetables. The second region is located in central Nepal and is called the hill region and takes up forty-two percent of the total land mass. It consists of hills between six hundred and three thousand meters above sea level and has a climate between sub-tropical and warm temperatures. The settlements here are also mostly Hindu. The Hill region is ideal for Terrence farming with a maize and/or millet cropping system. It is however suitable for fruits and cash crops, as well as cattle. The third and final region found in the north is the Mountain or Himalaya area which takes up twenty-four percent of Nepal’s total land area. It contains two-hundred-two mountains that are six-thousand to eight-thousand-fifty meters above sea level. This region has a climate between warm temperatures and alpine. The settlers here practice Tibetan cultures and mostly farm Barley, Buckwheat and Potato’s. Yak and Chauries are native to Nepal but sheep, goat and hill cattle need to move to lower areas during the winter months. Agriculture is a huge part of the Nepalese life. It employ’s seventy percent of the population and accounts for thirty-nine percent of the GDP. The total land cultivated is approximately two-million-three-hundred-twenty-six-thousand hectors, this is point nine-six hectors per person. Potatoes are widely grown across Nepal and one of the biggest problems with this crop is the Potato Beetle. (Statistical information on Nepalese agriculture, 2011/2012)