Nepal is a landlocked nation in South Asia, bordering the People's Republic of China to the north and India to the south, east and west.

For a relatively small country, Nepal has a diverse landscape, ranging from the humid Terai plain lands in the south to the mountainous Himalayas in the north. Eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including Mount Everest, are in Nepal.

Nepal's flag is the only national flag that is not quadrilateral in shape.

The word “Nepal” was derived from the word “Nepa” which refers to the Newar Kingdom of Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas, before the unification of Nepal. The Newars, a lingual community (derived from various ethnicities) of present day Nepal, are believed to be among the earliest settlers of the Kathmandu valley called "Nepa".

The Nepal Sambat calendar, named after this Newar kingdom and devised 1100 years ago, is still one of the major calendars used in Nepal and testifies to its antiquity.