Situated between India and China, Nepal has extremely diverse geographical and climatic features. It is slightly larger than one and a half times that of Hungary and is populated by around 30 million people.

The country stretches for 150 to 250 kilometers from north to south, a narrow strip of land that rises from a plain similar to the Hungarian lowlands to the highest mountain in the world. In the southern part of the country bordering India are the tropical Terai plains, with an average altitude of 59 meters above sea level. The national parks of the tropical part are home to big animals such as rhinos, elephants and tigers. In the central part of the country, the Lower Himalayan Range, which Nepalis call the Mid-hills, continues at around 3,000 meters. Eight of the world’s ten highest mountains are located in Nepal along its northern border, such as the highest Everest (8848 meters) and Kanchenjunga (8586 meters).

Compared to the size of the country, the enormous geographical diversity is also reflected in its population. More than 60 ethnic groups live in Nepal, speaking 123 languages. 80% of the population is Hindu, whose caste hierarchies defined a person’s social status in the past, but still play a role in people’s lives today. The importance of Buddhism is also indisputable, since Buddha was born in Lumbini, located in the southern part of the country.