The Kingdom of Nepal

Located in Asia between India, which borders Nepal on the West, South, and East and Tibet (we still like to think of Tibet separately from China) on the north. Close neighbors on the east include: Bangladesh and Bhutan.

The country's northern border is created by the Hymilayan Mountain range, which includes Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world. 2003 was the 50th anniverisary of the first succerssful climb of the mountain by Sir Edmond Hillary.

28^o 00^' N, 84^o 00^' E

In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring down the regime. In 2001, the Crown Prince massacred ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and his appointed cabinet, which has negotiated a cease-fire with the Maoist insurgents, until elections can be held at some unspecified future date.

Kathmandu

Red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun.