Nepal

Discover Nepal

Nepal is the only country in South Asia that was never taken over and controlled by a European power. While the British Empire ran most of the surrounding region, Nepal's rulers made a peace deal with Britain in 1816 and kept their independence. That's a big deal for a small country with no ocean coastline, squeezed between India and China.

Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, was born in Lumbini, Nepal, about 2,500 years ago. That makes Nepal the birthplace of one of the world's most widely followed religions.

Hinduism is also a huge part of everyday life here. The two religions have lived side by side without much conflict for centuries.

Nepal has been through some very hard times. In 2001, most of the royal family was killed in a palace shooting. The country then fought a civil war, a war between people inside the same country, from 1996 to 2006.

In 2015, a massive earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people. It also destroyed thousands of ancient temples and homes that had stood for hundreds of years.

Nepal sits inside the Himalayas, the tallest mountain range on Earth. It has 8 of the world's 10 highest mountains, including Mount Everest, which rises 8,849 meters (29,032 feet) into the sky.

In Kathmandu, visit Pashupatinath Temple, one of the holiest Hindu temples in the world. Durbar Square is also worth a long look, with its old royal palaces and buildings covered in detailed wood carvings.

Try dal bhat, a meal of lentil soup poured over rice that most Nepali people eat twice a day. Also try momos, steamed dumplings stuffed with vegetables or meat, sold everywhere from street stalls to sit-down restaurants.