NEPAL - Kathmandu

​Kathmandu is the capital city of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, the larger of the two Himalayan states. It is the largest metropolis in Nepal, with a population of 1.5 million in the city proper, and 3 million in its urban agglomeration across the Kathmandu Valley. The city was the royal capital of the Kingdom of Nepal and hosts palaces, mansions and gardens of the Nepalese aristocracy. Today, it is the seat of government of the Nepalese republic established in 2008.
Kathmandu has been the center of Nepal's history, art, culture and economy. It has a multiethnic population within a Hindu and Buddhist majority. Religious and cultural festivities form a major part of the lives of people residing in Kathmandu. Tourism is an important part of the economy as the city is the gateway to the Nepalese Himalayas.