POPULATION 25,873,917
HINDU 81 percent
BUDDHIST 11 percent
OTHER (BAHÁ'Í, CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, JAIN, SIKH) 8 percent

Country Overview

Introduction

The Kingdom of Nepal lies on the southern slopes of the Himalayas in Asia. It is bordered by the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north and by India to the east, south, and west. Mountains cover about three-fourths of the country, and many of the world's highest peaks are found there.

Sixty-two ethnic groups are legally recognized in Nepal and are distinct from the country's dominant Hindu caste communities. These ethnic groups have their own religions, which synthesize practices of indigenous, Hindu, and Buddhist origin. The population remains largely rural, and most people do not identify their religious practices doctrinally. Figures from the 2001 census describing Nepal's religious groups are generally believed to be inaccurate. Other estimates indicate that as many as 20 to 25 percent of the people practice Buddhism in some...