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People: Nepal has more than 61 ethnic groups and 70 spoken languages.
What to Wear: Lightweight
clothing is recommended for May through October. Warm garments are
required in October through March. An umbrella or raincoat is a must
for the rainy season.
Nepal first opened its borders to foreign visitors in 1951. Following
the opening, the country quickly developed its infrastructure, making
several regions accessible to tourism. In spite of modern tourism,
which leads mainly to the capital, Kathmandu, medieval life-styles,
with all their advantages and disadvantages, persist in most parts of
the country. And most of the country can be reached in day-long hikes.
It is nevertheless true that social conditions remain grim. Average life expectancy of the Nepalese is, at 45 years, extraordinarily low. This is due largely to the high rate of infant mortality. Nepal is, in the official parlance, the only Hindu monarchy. The king rules with a puppet parliament, and the political structures favor an oligarchy adept at protecting its privileges against efforts at democratization. Nepal's balance of trade is negative and the country is heavily dependent on income from tourism. And it does have a lot to offer tourists. |
