Nepal is a country in southern Asia, in the Himalayan mountains. It borders China to the north and India to the south. The country is characterized by natural diversity: in the south there is a narrow stretch of wetland plains with a tropical and subtropical climate, and moving north starts the middle hills that pass into the High Himalayas. Nepal has 8 of the 10 highest mountains in the world, including Everest.
Nepal is a culturally and linguistically heterogeneous state. The country is home to several dozen ethnic groups with distinctive customs. The predominant religion is Hinduism, but there are also strong Buddhist traditions. The Lumbini area to the south, the birthplace of Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, is frequented by Buddhist pilgrims.
