Kathmandu

Kathmandu is the capital and largest city of Nepal. It is in the central part of the country, in the Kathmandu Valley. The city has many people, with over 800,000 living there. It is one of the oldest cities in the world, with a history going back many years. Kathmandu sits high above sea level, at 1,324 metres.

The city has been called the Nepal Mandala. It is very important to the Newar people, who are part of a big, old urban civilization in the Himalayan area. Kathmandu used to be the royal capital of the Kingdom of Nepal. It has many palaces, temples, and beautiful gardens. Since 1985, it has been the home of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Today, Kathmandu is important for history, art, culture, and economy in Nepal. Many people live there, and most are Hindu. There are also many Vajrayana Buddhist people. The city is a big place for tourists. It is the main way to visit the Nepal Himalayas. Kathmandu has several special places, like World Heritage Sites. These include the Durbar Square, Swayambhu Mahachaitya, Bouddha, and Pashupatinath. The area around Kathmandu is growing fast. The number of people has been going up by about 4% each year since 2010.

Etymology

The name Kathmandu comes from Kasthamandap, a wooden building that once stood in Kathmandu Durbar Square. In Sanskrit, Kāṣṭha means "wood" and Maṇḍapa means "pavilion". This wooden building was made entirely from wood, without using any iron nails.

The city has also been called Kāntipur, which means "City of light" in Sanskrit. For the local Newar people, Kathmandu is known as Yeṃ Dey.

History

Main articles: History of Kathmandu and Timeline of Kathmandu

Archaeological discoveries in Kathmandu show signs of very old civilizations. One of the oldest findings is a statue from 185 AD found in Maligaon. Excavations have uncovered bricks with writing in Brahmi script, believed to be over two thousand years old. Stone writings at special places help us learn about Nepal’s past.

The city’s early history is told through myths and stories. According to the Swayambhu Purana, Kathmandu was once a deep lake home to mythical snakes. Over time, the lake was drained, and people could live there. The city became a center for trade between India and Tibet, which helped grow art and buildings. Famous travelers like the 7th-century Chinese explorer Xuanzang wrote about the city’s grand buildings.

During the Licchavi period starting around 400 AD, the city grew as a trade place. The Licchavi rulers built many important buildings, and the city became a key point for sharing culture. Later, the Malla time saw the valley split into four cities, each adding to art, buildings, and trade. The Shah and Rana rulers brought new building styles and started schools and hospitals.

Geography

Kathmandu is in the northwestern part of the Kathmandu Valley, north of the Bagmati River. It covers an area of 50.7 km² (19.6 sq mi) and sits at an average elevation of 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) above sea level. The city is surrounded by several other municipalities, such as Lalitpur Metropolitan City to the south and Bhaktapur further out.

The city is shaped by eight rivers, with the Bagmati being the main one. These rivers come from mountains that range between 1,500 to 3,000 metres tall. The area around Kathmandu is part of the Deciduous Monsoon Forest Zone, where common trees include oak, elm, beech, and maple.

Demographics

Kathmandu is the largest city in Nepal. In 2011, about 975,543 people lived there in 254,292 homes. Most people are between the ages of 15 and 59.

The main languages spoken in Kathmandu are Nepali (62%), Newari (19%), and Tamang (6%). Other languages include Maithili, Bhojpuri, Gurung, Magar, and Sherpa. Many people also speak English.

The largest group of people in Kathmandu are the native Newars, making up about 24.6% of the population. Other groups include Hill Brahmin (21.6%), Chhetri (18.7%), and Tamang (7.74%).

Hinduism and Buddhism are the main religions in Kathmandu. Important Hindu sites include the Pashupatinath Temple, Changu Narayan Temple, and the Kasthamandap. Buddhism came to the city with monks and has many monasteries, especially following the tradition of Newar Buddhism. Smaller groups practice Sikhism, Jainism, the Baháʼí Faith, and Christianity.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Kathmandu

Kathmandu's location and terrain have helped it develop a strong economy over many years. The city sits in a fertile valley, which made farming easy. Being between India and China, it also became an important trading place, especially along the old Silk Road. People in Kathmandu have long been skilled in trading, farming, metalwork, wood carving, painting, weaving, and making pottery.

Today, Kathmandu is Nepal's main business and industry center. It has important places like the Nepal Stock Exchange, the main office of the national bank, and many other big companies. Key areas for business include New Road, Durbar Marg, Ason, and Putalisadak. The city's economy is strong, creating lots of jobs and wealth. It is famous for making and selling beautiful handmade items like lokta paper and pashmina shawls.

Main article: Tourism in Kathmandu

Tourism is very important to Kathmandu. Many people visit each year to see places like Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Changu Narayan Temple, and Budhanilkantha Temple. The city has many hotels, restaurants, and shops, especially in the busy area called Thamel. Tourism brings in money and helps many people in the city.

Government and public services

Kathmandu Municipal Corporation (KMC) runs the city. In 1995, Kathmandu became a metropolitan city. It has five sectors and 32 administrative wards, each with elected leaders.

The Metropolitan Police keeps order in Kathmandu. It is part of the Nepal Police and reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The fire service started in 1937 with one vehicle and has grown since then. Electricity comes from the Nepal Electricity Authority. Water is managed by Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited, but the city still faces water shortages.

Architecture and cityscape

Main article: Architecture of Kathmandu

Kathmandu's buildings show styles from many cultures. This is because the city was an old trade route between India and Tibet. The city has many important places that mix Hindu and Buddhist designs. In 2006, UNESCO named some of these buildings a World Heritage Site. These places include special squares and temples. Some of these are the Durbar squares of Hanuman Dhoka, Patan and Bhaktapur. Other sites are the Hindu temples of Pashupatinath and Changunarayan, and the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhunath and Boudhanath.

Durbar Squares have many old palaces and temples. The Kathmandu Durbar Square has historic buildings, like the Hanuman Dhoka palace and the Kasthamandap temple. People think this temple gave the city its name. The Pashupatinath Temple is a famous Hindu temple for Lord Shiva. Boudhanath is a big Buddhist site with a large stupa. Swayambhunath is another important Buddhist stupa on a hill. People of both religions respect it. Ranipokhari is a pretty pond. It was built to honor a queen and is still a well-known place in the city.

Education

Kathmandu has some of Nepal’s oldest and most important schools and colleges. The oldest modern school in Nepal, Durbar High School, and the oldest college, Tri-Chandra College, are both in Kathmandu. The city is also home to the oldest engineering college, Thapathali Campus. Because of these top schools and colleges, many students from across Nepal come to Kathmandu each year to study.

Healthcare

Healthcare in Kathmandu is the best in Nepal. It has many hospitals and clinics. Bir Hospital is the oldest, opened in 1889. Other important hospitals are Nepal Medical College (Jorpati), Patan Hospital, and Kathmandu Model Hospital.

The city also has special hospitals such as Kanti Children’s Hospital and Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital. The Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology is famous for its eye surgeries, which have helped many people to see.

Medical colleges

The Institute of Medicine is the first medical college in Nepal and is located in Kathmandu. Other medical schools in the city are Kathmandu Medical College and Patan Academy of Health Sciences.

Transport

Kathmandu has many roads that help people travel and support jobs. Important highways like the Tribhuvan Highway, Prithvi Highway, Araniko Highway, and the BP Highway connect Kathmandu to nearby places and countries such as India and China. Bus services, run by Sajha Yatayat and other companies, go all around the city.

The main airport is Tribhuvan International Airport, which has flights both inside and outside the country. It can handle big planes like the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330, but many flights use smaller planes such as the ATR 72/42 and the Bombardier Dash 8.

Mountaineering

Ropeways and cable cars

Ropeways in Nepal help move things in hilly areas. There used to be a ropeway between Kathmandu and Hetauda that was 43 km long, but it stopped working. There was also an old ropeway between Matatirtha in Kathmandu and a place called Dhorsing in Makwanpur District. Today, people can take cable cars from Kathmandu up to the Chandragiri Hills.

Media

Kathmandu is the main place for television in Nepal. Nepal Television, started in 1984, is the oldest and most-watched TV channel. Other popular channels are NTV PLUS, Kantipur Television, Image Channel, Sagarmatha Television, Himalaya TV, and AP1 TV.

Many important news outlets are based in Kathmandu, such as the government-owned Gorkhapatra, The Kathmandu Post, Nepali Times, Kantipur Publications, and The Himalayan Times. Radio Nepal runs several radio stations, including Hits FM and Radio Kantipur. The BBC also broadcasts from the city.

Sports

Cricket, football, and volleyball are popular sports in Nepal, especially for young people. Kathmandu has several stadiums. The main stadium is the Dasharath Rangasala, a large multi-purpose stadium built in 1956. It is used for football matches and cultural events.

Kathmandu is also home to some of Nepal’s oldest football clubs, such as Ranipokhari Corner Team, Sankata Club, and New Road Team. The city has old cricket clubs too, and the Kathmandu Gorkhas play in the Nepal Premier League.

International relations and organizations

Kathmandu works with cities around the world. In 1975, it made its first friendship with Eugene in the United States. Since then, it has become friends with 15 more cities, such as Matsumoto in Japan, Rochester in the United States, and Xi'an in China.

The city is also home to important groups like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. These groups help countries work together on big projects.

Twin towns – sister cities

Kathmandu is twinned with:

• Eugene, United States
• Fredericksburg, United States
• Boulder, United States
• Rochester, United States
• Lhasa, China
• Shenzhen, China
• Chengdu, China
• Lanzhou, China
• Xi'an, China
• Nanjing, China
• Matsumoto, Japan
• Seoul, South Korea
• Pyongyang, North Korea
• Varanasi, India
• Yangon, Myanmar
• Minsk, Belarus

Proposed sister cities

• Bangkok, Thailand

Notable people

Kathmandu has been home to many important people in Nepalese history and culture. Kings such as King Rana Bahadur, King Tribhuvan, and King Birendra helped shape the nation.

Other famous people include Bhimsen Thapa, a key leader in Nepal’s past, and Laxmi Prasad Devkota, a well-known poet.

The city has also produced many artists, athletes, and activists. Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya are popular actors and comedians. Paras Khadka is a famous cricketer. Social activists like Anuradha Koirala have worked to help improve lives in Nepal.