Geography of Nepal: location, regions, rivers, peaks and protected areas

Location and extent

Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia, bordered by China to the north and India to the east, south and west. It lies between about 26°22' and 30°27' North latitude and 80°04' and 88°12' East longitude. Its average east-west length is about 885 km and its average north-south width about 193 km. Nepal Standard Time is 5 hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT.

Area: the long-used figure is 147,181 sq km. With the political map issued in 2077 BS (2020), which includes Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani, the total is stated as 147,516 sq km.

Physiographic regions

Nepal is commonly divided into three ecological belts running east to west.

The Chure (Siwalik) hills separate the Terai from the Mahabharat range.

Provinces and districts

Nepal has 7 provinces, 77 districts and 753 local levels (as of 2083 BS / 2026): 6 metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities and 460 rural municipalities.

Karnali is the largest province by area and Madhesh the smallest. Dolpa is the largest district and Bhaktapur the smallest.

Rivers

Three snow-fed systems drain most of the country:

• Koshi (Saptakoshi) in the east, the largest river system. Its seven tributaries are the Sunkoshi, Tamakoshi, Dudhkoshi, Indrawati, Likhu, Arun and Tamor.
• Gandaki (Narayani) in the centre, fed by the Kali Gandaki, Seti, Marsyangdi, Daraudi, Madi, Budhi Gandaki and Trishuli.
• Karnali in the west, the longest river within Nepal.

The Mechi forms the eastern border and the Mahakali the western border.

Mountains and lakes

• Sagarmatha (Mount Everest): 8,848.86 m, the height announced jointly by Nepal and China in December 2020.
• Eight of the world's fourteen peaks above 8,000 m are in Nepal: Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna. Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna lie wholly inside Nepal; the others stand on the border.
• Rara (Mugu) is the largest lake, Shey Phoksundo (Dolpa) the deepest and Tilicho (Manang) among the highest.

Protected areas

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation manages national parks, one wildlife reserve, one hunting reserve, conservation areas and buffer zones. The count of national parks is being revised (a new park, Chhayanath in Mugu, was decided in 2025), so check the department's latest list.

• Chitwan National Park: the first national park, established in 2030 BS (1973); a World Heritage Site.
• Shey Phoksundo: the largest national park. Rara: the smallest.
• Koshi Tappu: the only wildlife reserve. Dhorpatan: the only hunting reserve.
• Annapurna: the largest conservation area.
• Sagarmatha and Chitwan National Parks are Nepal's two natural World Heritage Sites.

Climate

Climate changes with altitude, from subtropical in the Terai to alpine and tundra in the high Himalaya. The summer monsoon (roughly June to September) brings about 80 percent of annual rainfall, and rainfall generally decreases from east to west. The area around Pokhara is the wettest; the trans-Himalayan districts of Mustang, Manang and Dolpa lie in the rain shadow and are the driest.

Exam pointers

• Area: 147,181 sq km (old) and 147,516 sq km (after the 2077 BS map). Read the stem to see which is wanted.
• 7 provinces, 77 districts, 753 local levels; Koshi has the most districts (14), Madhesh the fewest (8).
• Koshi is the largest river system, Karnali the longest river.
• Everest is 8,848.86 m (2020 measurement).
• Chitwan is the first national park; Dhorpatan is the only hunting reserve.
• Rara is the largest lake, Phoksundo the deepest.