Nepal-The Land & Climate
Hello friends and welcome to Window on the World. Each week we try to learn new things about different places around the world. Today we will visit a country in South Asia that is landlocked. It has no oceans near it. This country is Nepal. Nepal's neighbors are China to the north and India to the south, east and west. Nepal has an area of 140, 800 square kilometers.
Inside Nepal's borders you will find one of the world's most mountainous regions. Eight highest mountains in the world, can be found here. The well-known Mount Everest rises to 8,848 meters in height. Nepal can be divided into three major areas. Closest to China are the ice-capped Himalayas. Farther south is a second band of mountain ranges. The third and southernmost region is made up of an area of plains, swamps, and forests. The soils of this region are fertile and good for growing foods. The Kathmandu Valley is the only sizable area of flat land in Nepal. The capital city, Kathmandu, is located in this valley.
There are three major rivers crossing Nepal. They are the Ghaghara, Sun Kosi, and Gandak. These rivers flow north to south and eventually empty into the Ganges River. The climate in Nepal is affected by the heights of the land areas. In the high mountain ranges, temperatures remain cold throughout the year. In the Kathmandu Valley, summers are hot and rainy and winters are cool. The higher mountain elevations are always snow-covered.
Nepal's mountainous land makes it very rugged and beautiful. Next week, we'll learn about the people who live there. I hope you will be listening then. Goodbye for now, my friends.