Nepal

Nepal, an independent kingdom of India, lying on the southern face of the Himalayas, is bounded on the N. by Tibet, on the S. and W. by Bengal, and on the E. by Sikkim, a protected state. Long. 80° 6'—88° 14' E. It is 512 miles in length, by 70 to 150 in breadth. Area, 54,000 sq. m.; pop. estimated by native authorities at more than 5,500,000, though probably half that number is nearer the mark. The northern parts of the state embrace the main range of the Himalayas (q.v.), with its offset spurs, on which stand the great peaks of Everest, Diwalagiri, &c. On the south of the state lies the Terai. The intervening territory consists of mountain-ridges, embracing several valleys drained by the Kurnali, Gandak, Kosi, and other rivers. The climate of course varies greatly according to the altitude; the principal valley, in which stands the capital Khatmandu (q.v.), has a climate like that of southern Europe. The soil is very fertile, in some districts producing three crops in the year. The hillsides are terraced and the land is irrigated. Rice, opium, rape, linseed, tobacco, and various cereals and pulses are the more important products. Several minerals, as copper, iron, sulphur, and others exist, but are little worked. The forests contain valuable timber trees. Nepal has extensive trading relations with the provinces of British India, reaching the annual average value of £2,000,000, and with Tibet, the details of which are not known. The valleys are inhabited by numerous different hill-tribes, partly aboriginal, partly of Mongolian or Chinese descent; but the dominant race are the Goorkhas (q.v.), whose ancestors came to the Himalayan slopes from Rajputana in the 12th century, though it was not until 1769 that they made themselves masters of Nepal. They rapidly subdned the hill-valleys to east and west of them, and, after a war with China (1789-92), on account of Tibet, in which the Goorkhas were worsted, and a period of great internal disorder, Nepal came into conflict with the Indian government. War followed; in 1815 Sir David Ochterlony defeated the Goorkha armies in the west, and peace was agreed to; but, the treaty not having been signed by the king of Nepal, a British force, 33,000 strong, advanced in the succeeding year to within three days' march of Khatmandu, and compelled the Goorkhas to sign the treaty. Since that they have ceased their encroachments on British territory, and during the Mutiny voluntarily sent to the assistance of the British a force which rendered useful service in the reduction of Oudh. The real ruler of the country is the prime-minister; Sir Jang Bahadur held this office from 1846 to his death in 1877, and was succeeded by his son. But he was slain and supplanted by the head of a rival faction in 1885.