Time Difference:
UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Airports:
11
Travel Climate:
Kathmandu’s climate is pleasant. During the fall to winter season (October-March), temperatures range from 30°F to 75°F. This season is characterized by morning fog, sunny days, and cold nights. It may rain occasionally, but Kathmandu has had no snow since 1939.
A temperature range from 40°F to 90°F, with intermittent rain, warm days, and usually comfortable nights, marks the spring season (March-May). Near the end of the spring season and before the rainy season begins, dust gathers heavily throughout the Kathmandu Valley, causing a haze that obscures the mountains.
The monsoon season begins in June and continues until late September. Temperatures in the rainy season range from 55°F to 90°F, and rainfall is from 30 to 60 inches. Rain showers occur almost daily.
Travel Currency:
Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Language Spoken:
As many as twenty major languages are spoken with many different dialects. The Nepali language is related to Hindi, which is the official language.
Languages:
Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects
Ethnic Groups:
Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)
National Holiday:
Republic Day, 28 May (2008), the abdication of Gyanendra SHAH, last Nepalese monarch, and the establishment of a federal republic
Geographic Coordinates:
28 00 N, 84 00 E
Location:
Southern Asia, between China and India