Misplaced Pages

#321678

75-423: Mahakali river is the border between Nepal and India. There is suspension bridge that connects the towns on the two sides. Nepali and Indian nationals can cross the border without any restrictions . The border is closed at night for security reasons. Although it is common for Nepali peoples to go to India for buying goods, they need to go through the customs checkpoint established in both (India and Nepal) sides. At

150-886: A buildup of thunderstorm activity that provides water for rice seedbeds. Sustained rain on average arrives in mid-June as rising temperatures over Inner Asia creates a low-pressure zone that draws in moist air from the Indian Ocean, but this can vary up to a month. Significant failure of monsoon rains historically meant drought and famine while above-normal rains still cause flooding and landslides with losses in human lives, farmland and buildings. The monsoon also complicates transportation with roads and trails washing out while unpaved roads and airstrips may become unusable and cloud cover reduces safety margins for aviation. Rains diminish in September and generally end by mid-October, ushering in generally cool, clear, and dry weather, as well as

225-415: A few permanent settlements above 4,000 meters. There is virtually no plant cultivation although medicinal herbs are gathered. Sheep , goats , yaks and hybrids are pastured in warmer months. Above 5,000 meters the climate becomes Nival and there is no human habitation or even seasonal use. Arid and semi-arid land in the rainshadow of high ranges have a Transhimalayan climate . Population density

300-492: A permeable mixture of gravel, boulders and sand evolves, which leads to a sinking water table . But where layers consist of clay and fine sediments, the groundwater rises to the surface and heavy sediment is washed out, thus enabling frequent and massive floods during monsoon , such as the 2008 Bihar flood . In India, the Terai extends over the states of Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. These are mostly

375-584: A reward for Nepal's military aid in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , they returned some of this region in 1860, namely today's districts of Kanchanpur, Kailali, Banke and Bardiya. To promote economic development of the Nepal Terai, people from the hills were invited to settle in the region. Since only a few moved to the Terai, Indian people were further encouraged to settle. Immigration of Indian people increased between 1846 and 1950. They settled in

450-659: A semi-nomadic life to evade outbreaks of diseases. Today, they are subsistence farmers. The Bhoksa people are indigenous to the western Terai in the Indian Kumaon division . Maithils inhabit the Indian Terai in Bihar and the eastern Terai in Nepal. Bhojpuri people reside in the central and eastern Terai, and Awadhi people live in the central and western Terai. Bantawa people reside foremost in two districts of

525-586: A variety of biomes , from tropical savannas along the Indian border, to subtropical broadleaf and coniferous forests in the hills, to temperate broadleaf and coniferous forests on the slopes of the Himalaya, to montane grasslands and shrublands , and finally rock and ice at the highest elevations. This corresponds to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion. Subtropical forests dominate

600-483: Is called तराइ 'tarāi' meaning "the low-lying land, plain" and especially "the low-lying land at the foot of the Himālayas". It has been described as "low, marshy ground". The Terai is crossed by the large perennial Himalayan rivers Yamuna, Ganges, Sarda , Karnali , Narayani and Kosi that have each built alluvial fans covering thousands of square kilometres below their exits from the hills. Medium rivers such as

675-572: Is controversial due to seismic activity, glacial lake formation, sedimentation rates, and cross-border equity issues between India and Nepal. Nepal's land cover is dominated by forests, which cover 39.09% of the country's total geographical area, followed by agriculture areas at 29.83%. The hill region constitutes the largest portion of Nepal, with significant cultivated lands and natural vegetation. Forests in Nepal face deforestation due to over-harvesting of firewood, illegal logging, clearing for agriculture, and infrastructure expansion. As of 2010, 64.8% of

750-512: Is culturally more similar to parts of India. The Hilly region, encompassing 68% of the country's area, consists of mountainous terrain without snow and is inhabited by various indigenous ethnic groups. The Himal region, covering 15% of Nepal's area, contains snow and is home to several high mountain ranges, including Mount Everest, the world's highest peak. Nepal, with elevations ranging from less than 100 meters to over 8,000 meters, has eight climate zones from tropical to perpetual snow. The majority of

825-526: Is divided into a wet season from June to September—as summer warmth over Inner Asia creates a low-pressure zone that draws in moist air from the Indian Ocean—and a dry season from October to June as cold temperatures in the vast interior create a high-pressure zone causing dry air to flow outward. April and May are months of intense water stress when cumulative effects of the long dry season are exacerbated by temperatures rising over 40 °C (104 °F) in

SECTION 10

#1732787200322

900-539: Is encountered in higher parts of the Middle Hills and throughout much of the Mountain region. Crops include cold-tolerant rice, maize, wheat, barley , potato, apple , walnut , peach , various cole, amaranthus and buckwheat . The Subalpine zone from 3,000 to 4,000 meters (9,800 to 13,100 ft) occupies 9% of Nepal's land area, mainly in the Mountain and Himalayan regions. It has permanent settlements in

975-470: Is increasing and causing sociocultural changes in the region. Since the early 1950s, several political parties advocated for autonomy and independence of the Nepal Terai, such as the Nepal Terai Congress and Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha . Several armed groups were formed, which pursued this aim using violent means. In 2013, more than 24 Madheshi political parties were registered for

1050-431: Is landlocked by China 's Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and India on other three sides. West Bengal 's narrow Siliguri Corridor separate Nepal and Bangladesh . To the east are Bhutan and India . Nepal has a very high degree of geographic diversity and can be divided into three main regions: Terai, Hilly, and Himal. The Terai region, covering 17% of Nepal's area, is a lowland region with some hill ranges and

1125-591: Is modified by adiabatic effects as rising air masses cool and drop their moisture content on windward slopes, then warm up as they descend so relative humidity drops. Annual precipitation reaches 5,500 mm (18 ft) on windward slopes in the Annapurna Himalaya beyond a relatively low stretch of the Lower Himalayan Range . In rainshadows beyond the high mountains, annual precipitation drops as low as 160 mm (6 in). The year

1200-564: Is suitable for cold-tolerant crops. The subalpine, alpine, and nival zones have progressively fewer human settlements and agricultural activities. Seasons are divided into a wet season from June to September and a dry season from October to June. The summer monsoon can cause flooding and landslides, while the winter monsoon is marked by occasional rainfall and snowfall. The diverse elevation results in various biomes, including tropical savannas, subtropical and temperate forests, montane grasslands, and shrublands. Nepal has three categories of rivers:

1275-537: Is the most productive region in Nepal with the majority of the country's industries. Agriculture is the basis of the economy. Major crops include rice , wheat , maize , potato , peas , lentil , mustard , sugar cane , ginger , turmeric , cardamom , garlic and chili . Fruits comprise mango , lychee , guava , papaya , banana and jackfruit . The Terai is also known for beekeeping and honey production, with about 120,000 colonies of Apis cerana . In Jhapa District, tea has been cultivated since 1960;

1350-550: Is very low. Cultivation and husbandry conform to subalpine and alpine patterns but depend on snowmelt and streams for irrigation. Precipitation generally decreases from east to west with increasing distance from the Bay of Bengal , source of the summer monsoon. Eastern Nepal gets about 2,500 mm (100 in) annually; the Kathmandu area about 1,400 mm (55 in) and western Nepal about 1,000 mm (40 in). This pattern

1425-636: The Constituent Assembly of Nepal election. The most significant border dispute of the Indo-Nepal boundary in the Terai region is the Susta area. In the Susta region, 14,500 hectares of land is under dispute but recent development has manage to discuss it bilaterally. After the 2008 Nepalese Constituent Assembly election , Indian politicians kept on trying to secure strategic interests in

1500-475: The Ganges system (including all of Nepal) actually lies north of the highest ranges. Alpine, often semi-arid valleys—including Humla , Jumla , Dolpo , Mustang , Manang and Khumbu —cut between Himalayan sub ranges or lie north of them. Some of these valleys historically were more accessible from Tibet than Nepal and are populated by people with Tibetan affinities called Bhotiya or Bhutia including

1575-655: The Kanchenjunga massif along with the Mahalangur Himal around Mount Everest. Langtang north of Kathmandu, Annapurna and Manaslu north of Pokhara, then Dhaulagiri further west with Kanjiroba north of Jumla and finally Gurans Himal in the far west. Gandaki Province Gandaki Province Gandaki Province The main watershed between the Brahmaputra (called Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet ) and

SECTION 20

#1732787200322

1650-524: The Kingdom of Sikkim . The Tulsipur State , in the Dang Valley of Nepal's western Terai, was also an independent kingdom until it was conquered in 1785 by Bahadur Shah of Nepal during the unification of Nepal . Until the mid 18th century, the Nepal Terai was divided into several smaller kingdoms, and the forests and wild places were, largely, left undisturbed. Since the late 18th century, however,

1725-697: The Lower Himalayan Range , where a fault system called the Main Boundary Thrust creates an escarpment 1,000 to 1,500 metres (3,000 to 5,000 ft) high, to a crest between 1,500 and 2,700 metres (5,000 and 9,000 ft). It covers 68% of the total area of Nepal. These steep southern slopes are nearly uninhabited, thus an effective buffer between languages and culture in the Terai and Hilly. Paharis mainly populate river and stream bottoms that enable rice cultivation and are warm enough for winter/spring crops of wheat and potato . The increasingly urbanized Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys fall within

1800-586: The Mahakali along the western border), all tributaries of the Ganges river . The Ganges- Yarlung Zangbo / Brahmaputra watershed largely coincides with the Nepal-Tibet border, save for certain tributaries rising beyond it. Himal Region is a mountainous region containing snow. The Mountain Region begins where high ridges (Nepali: लेक; lekh) begin substantially rising above 3,000 metres (10,000 ft) into

1875-655: The Mid-Western Region, Nepal , Bardiya and Banke Districts . Further east, the Outer Terai comprises the Kapilvastu , Rupandehi , Nawalparasi , Parsa , Bara , Rautahat , Sarlahi , Mahottari , Dhanusa , Siraha, Saptari, Sunsari , Morang and Jhapa Districts . Several protected areas were established in the Terai since the late 1950s: Based on the Köppen–Geiger climate classification system ,

1950-450: The Rana dynasty as a defensive perimeter called Char Kose Jhadi , meaning 'four kos forest'; one kos equals about 3 km (1.9 mi). A British observer noted, "Plainsmen and paharis generally die if they sleep in the Terai before November 1 or after June 1." British travelers to Kathmandu went as fast as possible from the border at Raxaul to reach the hills before nightfall. Malaria

2025-553: The Rapti rise in the Mahabharat Range . The geological structure of the region consists of old and new alluvium , both of which constitute alluvial deposits of mainly sand, clay , silt , gravels and coarse fragments. The new alluvium is renewed every year by fresh deposits brought down by active streams, which engage themselves in fluvial action . Old alluvium is found rather away from river courses, especially on uplands of

2100-474: The eastern and western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows . Nepal has three categories of rivers. The largest systems -— from east to west the Koshi , Gandaki/Narayani , Karnali/Goghra and Mahakali —originate in multiple tributaries rising in or beyond the high Himalaya that maintain substantial flows from snowmelt through the hot, drought-stricken spring before the summer monsoon . These tributaries cross

2175-535: The rainshadow north of the Himalayas to as much as 5,500 millimetres (216.5 in) on windward slopes, the maximum mainly resting on the magnitude of the South Asian monsoon . Forming south-to-north transects, Nepal can be divided into three belts: Terai, Pahad and Himal. In the other direction, it is divided into three major river systems, east to west: Koshi , Gandaki/Narayani and Karnali (including

2250-659: The subalpine and alpine zone which are mainly used for seasonal pasturage. By geographical view, it covers 15% of the total area of Nepal. A few tens kilometers further north the high Himalaya abruptly rise along the Main Central Thrust fault zone above the snow line at 5,000 to 5,500 metres (16,400 to 18,000 ft). Some 90 of Nepal's peaks exceed 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) and eight exceed 8,000 metres (26,247 ft) including Mount Everest at 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) and Kanchenjunga at 8,598 metres (28,209 ft). There are some 20 subranges including

2325-475: The 14th century forced Hindu and Buddhist people to seek refuge from religious persecution. Rajput nobles and their entourage migrated to the Himalayan foothills and gained control over the region from Kashmir to the eastern Terai during the following three centuries. By the 16th century, the rulers of Palpa and Makwanpur controlled the mid-western Terai and extended this control to the eastern Terai by

Khalanga, Darchula - Misplaced Pages Continue

2400-419: The 17th century. They controlled the area of today's districts of Saptari , Siraha, Dhanusa , Mahottari and Sarlahi. The rulers of Makwanpur controlled the central Terai region of present-day Nepal, and the rulers of Vijayapur controlled today's Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa Districts. The Shah dynasty conquered the eastern Nepal Terai in the 1770s. They also conquered land in the eastern Terai that belonged to

2475-756: The Annapurnas, Tamang around the periphery of Kathmandu Valley and Rai , Koinch Sunuwar and Limbu further east. Temperate and subtropical fruits are grown as cash crops. Marijuana was grown and processed into Charas ( hashish ) until international pressure persuaded the government to outlaw it in 1976. There is increasing reliance on animal husbandry with elevation, using land above 2,000 metres (7,000 ft) for summer grazing and moving herds to lower elevations in winter . Grain production has not kept pace with population growth at elevations above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) where colder temperatures inhibit double cropping . Food deficits drive emigration out of

2550-549: The Hill region. Newars are an indigenous ethnic group with their own Tibeto-Burman language . The Newar were originally indigenous to the Kathmandu valley but have spread into Pokhara and other towns alongside urbanized Pahari. Other indigenous Janajati ethnic groups -— natively speaking highly localized Tibeto-Burman languages and dialects -— populate hillsides up to about 2,500 metres (8,000 ft). This group includes Magar and Kham Magar west of Pokhara, Gurung south of

2625-423: The Himalaya, but further south it is only seasonally occupied as pasture for sheep, goats, yak and hybrids in warmer months. There are up to 229 annual days of frost here. Crops include barley, potato, cabbage , cauliflower , amaranthus, buckwheat and apple. Medicinal plants are also gathered. The Alpine zone from 4,000 to 5,000 meters (13,100 to 16,400 ft) occupies 8% of the country's land area. There are

2700-557: The Main Frontal Thrust. This range is composed of poorly consolidated, coarse sediments that do not retain water or support soil development so there is virtually no agricultural potential and sparse population. In several places beyond the Chure, there are dūn valleys called Inner Terai . These valleys have productive soil but were dangerously malarial except to indigenous Tharu people who had genetic resistance . In

2775-563: The Middle Hills and even into the Mountain regions. The subtropical climate zone from 1,000 to 2,000 meters (3,300 to 6,600 ft) occupies 22% of Nepal's land area and is the most prevalent climate of the Middle Hills above river valleys. It experiences frost up to 53 days per year, however, this varies greatly with elevation, proximity to high mountains and terrain either draining or ponding cold air drainage. Crops include rice , maize , millet , wheat , potato , stone fruits and citrus. The great majority of Nepal's population occupies

2850-421: The Nepal Terai experiences a tropical savanna climate type with dry winters and hot summers, a mean annual temperature of 20–28 °C (68–82 °F), a mean annual rainfall of 1,600–1,800 mm (63–71 in) in the west and 2,500–3,000 mm (98–118 in) in the east. Tharu and Dhimal people are the indigenous inhabitants of the Terai forests. Several Tharu subgroups are scattered over most of

2925-430: The Nepal Terai, such as over hydropower energy, development projects, business and trade. The government of Nepal has accused India of imposing an undeclared blockade in 2015 but it is not clear yet, local peoples blame Nepal administration and government. Dhurmus Suntali Foundation handed over an integrated community containing 50 houses to Musahar community of Bardibas at a cost of Rs. 63 million. The Terai

3000-413: The Nepal and Indian Terai. They used to be semi-nomadic, practised shifting cultivation and collected wild fruits, vegetables and medicinal herbs . They have been living in the Terai for many centuries and reputedly had an innate resistance to malaria . Dhimal reside in the eastern Nepal Terai, viz Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa Districts. In the past, they lived in the fringes of the forest and conducted

3075-473: The Pahad in search of employment. The Hilly ends where ridges begin substantially rising out of the temperate climate zone into subalpine zone above 3,000 metres (10,000 ft). Terai is a low land region containing some hill ranges. Looking out for its coverage, it covers 17% of the total area of Nepal. The Terai (also spelt Tarai) region begins at the Indian border and includes the southernmost part of

Khalanga, Darchula - Misplaced Pages Continue

3150-602: The Pahad of Nepal. Nepali is taught in schools and often spoken in government offices, however, the local population mostly uses Maithali , Bhojpuri and Tharu languages. The Outer Terai ends at the base of the first range of foothills called the Chure Hills or Churia . This range has a densely forested skirt of coarse alluvium called the Bhabar . Below the Bhabhar, finer, less permeable sediments force groundwater to

3225-569: The Shah rulers encouraged Indians to settle in the Terai, and supported famine-stricken Bihari farmers in efforts to convert to a more productive agricultural lifestyle in the eastern Nepal Terai. From at least 1786 onward, they appointed government officers in the eastern Terai districts of Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Mahottari, Saptari and Morang to levy taxes, collect revenues and maintain civil order, as well as to hunt wild game, including Indian elephants and Indian rhinoceros , mostly for their ivory. At

3300-453: The Terai rises the Bhabar , a narrow but continuous belt of forest about 8–12 km (5.0–7.5 mi) wide. The Urdu word ترائی tarāʼī means "lands lying at the foot of a watershed" or "on the banks of a river; low ground flooded with water, valley, basin, marshy ground, marsh, swamp; meadow". In Hindi , the region is called तराई 'tarāī' meaning "foot-hill". In Nepali , the region

3375-638: The annual production of 2005 was estimated at 10.1 million kg. The Mahendra Highway crosses the Nepal Terai from Kankarbhitta on the eastern border in Jhapa District, Province No. 1 to Mahendranagar near the western border in Kanchanpur District, Mahakali Zone . It is the only motor road spanning the country from east to west. Tea cultivation was introduced in the Darjeeling Terai in 1862. Tourist attractions in

3450-411: The country has eight climate zones from tropical to perpetual snow. The tropical zone below 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) experiences frost less than once per decade. It can be subdivided into lower tropical (below 300 meters or 1,000 ft.) with 18% of the nation's land area) and upper (18% of land area) tropical zones. The best mangoes and well as papaya and banana are largely confined to

3525-460: The country's population resides in the tropical and subtropical climate zones. The tropical zone, below 1,000 meters, experiences frost less than once per decade and is suitable for growing various fruits and crops. The subtropical climate zone, from 1,000 to 2,000 meters, is the most prevalent and suitable for growing rice, maize, millet, wheat, and other crops. The temperate climate zone, from 2,000 to 3,000 meters, occupies 12% of Nepal's land area and

3600-418: The deforestation process in the Terai. Between 1961 and 1991, the annual population growth in the Terai was higher than the national average, which indicates that migration from abroad occurred at a large scale. Deforestation continued, and forest products from state-owned forest were partly smuggled to India. Community forestry was introduced in 1995. Since the 1990s, migration from the Terai to urban centres

3675-753: The districts of these states that are on the India–Nepal border : The Inner Terai Valleys of Nepal consists of five elongated valleys located between the lower Himalayan Range and Sivalik Hills . From north-west to south-east these valleys are: The Outer Terai begins south of the Sivalik Hills and extends to the Indo-Gangetic Plain . In the Far-Western Region, Nepal , it comprises the Kanchanpur and Kailali Districts; in

3750-539: The east of the Gandaki River and western Himalayan broadleaf forests to the west. The native forests of the Mountain region change from east to west as precipitation decreases. They can be broadly classified by their relation to the Gandaki River. From 3,000 to 4,000 meters (10,000 to 13,000 ft) are the eastern and western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests . To 5,500 meters (18,000 ft) are

3825-461: The eastern Nepal Terai, living in close proximity with native Terai peoples. The Indian Terai remained largely uninhabited until the end of the 19th century, as it was arduous and dangerous to penetrate the dense marsh - and malaria -filled jungle with its predators. Dacoit gangs retreated to the Terai jungles, and the area was considered lawless and wild by the British, who sought control of

SECTION 50

#1732787200322

3900-441: The eastern Terai in Nepal. Following the malaria eradication program using DDT in the 1960s, a large and heterogeneous non-Tharu population settled in the Nepal Terai. Pahari people from the mid-hills including Bahun , Chhetri and Newar moved to the plains in search of arable land. In the rural parts of the Nepal Terai, distribution and value of land determine economic hierarchy to a large extent. High caste migrants from

3975-635: The end of the 18th century, between 200 and 300 elephants were caught annually, using snares or nooses. The far-western and mid-western regions of the Nepal Terai (called ' Naya Muluk ', or ‘new country’) lay on the northern periphery of the Awadh dynasty. After Nepal lost the Anglo–Nepalese War of 1816, the British annexed these regions of the Terai when the Sugauli Treaty was ratified; as

4050-808: The famous Sherpas in Kumbu valley near Mount Everest. With Chinese cultural hegemony in Tibet itself, these valleys have become repositories of traditional ways. Valleys with better access from the hill regions to the south are culturally linked to Nepal as well as Tibet, notably the Kali Gandaki Gorge where Thakali culture shows influences in both directions. Permanent villages in the mountain region stand as high as 4,500 metres (15,000 ft) with summer encampments even higher. Bhotiyas graze yaks , grow cold-tolerant crops such as potatoes , barley , buckwheat and millet . They traditionally traded across

4125-535: The flat, intensively farmed Gangetic Plain called the Outer Terai . By the 19th century, timber and other resources were being exported to India. Industrialization based on agricultural products such as jute began in the 1930s and infrastructure such as roadways, railways and electricity were extended across the border before it reached Nepal's Pahad region. The Outer Terai is culturally more similar to adjacent parts of India's Bihar and Uttar Pradesh than to

4200-467: The forested area in Nepal is covered by core forests of more than 500 ha in size. Deforestation and degradation are driven by multiple processes, including firewood harvesting, construction, urban expansion, and illegal logging. Nepal has consistently been ranked as one of the most polluted countries in the world. For a country of its size, Nepal has tremendous geographic diversity. It rises from as low as 59 metres (194 ft) elevation in

4275-414: The highest mountains in deep gorges, flow south through the Middle Hills, then join in candelabra -like configuration before crossing the Lower Himalayan Range and emerging onto the plains where they have deposited megafans exceeding 10,000 km (4,000 sq mi) in area. Terai The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in parts of southern Nepal and northern India that lies to

4350-745: The hills and traditional Tharu landlords who own agriculturally productive land constitute the upper level of the economic hierarchy. The poor are the landless or near landless Terai Dalits , including the Musahar , Chamar and Mallaah . Several Chepang people also live in Nepal's central and eastern Terai districts. As of June 2011, the human population in the Nepal Terai totalled 13,318,705 people in 2,527,558 households comprising more than 120 different ethnic groups and castes such as Badi , Chamling , Ghale , Kumal , Limbu , Magar , Muslim , Rajbanshi , Teli , Thakuri , Yadav and Majhi speaking people. The Muslim invasion of northern India during

4425-481: The largest systems (Koshi, Gandaki/Narayani, Karnali/Goghra, and Mahakali), second category rivers (rising in the Middle Hills and Lower Himalayan Range), and third category rivers (rising in the outermost Siwalik foothills and mostly seasonal). These rivers can cause serious floods and pose challenges to transportation and communication networks. River management involves addressing flooding, sedimentation, and sustainable water sources for irrigation. Building dams in Nepal

4500-410: The late 1960s, and about 10,000 Bihari Muslims from Bangladesh in the 1970s. Timber export continued until 1969. In 1970, King Mahendra granted land to loyal ex-army personnel in the districts of Jhapa, Sunsari, Rupandehi and Banke Districts, where seven colonies were developed for resettling about 7,000 people. They acquired property rights over uncultivated forest and 'waste' land, thus accelerating

4575-428: The lower elevations of the Hill region. They form a mosaic running east–west across Nepal, with Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests between 500 and 1,000 meters (1,600 and 3,300 ft) and Himalayan subtropical pine forests between 1,000 and 2,000 meters (3,300 and 6,600 ft). At higher elevations, to 3,000 meters (10,000 ft), are found temperate broadleaf forests: eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests to

SECTION 60

#1732787200322

4650-429: The lower zone. Other fruit such as litchee , jackfruit , citrus and mangoes of lower quality grow in the upper tropical zone as well. Winter crops include grains and vegetables typically grown in temperate climates. The Outer Terai is virtually all in the lower tropical zone. Inner Terai valleys span both tropical zones. The Sivalik Hills are mostly upper tropical. Tropical climate zones extend far upriver valleys across

4725-509: The lowlands and plains and snowfalls in the high-altitude areas. In this season the Himalayas function as a barrier to cold air masses from Inner Asia, so southern Nepal and northern India have warmer winters than would otherwise be the case. April and May are dry and hot, especially below 1,200 meters (4,000 ft) where afternoon temperatures may exceed 40 °C (104 °F). The dramatic changes in elevation along this transect result in

4800-654: The mid-1950s DDT came into use to suppress mosquitos and the way was open to settlement from the land-poor hills, to the detriment of the Tharu. The Terai ends and the Pahad begin at a higher range of foothills called the Lower Himalayan Range . Nepal's latitude is about the same as that of the United States state of Florida , however with elevations ranging from less than 100 meters (300 ft) to over 8,000 meters (26,000 ft) and precipitation from 160 millimeters (6 in) to over 5,000 millimeters (16 ft)

4875-425: The most relaxed and jovial period in Nepal. By this time, the harvest is completed and people are in a festive mood. The two largest and most important Hindu festivals— Dashain and Tihar ( Dipawali )—arrive during this period, about one month apart. The post-monsoon season lasts until about December. After the post-monsoon comes the winter monsoon, a strong northeasterly flow marked by occasional, short rainfalls in

4950-462: The mountains, e.g., Tibetan salt for rice from lowlands in Nepal and India. Since trade was restricted in the 1950s they have found work as high altitude porters, guides, cooks and other accessories to tourism and alpinism. Hilly Region is a mountain region which does not generally contain snow. It is situated to the south of the Himal Region (the snowy mountain region). This region begins at

5025-419: The plain where silting is a rare phenomenon. A large number of small and usually seasonal rivers flow through the Terai, most of which originate in the Sivalik Hills. The soil in the Terai is alluvial and fine to medium textured. Forest cover in the Terai and hill areas has decreased at an annual rate of 1.3% between 1978 and 1979, and 2.3% between 1990 and 1991. With deforestation and cultivation increasing,

5100-458: The region's valuable timber reserves. The region was densely forested with stands of foremost Sal . Heavy logging began in the 1920s. Extracted timber was exported to India to collect revenues. Cleared areas were subsequently used for agriculture. But still, the Terai jungles were teaming with wildlife. Inner Terai valleys historically were agriculturally productive but extremely malarial. Some parts were left forested by official decree during

5175-812: The south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas , the Sivalik Hills and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain . This lowland belt is characterised by tall grasslands , scrub savannah , sal forests and clay rich swamps . In North India , the Terai spreads from the Yamuna River eastward across Haryana , Uttarakhand , Uttar Pradesh , Bihar and West Bengal . The Terai is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion . Nepal's Terai stretches over 33,998.8 km (13,127.0 sq mi), about 23.1% of Nepal's land area, and lies at an elevation of between 67 and 300 m (220 and 984 ft). The region comprises more than 50 wetlands . North of

5250-571: The surface in a zone of springs and marshes. In Persian , terai refers to wet or marshy ground. Before the use of DDT this was dangerously malarial . Nepal's rulers used this for a defensive frontier called the char kose jhadi (four kos forest, one kos equaling about three kilometers or two miles). Above the Bhabar belt, the Chure Hills rise to about 700 metres (2,297 ft) with peaks as high as 1,000 metres (3,281 ft), steeper on their southern flanks because of faults are known as

5325-560: The time of the 2001 Nepal census it had a population of 4,422 people living in 809 individual households. This article about a location in the Darchula District of Nepal is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Geography of Nepal#Border crossing Nepal measures about 880 kilometers (547 mi) along its Himalayan axis by 150 to 250 kilometers (93 to 155 mi) across. It has an area of 147,516 km (56,956 sq mi). Nepal

5400-502: The tropical Terai —the northern rim of the Gangetic Plain , through beyond the perpetual snow line to 90 peaks over 7,000 metres (22,966 ft) including Earth's highest (8,848-metre (29,029 ft) Mount Everest or Sagarmatha ). In addition to the continuum from tropical warmth to cold comparable to polar regions, average annual precipitation varies from as little as 160 millimetres (6.3 in) in its narrow proportion of

5475-438: The tropical and subtropical climate zones. In the Middle Hills, "upper-caste" Hindus are concentrated in tropical valleys which are well suited for rice cultivation while Janajati ethnic groups mostly live above in the subtropical zone and grow other grains more than rice. The Temperate climate zone from 2,000 to 3,000 meters (6,600 to 9,800 ft) occupies 12% of Nepal's land area and has up to 153 annual days of frost. It

5550-496: The tropical climate belt. Seasonal drought further intensifies in the Siwaliks hills consisting of poorly consolidated, coarse, permeable sediments that do not retain water, so hillsides are often covered with drought-tolerant scrub forest. In fact, much of Nepal's native vegetation adapted to withstand drought, but less so at higher elevations where cooler temperatures mean less water stress. The summer monsoon may be preceded by

5625-400: Was eradicated using DDT in the mid-1950s, at the unfortunate expense of future generations of birds, especially vultures, which were especially sensitive to the chemical. Subsequently, people from the hills migrated to the Terai. About 16,000 Tibetan refugees settled in the Nepal Terai in 1959–1960, followed by refugees of Nepali origin from Burma in 1964, from Nagaland and Mizoram in

#321678