Many adventure-minded travelers got their start trekking in Nepal's incomparably gorgeous Himalaya (and many came back again and again to hobnob with its outstanding folks). Sadly wracked with political strife in recent years, Nepal may well be on the road to recovery; its Everest region, always free from turmoil, remains one of earth's great showpieces.

• TOTAL AREA: 147,181 sq km

• LAND AREA: 143,181 sq km

• WATER AREA: 4,000 sq km

• POPULATION: 28,287,147

• RELIGIONS: Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%

• LANGUAGES: Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5%

• GOVERNMENT TYPE: Parliamentary Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy

• CAPITAL CITY: Kathmandu

• OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Nepalese rupee (NPR)

• TIME ZONE: GMT/UTC +5.75