Nepal-Sagarmatha National Park


Page Created By Jennie Lee SOAN 246 - Cultural Geography Professor Roger Baty Spring 2002
Country Description: Nepal is a small country that is located in Southern Asia. Nepal is slightly larger than the state of Arkansas and its neighboring countries are China and India. The population is an estimated 25,284,463 - most of whom are less than 65 years of age. What struck me as odd was that 86.2% of the population practiced Hinduism and only 7.8% of the population practiced Buddhism. I had always thought that Buddhism was the religion in which every Nepalese person believed in (due to movies such as “Seven Years In Tibet,” I linked Nepal with Tibet and Buddhism). Much of Nepal’s economy is low. Some major exports include carpets, clothing, leather goods, rain, and jute goods. “Jute” is a natural fiber that can be used for or with many daily tasks. Nepal seems to produce just as much as they use when it comes to electricity. Electricity production is about 1.255 billion kWh and consumption is about 1.309 billion kWh. Most of electricity that is produced comes from hydroelectric power. Nepal exports $485 million and imports about $1.2 billion on average.	Map of Nepal
Entrance to Sagarmatha National Park.	WHS Site Description: Sagarmatha ('Mother of the Universe'), has the highest point of the Earth's surface and its surroundings are of worldwide importance. This WHS site represents a major stage of the Earth's evolutionary history and it is one of the most geologically interesting regions in the world. Its scenic and wilderness features are outstanding. The park includes Mt. Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), Sherpa people, and some of the most breathtaking scenery on earth. This area holds the Himalaya’s largest population of the Himalayan thar. In the mountain-forests Himalayan red panda, wolves, weasels and musk deer can be found. Sagarmatha is an exceptional area with beautiful mountains, glaciers and deep valleys, which are all dominated by Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world (8,848 m or 29,035 ft.). The park is home to several rare species, such as the snow leopard and the lesser panda. The presence of the Sherpas, with their unique culture, add further interest to this site.