Nepali culture and society: A historical perspective

Wedged between India and Tibet, Nepal has enjoyed an independent political existence from the very earliest times. The boundaries of modern Nepal fixed in the 18th century touch on Sikkim to the east, Kumaon in the west, roughly enclosing an area of 500 miles in length. Its breadth however, does not exceed 150 miles, which occurs only at a few points. Nepal's ethnic diversity is rich; multiple languages and a wealth of cultures. There are at least 40 sizeablelanguage and cultural groups. The predominant group among them is the Nepali-speaking Hindus. The various languages of Nepal fall broadly into two main language families: the Indo-Aryan and the Tibeto-Burman, with one or two small languages betraying their Munda origin.