📰 Kathmandu · page 2

Modern History (2000-Present)

The turn of the 21st century brought major political and social upheavals to Kathmandu.111 In June 2001, the Nepalese royal massacre at Narayanhiti Palace claimed the lives of King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, Crown Prince Dipendra, and several others, and following Dipendra's brief, comatose reign, Gyanendra was appointed king.112 After the 2006 Revolution, it was turned into a museum.113

Kathmandu later became the center of the 2006 People's Movement (Jana Andolan II), when widespread protests forced King Gyanendra to restore parliament on 24 April 2006 and set Nepal on the path toward becoming a federal democratic republic.[32]114

On 28 February 2025, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck north of Kathmandu, Nepal, according to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre.115 The quake, centered in Sindhupalchok District near the Himalayan border with Tibet, was measured at magnitudes ranging from 5.5 to 6.1 by different agencies.116 Despite strong tremors that startled residents, no significant damage or casualties were reported, except for a minor landslide and a prison inmate who sustained a broken hand while fleeing.117 Local officials confirmed structural cracks in a police post but no major destruction.[33]118

In September 2025, widespread Gen Z protests erupted in Kathmandu after the government imposed a ban on multiple social media platforms.119 The protests quickly grew to include complaints about corruption, nepotism, and lack of opportunity.[34]120 The army was deployed on the streets of Kathmandu, and many government buildings and residences of important government officials were burnt.[35]121 Security forces responded with lethal force, resulting in dozens of casualties and major damage to government property, and the prime minister eventually resigned.122 Following the unrest, President Ram Chandra Poudel appointed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki as Nepal's first female prime minister, and parliament was dissolved with fresh elections scheduled for March 2026.[36]123

Geography

Kathmandu is in the northwestern part of the Kathmandu Valley to the north of the Bagmati River and covers an area of 50.7 km2.124 The average elevation is 1400 m above sea level.[37]125 The city is bounded by several other municipalities of the Kathmandu valley: south of the Bagmati by Lalitpur Metropolitan City (Patan), with which it forms one urban area surrounded by a ring road, to the southwest by Kirtipur and to the east by Madyapur Thimi.126 To the north the urban area extends into several municipalities; Nagarjun, Tarakeshwor, Tokha, Budhanilkantha, Gokarneshwor and Kageshwori Manohara.127 However, the urban agglomeration extends well beyond the neighbouring municipalities, e.g. to Bhaktapur, and nearly covers the entire Kathmandu Valley.128

Kathmandu is dissected by eight rivers, the main river of the valley, the Bagmati and its tributaries, of which the Bishnumati, Dhobi Khola, Manohara Khola, Hanumante Khola, and Tukucha Khola are predominant.129 The mountains from where these rivers originate are in the elevation range of 1500–3000 m, and have passes which provide access to and from Kathmandu and its valley.[38][39][40]130 An ancient canal once flowed from Nagarjuna Hill through Balaju to Kathmandu; this canal is now extinct.131

The city of Kathmandu and the surrounding valley are in the Deciduous Monsoon Forest Zone (altitude range of 1200–2100 m), one of five vegetation zones defined for Nepal.132 The dominant tree species in this zone are oak, elm, beech, maple and others, with coniferous trees at higher altitude.[41]133

Kathmandu administration

Kathmandu and adjacent cities are composed of neighbourhoods, which are utilized quite extensively and more familiar among locals.134 However, administratively the city is divided into 32 wards, numbered from 1 to 32.135 Earlier, there were 35 wards which made it the metropolitan city with the largest number of wards.136

Climate

Under Köppen's climate classification, portions of the city at lower elevations (1300-1400m), which make up 88% of the total area, have a humid subtropical climate (Cwa), while portions of the city with higher elevations generally have a subtropical highland climate (Cwb).137 In the Kathmandu Valley, which is representative of its valley's climate, the average summer temperature varies from 22 to 25 C. The average winter temperature is 10.1 C. Five major climatic regions are found in Nepal.138 Of these, High hills of Kathmandu Valley including Chandragiri hill is in the Warm Temperate Zone (elevation ranging from 1200 to 2300 m), where the climate is fairly temperate, atypical for the region.139 This zone is followed by the Cool Temperate Zone with elevation varying between 2100 and 3300 m.140

The city generally has a climate with warm days followed by cool nights and mornings.141 Unpredictable weather is expected, given that temperatures can drop to 0 C or less during the winter.[42]142 The lowest ever temperature of −3.5 °C was recorded in 1978.[42]143 While snowfall is generally confined to the hills surrounding the city,[43] there have been a few instances of snowfall in city, most notably in 1945 and 2007.[44]144

Rainfall is mostly monsoon-based (about 65% of the total concentrated during the monsoon months of June to September), and decreases substantially (100 to 200 cm) from eastern Nepal to western Nepal.145 The average annual rainfall for the city is around 1400 mm (55 in).[45]146 On average humidity is 75%.[38][46][47]147 The chart below is based on data from the Nepal Bureau of Standards & Meteorology, Weather Meteorology for 2005.148 The chart provides minimum and maximum temperatures during each month.149 The annual amount of precipitation was 1124 mm for 2005, as per monthly data included in the table above.[47]150 The decade of 2000–2010 saw highly variable and unprecedented precipitation anomalies in Kathmandu.151 This was mostly due to the annual variation of the southwest monsoon.152 For example, 2001 recorded only 356 mm of precipitation due to an extraordinarily weak monsoon season.153 In contrast, 2003 was the wettest year ever in Kathmandu, totaling over 2900 mm of precipitation due to an exceptionally strong monsoon season.154

Air quality

Air pollution is a major issue in the Kathmandu Valley.[48][49][50]155 According to the 2016 World Health Organization's Ambient Air Pollution Database,[51] the annual average PM2.5 (particulate matter) concentration in 2013 was 49 μg/m3, which is 4.9 times higher than recommended by the World Health Organization.[52][53]156

Starting in early 2017, the Government of Nepal and the Embassy of the United States in Kathmandu have monitored and publicly share real-time air quality data.157 In Nepal and Kathmandu, the annual premature deaths due to air pollution reached 37,399 and 9,943 respectively, according to a Republica news report published on 23 November 2019.158 This indicates, around a quarter of the total deaths due to air pollution in Nepal are in Kathmandu.[54][55]159

Demographics

Kathmandu's urban cosmopolitan character has made it the most populous city in Nepal.160 According to the National Population Census of 2011, the total population of Kathmandu city was 975,543 in 254,292 households with an annual growth rate of 6.12% with respect to the population figure of 2001.[56]161 70% of the total population residing in Kathmandu are aged between 15 and 59.162

In one decade, the population increased from 427,045 in 1991 to 671,805 in 2001.163 The population was projected to reach 915,071 in 2011 and 1,319,597 by 2021.164 To keep up this population growth, the KMC-controlled area of 5076.6 ha expanded to 8214 ha in 2001.165 With this new area, the population density which was 85 in 1991 remained 85 in 2001; it is likely to jump to 111 in 2011 and 161 in 2021.[57]166

Languages

As of the 2011 census, Nepali is the most common mother tongue in Kathmandu, with 62% of the population speaking it as their mother tongue.167 Newari is spoken by 19%, and the other languages spoken in the city include Tamang (6%), Maithili (3%), Bhojpuri (2%), Gurung (2%), Magar (2%) and Sherpa (1%) as their first language.168 English is also spoken by many.[58]169

Ethnic groups

The largest group is the native Newars, whose various sub-groups combine to make up 24.59% of the population.170 The Bahuns, also known as Hill-Brahmin or Khas Brahmin, representing 21.62% of the population.171 They are part of the broader Khas community, as are the Chhetri, the third largest group, who account for 18.66% of the population.172 Tamang community composites of 7.74% making them 4th largest group in Kathmandu metropolitan.173

Broad Caste and Ethnicity category (2011 Census)174

Hinduism

Hinduism is one of the indigenous beliefs of the city.175 Assumedly, together with the kingdom of Licchhavi (c. 400 to 750), Hinduism and the endogam social stratification of the caste was established in Kathmandu Valley.176 The Pashupatinath Temple, Changu Narayan Temple, and the Kasthamandap are of particular importance to Hindus.177 Other notable Hindu temples in Kathmandu and the surrounding valley include Bajrayogini Temple, Dakshinkali Temple, Guhyeshwari Temple, and the Shobha Bhagawati shrine.178

The Bagmati River which flows through Kathmandu is considered a holy river both by Hindus and Buddhists, and many Hindu temples are on the banks of this river.179 The importance of the Bagmati also lies in the fact that Hindus are cremated on its banks, and Kirants are buried in the hills by its side.180 According to the Nepali Hindu tradition, the dead body must be dipped three times into the Bagmati before cremation.181 The chief mourner (usually the first son) who lights the funeral pyre must take a holy riverwater bath immediately after cremation.182 Many relatives who join the funeral procession also take bath in the Bagmati or sprinkle the holy water on their bodies at the end of cremation as the Bagmati is believed to purify people spiritually.183

Buddhism

Buddhism was brought into Kathmandu with the arrival of Buddhist monks during the time of Buddha (c. 563 – 483 BCE[62]).184 They established a forest monastery in Sankhu.185 This monastery was renovated by Shakyas after they fled genocide from Virudhaka (r. 491–461 BCE).186

During the Hindu Lichchavi era (c. 400 to 750), various monasteries and orders were created which successively led to the formation of Newar Buddhism, which is still practiced in the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Sanskrit.187

Legendary Princess Bhrikuti (7th-century) and artist Araniko (1245–1306 CE) from that tradition of Kathmandu valley played a significant role in spreading Buddhism in Tibet and China.188 There are over 108 traditional monasteries (Bahals and Baháʼís) in Kathmandu based on Newar Buddhism.189 Since the 1960s, the permanent Tibetan Buddhist population of Kathmandu has risen significantly so that there are now over fifty Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the area.190 Also, with the modernization of Newar Buddhism, various Theravada Bihars have been established.191

Other religions

Sikhism is practiced primarily in Gurudwara at Kupundole.192 An earlier temple of Sikhism is also present in Kathmandu which is now defunct.193

Jainism is practiced by a small community.194 A Jain temple is present in Gyaneshwar, where Jains practice their faith.195

According to the records of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Nepal, there are approximately 300 followers of the Baháʼí Faith in Kathmandu valley.196 They have a national office in Shantinagar, Baneshwor.197 The Baháʼís also have classes for children at the National Centre and other localities in Kathmandu.198

In Kathmandu alone there are about 170 Christian churches.[63]199 Christian missionary hospitals, welfare organizations, and schools are also operating.200 Nepali citizens who served as soldiers in Indian and British armies, who had converted to Christianity while in service, on return to Nepal continue to practice their religion.201 They have contributed to the spread of Christianity and the building of churches in Nepal and in Kathmandu, in particular.[64][65]202

Economy

Main article: Economy of Kathmandu

The location and terrain of Kathmandu have played a significant role in the development of a stable economy which spans millennia.203 The city is in an ancient lake basin, with fertile soil and flat terrain.204 This geography helped form a society based on agriculture.205 This, combined with its location between India and China, helped establish Kathmandu as an important trading centre over the centuries.206 Kathmandu's trade is an ancient profession that flourished along an offshoot of the Silk Road which linked India and Tibet.207 From centuries past, Lhasa Newar merchants of Kathmandu have conducted trade across the Himalaya and contributed to spreading art styles and Buddhism across Central Asia.[66]208 Other traditional occupations are farming, metal casting, woodcarving, painting, weaving, and pottery.[67]209