Kathmandu is the capital city of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. It has been so ever since the unification of Nepal which is marked as a significant historical event in the country. To the south and north of this metropolis city, Kathmandu lie the sub metropolis cities, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur respectively. Kathmandu Metropolitan city lies amidst the great hills namely Shivapuri, Phulchowki, Nagarjun and Chandragiri. The city lies at an elevation of 1400 metres above the sea level.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City Area
Kathmandu Metropolitan City lies in the northwest part of the Kathmandu Valley and occupies an area of 50.7 km2. Total area the city covers is small with the area of whole country, Nepal itself being small. However, according to the latest census, it holds the population of more than 975 thousand people which is a staggering figure. It is the most populous city of Nepal and thus one can find in this city, the people from different corners of the country.
Key features of Kathmandu Metropolitan City
Kathmandu Metropolitan City is the centre of the Nepal’s history, art, culture and economy. The city contains President’s House and office, Prime Minister’s Office (Singha Durbar), Nepal Governments’ central Ministries, majority of all the central offices, Government and Private Television stations along with different other organizations. The power and political clout seems to be centralised in the capital and people from different part of the country originally want to live in the city for different facilities and job opportunities.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City History
The history of the city is more than 2000 years old. Multi ethnic and multi religious people reside in Nepal each with their own traditions. Thus, a small city in the small country has a lot to offer in terms of art, culture and history. The main religions that prevail are Hinduism and Buddhism. Along with it, there are various other religions too and as a result there is diversity in the festivals, culture, traditions, etc. However, there is unity among the people and there has never been a riot on the basis of these diversities. At the heart of the people, the patriotic feeling of being Nepali is present.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City Economy and GDP
The economy of the metropolitan city, Kathmandu plays a huge role in the economy of the country. Kathmandu accounts for more than one third of national GDP. The economic areas in Kathmandu city comprise manufacturing, trade, agriculture, education, transport, hotel and restaurants and tourism industry. Lokta paper and Pashmina shawls are famous in Kathmandu. It is the most important industrial and commercial center in the country. New Road, Durbar Marg, Asan, Putalisadak, Thamel are the major economic hubs in Kathmandu city.
Tourism has a great potential in Kathmandu city. In 2013, it was selected as the 3rd topmost travel destination in the world by TripAdvisor. It was in the frontline in Asia. Sacred and holy places like Pashupatinath temple, Boudhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath etc brings a lot of tourists from all over the world to Nepal as they have huge significance in Hindu and Buddhist religion. Various UNESCO enlisted cultural heritages are in Kathmandu city which are the pride of the country. As tourism has flourished, the city boasts of various luxury hotels like The Hyatt Regency, Dwarika’s, The Yak and Yeti and many others.
Though the city is the heart of the country, it is not exempt of problems. There is a serious problem of air pollution in the city along with the increased rampant urbanization. Also, the city faces problems of waste management. In many places, there is a problem of water supply too. The city has come out of the load shedding problems presently and this has become a great relief for the people of Kathmandu who had been dealing with the electricity problems for more than a decade. Post earthquake of April 2015, destruction was severe but slowly, the city is returning to its normal state. The government and the people should take steps possible from their level to curb the sources of the problems and turn the city into a beautiful and organized city and set as an example for other cities of the country.
