The Kathmandu Valley, the capital, is the political, commercial and
cultural hub of Nepal. Spread across an area of 360 square kilometers
and at an altitude of 1336 meter above the sea level, Kathmandu is an
exotic and fascinating showcase of a very rich culture, art and
tradition. The valley, roughly oval bowl measuring 24 km east-west and
19 km north-south, is encircled by a range of green terraced hills and
dotted by compact clusters of red tiled-roofed houses.
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Not very long ago, it was said that there were just as many houses as
there were temples and shrines in Kathmandu valley. Now, of course, that
fact does not hold true because of the rapid urbanization and
population growth in the
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last three decades. Nevertheless, the valley still exhibits a living,
breathing entity,a vital culture that has miraculously survived till
now.