Kathmandu

Nepal · mountain city · culture

Sky-high city. Kathmandu sits 1,324 metres above sea level, which means it's high up in the mountains where the air is thinner and cooler than at sea level.

Power center of Nepal. This city is where Nepal's government leaders work, where banks and businesses operate, and where the country's most important cultural treasures are kept.

Millions call it home. Almost 850,000 people live right in Kathmandu, and about 4 million more live in the areas around it, making it a bustling, crowded place full of energy.

Ancient name Kantipur. For thousands of years, people called this city Kantipur or Kasthamandap before it became known as Kathmandu, showing how old and important this place has always been.

Valley location. Kathmandu sits in the middle of Nepal within a special area called the Kathmandu Valley, which gives the city room to spread out and grow.