Nepal

Kathmandu is Nepal’s capital and largest city, housing the federal government, headquarters, and foreign embassies. Nestled at about 1,400 meters in the Kathmandu Valley, it has long been Nepal’s political and cultural heart, famous for UNESCO World Heritage sites like Durbar Square, Swayambhunath (the “Monkey Temple”), and Pashupatinath. Its central role dates back to historic trade routes linking Tibet and the Indian plains. The other options are important but not capitals: Pokhara is a scenic tourism hub and gateway to the Annapurna range, while Bhaktapur and Lalitpur (Patan) are historic sister cities within the same valley. Memory tip: “KAT wears the CAP”—Kathmandu wears the capital’s cap, with Patan and Bhaktapur beside it, and Pokhara by the peaks.