NEPAL

Kingdom of Nepal

Nepal Adhirajya

CAPITAL : Ka¯thmāndu

FLAG : The national flag consists of two red adjoining triangles, outlined in blue and merging at the center; the points are at the fly. On the upper triangle, in white, is a symbolic representation of the moon; on the lower triangle, that of the sun.

ANTHEM : The national anthem begins "May His Majesty, solemn and supremely valiant, be prosperous forever."

MONETARY UNIT : The Nepalese rupee ( NR ) is a paper currency of 100 paisa. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, and 50 paisa and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, and 100 rupees, and notes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 Nepalese rupees. NR 1 = $0.01294 (or $1 = NR 77.25).

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES : The metric system is in use, but some traditional Indian standards also are employed.

HOLIDAYS : National Unity Day, 11 January; Martyrs' Day, 30 January; Rashtriya Prajatantra Divas— National Democracy Day, 18 February; Nepalese Women's Day, 8 March; Navabarsha—Nepalese New Year's Day, mid-April; UN Day, 24 October; Queen Aishworya's Birthday, 7 November; Constitution Day, 9 November; National Day (King Birendra's Birthday), 28 December. Hindu and Buddhist religious holidays are based on the lunisolar calendar. Saturday is the general day of rest.

TIME : 5:45 PM = noon GMT.

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