Who is the ruler of Nepal in 1954. Royal Chitwan National Park

Test tasks.

1. Answer to the question: “What features does the Amazon River have?” gives

a) descriptive method

b) cartographic method

c) space method

d) observational method

2. The rise of cartography in Europe was associated with

a) the creation of writing

b) the era of great geographical discoveries

c) the invention of paper

d) invention of the wheel

3. Space techniques began to develop

a) in late XIX century

b) at the beginning of the 20th century

c) in the second half of the 20th century

d) in beginning of XXI century

4. Scientific expeditions aimed at exploring the Earth began to be organized in

c) XVIII century

d) XIX century

5. Which of the following books can enrich your knowledge about the nature of the Earth?

a) J. Rowling “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

b) E. Burroughs “Princess of Mars”

c) T. Main Reid “In the wilds of South Africa”

d) J. R. R. Tolkien “The Lord of the Rings”

6. Arrange the names of geographical research methods in the order of their occurrence. Put the letters corresponding to them in the table.

a) space b) descriptive c) cartographic

1	2	3
B	IN	A

Thematic workshop.

Here is a short excerpt from a book about Eurasia. Read it and answer the questions.

In the southern part of Eurasia, the highest mountains of the planet, the Himalayas, stretch from west to east. As many as 14 peaks in these mountains rise above 8 km. And the highest of them - Everest, or Chomolungma - has a height of 8848 m.

The country of Nepal is located in the Himalayas, between China and India. According to legend, Prince Siddhartha Guatama, who was destined to become the founder of one of the three world religions - Buddhism, was born here almost 2.5 thousand years ago.

The capital of Nepal, the city of Kathmandu, is famous for its numerous Buddhist temples and monasteries, many of which are more than 2 thousand years old. The city is located at a high altitude and is surrounded by steep slopes and deep chasms. Previously, there were no big roads to the city, but only narrow paths along which it was not easy for a person to pass. Therefore, when in 1954 the King of Nepal wanted to get a car (before that he had walked exclusively on foot), bidding for that car turned out to be a very difficult matter. The car had to be completely disassembled piece by piece and moved around mountain paths to the city and reassemble there again. This is how the first car appeared in Kathmandu.

1. What method of geographical research was used to compile this text?

Observation method.

2. Which geographical information can be verified using other methods of geographical research?

In the southern part of Eurasia, mountains stretch from west to east - the Himalayas. The country of Nepal is located in the Himalayas between China and India.

3. How high is the highest peak on Earth?

4. How many cars were there in Kathmandu in 1943?

5. Who is the ruler of Nepal?

Cartographic workshop.

Name the geographical features indicated by numbers on the map

1. Mainland Australia.

2. Hindustan Peninsula.

3. Atlantic Ocean.

4. Madagascar Island.

5. Mainland South America.

6. Arabian Peninsula

The Himalayas occupy six-sevenths of Nepal's territory. There are several peaks above 8,000 m, including the famous Everest.

The full name of the state is the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. The republic is located between the two most populated countries in the world - India and China.

This is the highest mountainous country in the world, because... its lowest point is at an altitude of 70 m above sea level, and more than 40% of the territory is at an altitude of more than 3,000 m.

State symbols

Flag- is a simplified combination of pennants of two branches of the Rana dynasty - the past rulers of the country. The blue color of the flag border symbolizes peace, while the dark red color is the national color of Nepal. The two royal symbols represent the hope that Nepal will last as long as the sun and moon. The flag was adopted on December 16, 1962.

Coat of arms- emblem of Nepal. The new emblem was introduced on December 30, 2006. It contains the flag of Nepal; Mount Everest; green hills symbolizing the hilly areas of Nepal and yellow color symbolizing the fertile area; joined male and female hands, symbolizing equality of the sexes; garland of rhododendrons (national flower). Above - a white silhouette in the form geographical outlines Nepal. At the bottom of the emblem is a dark red (the color of Nepal) scroll with the national motto in Sanskrit: “Mother and Motherland are greater than heaven.”

– national flower of Nepal

State structure

Form of government- republic. Nepal has been a republic since May 2008.
Head of State- the president.
Head of the government- Prime Minister.
Capital– Kathmandu.
The largest city– Kathmandu.

Official language– Nepali (mother tongue for 49% of the population). But the people of Nepal speak seventy different languages and dialects.
Territory– 140,800 km².
Population– 30,430,267 people. The urban population is 17%. In cultural and ethnic terms, Nepal is a mixture of about a hundred nationalities and castes, the boundaries of which are quite transparent.

Currency– Nepalese rupee.
Administrative division– 14 zones and 75 districts, grouped into five regions. Each district is governed by an official who supervises law and order and coordinates activities local authorities various ministries.
Economy. Nepal is one of the poorest and most undeveloped countries in the world. The main branch of the economy is agriculture: rice, corn, grains, sugar cane, jute, root crops. Meat and dairy farming - buffaloes.
Only 6% of workers are employed in industry, who are engaged in processing agricultural products (jute, sugar, tobacco, grain), carpet production, and brick production. In the service sector - 18% of workers. Export – carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute, grain. Petroleum products, industrial products, gold, electronics, and medicines are imported.
The main source of foreign exchange earnings is foreign tourism.
Religion– 80.6% of the population profess Hinduism. The second popular religion is Buddhism.

Education– school education is theoretically free, but in practice schools often charge students fees for various needs; for poor families, even small amounts can become a problem. In addition, the family is left without a worker if the child is sent to school. Therefore, sending a child to school for a poor family means an economic sacrifice. Attending school is also complicated by the fact that only half of children can receive an education in their native language. Modern schools were created in the 1960s, earlier education received only in Buddhist monasteries. In recent years, small schools, but the condition of the schools is poor: many schools have dirt floors, no windows, no doors, no drinking water, no toilets. Some schools do not have electricity, blackboards or teaching aids. Poor teacher training.

Primary education – from 1st to 5th grade. Incomplete secondary - from 6 to 8, secondary - from 9 to 10 and high school - from 11 to 12 grades. A matriculation certificate is obtained upon completion of 10th grade. Schoolchildren have the opportunity to attend basic technical educational establishments after 5th grade.
Only 46% of children are covered by preschool and primary education.
Higher education can be obtained at 4 universities in Nepal.

Natural attractions of Nepal

Sagarmatha National Park

Located in the Himalayas. Territory - 1148 km² of the ecological zone of the Himalayas. Status national park assigned in 1976. There are 3 eight-thousandth peaks in the park: Chomolungma (Everest), Lhotse (8516 m), Cho Oyu (8201 m).

Chomolungma (Everest)

The highest peak in the world is 8848 m. Everest has the shape of a triangular pyramid, with a steeper southern slope. On the southern slope and ribs, snow and firn (densely packed, granular perennial snow, more precisely, an intermediate stage between snow and glacier ice) are not retained, so they are exposed. The summit consists mainly of sedimentary deposits. At the top of Chomolungma, strong winds blow at speeds of up to 55 m/s. At night the air temperature drops to −60 °C.
The first to determine that Chomolungma is the highest mountain peak on Earth was the Indian mathematician and topographer Radhanath Sikdar in 1852 based on trigonometric calculations.
The first ascent to the summit took place in 1953, it was made by Sherpa (people of Eastern Nepal) Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary. The climbers used oxygen devices. More than 30 Sherpas took part in the expedition.

In the spring of 1975, Everest was scaled by a female expedition for the first time. The first woman to conquer Qomolungma was Japanese climber Junko Tabei. The first Polish woman and the first European woman to reach the top is Wanda Rutkiewicz (1978). The first Russian woman to reach the top was Ekaterina Ivanova (1990).

Annapurna National Park

This is a protected area in Nepal that includes the Annapurna mountain range and its surrounding areas. The park was founded in 1986. More than 100,000 people live here, 163 species of animals and 474 species of birds live here, and 1,226 species of plants grow.
The park contains the Muktinath temple complex, a sacred place for Hindus and Buddhists. Muktinath Temple is built in pagoda style. Opposite the Muktinath temple there are 2 kunds (ponds). It is believed that a pilgrim who takes a bath in this pond washes away negative karma.

The park also contains the world's largest rhododendron forest. Diversity natural landscapes, the rich flora and fauna attract tourists from different countries to Annapurna National Park.

Royal Chitwan National Park

UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal. It is located 200 km from the capital Kathmandu. Until 1973, this park was a favorite hunting ground for Nepalese kings, and then it was declared a protected area. This is one of the few places in the world where wild animals can be observed in their natural habitat.
The entire area of ​​the park (932 sq. km) is mainly covered with jungle. There are many picturesque rivers and small lakes in the park. The climate here is flat, milder and warmer. Tours of the park are carried out on elephants or jeeps.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal

We have already talked about two of them: Sagarmatha National Park and Mount Everest and Chitwan National Park.

Kathmandu Valley

Kathmandu mountain valley, about 1300 m high, - historical region Nepal, famous for the Newar cities of Kathmandu, Lalitpur (Patan), Bhaktapur, Kirtipur, Panauti and numerous monasteries, temple centers and cultural monuments.

Lalitpur (Patan)

The second most populous city in Nepal (about 180 thousand). Patan flourished in the 16th-18th centuries. during the reign of the Newar Malla dynasty. After the fall of the dynasty, the city partially fell into decay, but tourists are still amazed by the sophistication and variety of temples, pagodas, palaces, house decorations and carvings. Patan has always been the center of Newar artists, architects, jewelers, and artisans who created exquisite examples of art.

Lumbini

Settlement in Nepal on the border with India. It is famous for its temple complex and is considered one of the places that claims the right to be called the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism (presumably 563 BC - 483 BC), as a result of which it is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists. Not far from Lumbini was the city of Kapilavastu, where Buddha grew up until he was 29 years old.

Every country that has representatives of the Buddhist faith can build a temple on the territory of Lumbini. Now you can see and visit temples in Thailand, China, Germany, Cambodia and other countries.

Other attractions of Nepal

Of course, the main attraction is the mountains. The most populated part of the country is the Kathmandu Valley.

And the capital Kathmandu itself, with a population of more than 1 million people, is largest city Nepal. The city has retained its medieval appearance. But it is also the largest cultural and educational center of Nepal. Here are located Royal Academy, National College, Sanskrit College, Tribhuvan University, Fine Arts Association.
Kathmandu is home to the National Museum of Nepal, a numismatic museum and a number of libraries, among which the National and Central libraries stand out. Until November 2008, a trolleybus network operated in the city.

Thamel is a popular tourist area in Kathmandu. It consists of narrow streets lined with small shops, travel agencies, budget hotels, currency exchange offices, restaurants, and clubs. The streets are always filled with street vendors and barkers. Here is a base camp with shops for climbers, which offers wide choose climbing equipment.

History of Nepal

It is believed that in the distant past the Kathmandu Valley lay at the bottom of a huge mountain lake. After the earthquake, the water of the lake receded and the valley was inhabited by people from the surrounding regions, these people formed the Newari people. The valley was very fertile and the population talented, especially in the arts and crafts. Nepal has experienced several eras of prosperity and decline. Buddhism came to Nepal even before our era, so Nepal was the stronghold of Buddhism throughout the Himalayan region. It was also an important transit point on trade routes between India, Tibet and China.

Kingdom of Nepal

The time of the Newar Malla dynasty is considered the heyday of Nepal. This dynasty left an abundance of surviving today wonderful architectural monuments shaped the appearance of the country. The era of Malla rule is called the “Golden Era”.
In 1768, the king of the Gorkha kingdom, Prithvi Narayan Shah, conquered the Kathmandu Valley and moved his capital to the city of Kathmandu. The Shah Dynasty began. Although the title of the rulers of Nepal has always been translated as "king", in the original it sounds like "shah-in-shah" (shah among shahs), like the traditional title of the rulers of Iran and other countries of the East.
In 1814-1816. The Anglo-Nepalese war took place. As a result of the peace treaty, the modern borders of Nepal were determined.
On September 15, 1846, a palace coup took place, which in Nepal is called the “Kot Massacre.” Conspirators led by Jang Bahadur, an ambitious and cruel aristocrat from the Chhetri caste in western Nepal, carried out this bloody coup, and for more than 100 years the Rana dynasty of prime ministers ruled the country. This time is characterized by the isolation of the country and stagnation in almost all areas of life, Nepal fell into a semi-colony position British Empire. On January 1, 1923, a treaty of friendship was concluded with Great Britain, and the country received formal independence.
At the end of 1950, King Tribhuvan left his palace, hid in the Indian Embassy, ​​and then fled to India. Supporters of the newly created Nepal National Congress (NNC) political party seized power in most of the terai and formed a provisional government in the town of Birganj. Clashes between supporters of the NOC and the Rana dynasty began; India intervened in this process and proposed a settlement plan. It was accepted by both sides. In accordance with this plan, King Tribhuvan returned to the capital in 1951 and formed a new government including Rana supporters and NOC representatives. The country's isolation is over: Nepal has established relations with many countries of the world.

King Tribhuvan

After the death of King Tribhuvan in 1955, his son Mahendra ascended the throne. He proclaimed a new constitution, which established a parliamentary system in Nepal in 1959. But 3 years later, King Mahendra himself recognized this “experiment” as a failure and dissolved parliament. Under the new constitution of 1962, Nepal again transitioned to an absolute monarchy, the prime minister and members of parliament were arrested and subjected to repression, and Nepal remained an absolute monarchy for the next 28 years.

King Mahendra (left)

In 1972, after Mahendra's death, his son Birendra, who received an excellent education at Eton and Harvard, ascended the throne. He held a referendum in May 1980, which raised the question of the nature of the future Nepalese government. Two options were proposed: maintaining an absolute monarchy while carrying out democratic reforms and moving to a multi-party system. The monarchical system won.
But there was no immediate improvement in life, and mass unrest began again, the government called early elections in 1994. In these elections, the United Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) under the leadership of Man Mohan Adhikari won. A strange political situation was created: a government formed by the Communists, under a theocratic monarchy. Nepal is one of the few countries where Hinduism is declared the state religion. But already in September 1995, the communist government received a vote of no confidence and resigned. A three-party coalition of the NNC, the right-wing Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the pro-Indian Nepal Sabdhavan Party came to power.

Nepalese Civil War

In 1996, the Nepalese People's Army (a small and poorly armed guerrilla) and others began a civil war. Especially political instability in the country has intensified since June 2001, when Crown Prince Dipendra shot his entire family and shot himself, killing King Birendra and almost all members royal family. The reason for the tragedy: Dipendra had an 11-year love affair with Devyani Rana, whom he met while studying in London. The Rana clan of Nepalese aristocrats until 1951 gave hereditary prime ministers of the country and was a competitor of the royal family for power in Nepal, so the royal family was categorically against this marriage.
The brother of the murdered king, Gyanendra, who was very unpopular in the country, took the throne. Immediately after the change of power, mass unrest began in the country, aggravating the already difficult situation.

King Gyanendra

Gyanendra took a number of unpopular measures, including banning political parties and dissolving the government, while the Maoists took control of a significant part of Nepal's territory. In 2005, the king effectively dissolved parliament.
In April 2006, a general strike began in the country.
On July 11, 2006, the Nepalese Parliament revoked King Gyanendra's power to veto laws and bills. A month earlier, the deputies took the position from the king supreme commander in chief army, deprived of immunity, and also obliged to pay taxes. Thus, parliament completely excluded him from political system countries. The deputies decided from now on to consider Nepal a “secular state”, taking away the title of incarnation of Vishnu from Gyanendra. A coalition government was formed. In 2006, the civil war ended.

Republic

In January 2007, parliament adopted a temporary constitution, according to which the king is deprived of the status of head of state and power functions are transferred to the prime minister.
On December 28, 2007, the interim parliament declared Nepal a democratic federal republic. The decision was subject to approval by the Constitutional Assembly. Until then, the king of Nepal, deprived of real power, continued to live in the royal palace.
On May 28, 2008, the Constituent Assembly of Nepal declared Nepal a Federal Democratic Republic by a vote of 560 to 4. It was established that the executive branch would be headed by the prime minister. The former royal palace now houses a museum.
The new coalition government of Nepal was formed by the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), which resigned in June 2010. The parliament failed to elect a new prime minister, and the government continues to function as a “caretaker”.
In May 2010, the 2-year period during which it was planned to prepare the Constitution expired, but this was not done. Therefore, the term of office of the Constitutional Assembly was extended for another year. There are doubts that it will be ready this year.
The current president, Ram Baran Yadav (a member of the Nepali Congress Party), was elected in July 2008 by the Constituent Assembly.

The Nepalese state with a monarchical form of government was formed quite late - at the beginning of the last century as a result of the unification of sixty small feudal principalities. Before it could gain strength, Nepal was faced with British colonial claims. On November 1, 1814, Great Britain declared war on Nepal. In 1816, an unequal treaty was imposed on the country. The foreign policy of Nepal was placed under the control of the British authorities, who were prohibited from entering into any relations with foreign states. To strengthen their position, the British resorted to the tried and tested method of divide and conquer. Taking advantage of the escalating rivalry between various factions feudal class, they contributed to the rise to power of the Rana family, loyal to the British. On the night of September 14 to 35, 1846, Jang Bahadur Rana organized a bloody massacre in the royal palace, as a result of which representatives of the most influential political groups were destroyed, and the path to power was opened for the Rana family. The king was reduced to the position of funeral head of state, and all power was concentrated in the hands of Ran. The new rulers set a course for cooperation with the colonial administration. The Rana's century-long reign was one of the darkest periods in Nepal's history. The state structure served the personal goals and interests of the hereditary prime minister and his inner circle. All their activities were aimed at making as much money as possible. They transferred their capital abroad. The events that unfolded in the world after the Second World War had a decisive influence on the fate of the Nepalese people. The collapse of the colonial system and the declaration of independence of neighboring India had an impact big influence on the course of events in Nepal. In 1951, the regime of hereditary prime ministers came to an end. Nepal has ended its foreign policy isolation and reached international arena as a peace-loving independent state. A constitutional monarchy was proclaimed in the country. The urgent tasks of overcoming the difficult legacy of the past have come to the fore. However, even now Nepal continues to remain one of the poorest and most backward countries in the world. A significant influx of funds into the country's budget is ensured through inbound tourism.

Geography

The state in South Asia borders on the north, and on the east, south and west. The area of ​​the country is 140,797 square meters. km. Nepal is located in one of the most mountainous regions on Earth, and this feature has significantly influenced its isolation from the world. Of the eight highest peaks in the world, seven, including Everest (Qomolungma) (8848 m), are located in Nepal. Nepal can be divided into three parallel regions, stretching from northwest to southeast. Closer to the Chinese border is the Great Himalayan Range, average height which exceeds 4570 m above sea level. Next lies the region of the Mahabharata and Churia ranges, the average height of which is about 2500 m. The third, most South Region- Te-rai is a region of valleys, swamps and forests. In the center of the country there is a fairly large Kathmandu Valley. The main rivers of the country, Karnali, Kosi and Narayani, flow into the Ganges. Altitude has a great influence on the climate of the country's regions. High in the mountains, temperatures are quite low throughout the year. In the Terai and Kathmandu Valley, summers are hot and rainy and winters are cool. The temperature in January in Kathmandu varies from 2 to 18 C, the temperature in July - from 20 to 29 C. The Terai is home to dense bamboo forests, as well as hardwood trees. At the foot of the mountains grow pine, oak and a large number of wild flowers. At altitudes up to 3660 m, spruce trees predominate. The Terai is home to tigers, leopards, elephants and deer.

Population

Nepal's population is about 24 million. The most ancient inhabitants - immigrants from Tibet in the 11th-13th centuries mixed with newcomers from India. The bulk of the population are Nepalese (Indo-Aryan branch Indo-European family), inhabiting mainly the central and southwestern parts of the country (more than 11 million). The Terai is inhabited by Biharis (including Maithili - 2.8 million, Bhojpuris - more than 1.7 million), as well as Tharu (more than 1.3 million), close to them, Avadhis (more than 560 thousand. They live in the east of the country Tamangs (more than 1.1 million), in the center, and, above all, in the Kathmandu Valley - Newars (825 thousand), in the west - Magars (770 thousand) and Gurungs (340 thousand) - representatives of the Tibeto-Chinese families living on the borders with Tibet are Sherpas close to the Tibetans (130 thousand), who are traditionally excellent highland porters, and the warlike Gurkha tribe forms the backbone of the country's armed forces.

Language

State language Nepali is Nepali, although along with it there are also many closely related languages ​​of individual Nepalese tribes. English is spoken in tourist centers. If you follow standard routes around the country, then knowledge of English is quite enough. Usage short phrasebook acceptable due to the lack of a tone component in Nepali, when the pronunciation of a word, depending on the tone, can have several meanings.

Religion

Nepal is the only officially Hindu state in the world, although Buddhist echoes are very strong among the people. So the Nepali people, and especially the Newaro people, who mainly inhabit the Kathmandu Valley, worship both Buddha and Shiva, without any conflicts between believers. In the south of Nepal in the city of Lumbini in the 16th century. BC. The great Buddha was born, who gave the world Buddhism - a teaching that found its followers both in the East and in the West. Statistics show that in the country 80.6% are Hindus, 10.7% are Buddhists (mostly Lamaists), 4.2% are Muslims. Although Nepal has been declared Hindu state, share of Hindus in the 1990s. decreased by more than 6%. Ancient rituals of animism, shamanism and witchcraft are also practiced.

Connection

Internet in Nepal is very cheap in Kathmandu (average 20 rupees per hour - $1 is approximately equal to 74 rupees) and expensive elsewhere. For example, in Pokhara - 120 rupees, in other cities - 1.5-2-3 rupees per minute, and in Manang (the only place on the Annapurna Circuit where there is Internet) - as much as 30 dollars per hour. In places with high traffic, charges are usually per minute. Internet telephony is present, at least in the capital. The price of a minute of conversation with Russia is from 30 rupees (however, you can bargain). A regular international call is much more expensive. Local calls cost pennies. Mobile communications are available in cities in the center of the country. You can use the mobile phone you brought with you, although this is, of course, quite expensive. At the same time, it is problematic for a foreigner to buy SIM cards from local operators. There is no cellular communication at all during trekking.

Time

Ahead of Moscow time by 2 hours 45 minutes (when switching to summer time in Russia - for 1 hour 45 minutes).

The history of the main valley of Nepal and the districts of Palpa and Butawal dates back in legend to 500 BC. Until relatively recently, it was reduced to civil strife between noble clans, the consolidation of territory within a single kingdom and the transformation of the country into a haven for refugees forced to leave the plains of India. From 8th to 11th centuries. Buddhists are flocking to Nepal to escape forced Hinduization. A similar flow was formed from the 14th to the 17th centuries. High caste Hindus from the North Indian provinces. All these aliens have taken a prominent place social status in several small principalities that existed in the Lesser Himalayas. Among them, the most powerful was Gorkha, located immediately to the west of the Kathmandu Valley. From this humble mountainous region, the Shah dynasty, which was descended from the Hindu warrior caste, established itself there and territorial expansion in different directions. She established intensive trade, religious and political ties with the new Tibetan dynasty that reigned in Lhasa. Around 639, the Tibetan monarch married the daughter of the Nepalese sovereign Bri-Tstun. This marriage contributed to the spread of Buddhism in northern Nepal and Tibet and strengthened economic relations between the countries.

Shah family rule

In the second half of the 18th century. The ruler of the principality of Gorkha, Prithvi Narayan Shah, using the internecine feuds of the rulers of the Kathmandu Valley, managed to capture it. The Gurkha army conquered territory extending far beyond the borders of modern Nepal. However, its invasion of Tibet was stopped by Tibetan and Chinese troops in 1792, and its advance to the south by the armed forces of the British East India Company in 1816. Under the Treaty of Segauli, Nepal was forced to cede to the British its western lands, the Terai region and part of Sikkim, which the Nepalese took possession earlier. The agreement also provided for the permanent residence of the English resident in Kathmandu.

Rule of the Rana family

First half of the 19th century was marked by rivalry between the leading feudal families. The culmination was the rise of the Rana family in the 1840s, whose powerful representative, Jang Bahadur Rana, who had the support of the army, was declared prime minister. Under him, Nepalese troops made a successful foray into Tibet, which, according to the agreement of 1854, agreed to pay an annual tribute to Nepal. In 1857–1858, Jang Bahadur led the Nepalese military contingent that took part in suppressing the sepoy uprising in India. As a reward, part of the territories lost in 1816, including the Terai region, was returned to Nepal. Under Jang Bahadur, the king transferred to him all rights to govern the state and granted him the title of Maharaja. Jang Bahadur also managed to make the post of prime minister hereditary, and the elders of the Rana family subsequently occupied it for almost a hundred years, turning the king into a purely figurehead. The Rana deliberately sought to isolate Nepal from the rest of the world, but strengthened relations with the British authorities in India and the Dalai Lama in Tibet.

Nepal in the first half of the 20th century. Nepal supported the British during the First World War. Under the terms of an agreement concluded in 1923, the British government recognized Nepal as an independent state.

During the reign (1901–1929) of Chandra Shamsher, opposition to the Rana regime began to form. In the beginning these were the weekly newspapers Tarun Gorkha (Young Gurkhas) and Gorkha Samsar (World of the Gurkhas). In 1916, the weekly Gorkhali was founded in Banaras (India), which until its ban in 1922 campaigned for the overthrow of the Rana regime. The result of this struggle was the abolition of slavery in Nepal on November 28, 1924. Among Nepalese emigrants in India, and then in Nepal itself, the first Nepalese political parties were formed - “Prachanda Gorkha” (Gurkha League, 1931) and “Nepal Praja Parishad” (Nepal People's Council, 1936). The Janata (People) magazine was published in Bihar, advocating a multi-caste, democratic government and the overthrow of the Rana regime. In 1937, a religious discussion society, Nagrik Adhikar Samiti (Civil Rights Committee), arose in Kathmandu, which was soon banned by the authorities. All these organizations, which called for the establishment of a constitutional monarchy and respect for the rule of law, were destroyed, hundreds of their members were persecuted, and the surviving members fled again to the territory of neighboring India, where they continued their activities.

Opposition to the Rana family's rule grew in the 1940s as the democratic movement in independent India began to affect Nepal. In 1947, the Nepal National Congress (NNC) party was founded in Calcutta, advocating the overthrow of the Rana regime and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Nepal. The strike in Biratnagar organized by the Congressists in the spring of 1947 and the satyagraha (civil disobedience campaign) forced the government of Padma Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana to make concessions. On May 16, 1947, a number of upcoming reforms were announced, incl. adoption of a constitution, creation of an independent judiciary, holding elections to municipal and district committees, etc. Promulgated in January 1948, the draft constitution provided for a bicameral parliament, an independent Supreme Court and an executive branch of government represented by a prime minister, who was to be assisted by a five-member Council of Ministers. The constitution preserved almost all the powers of the executive branch of government, including the role of the Rana family in governing the country. However, after the resignation of Padma Shamsher in April 1948, all hopes for a constitution were dispelled by Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, who took over as prime minister.

In the late 1940s, the hereditary Rana regime came under increasing criticism, especially from its opponents based in India. In August 1948, representatives of the progressive wing of the Rana aristocracy united into the Nepal Democratic Congress (NDC), which called for the overthrow of the Rana regime by any means, including an armed uprising. In January 1949 and January 1950, the NDC tried to organize a coup, but both times failed. In March 1950, the NNC and the NDC united into the Nepali Congress (NC) party, which decided to launch an armed struggle against the Rana regime. In September 1950, detachments of the Liberation Army began to concentrate in the regions of India bordering Nepal.

In area foreign policy The government of Mohan Shamsher managed to strengthen Nepal's position as an independent state. According to the Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed between India and Nepal in July 1950, the complete independence and sovereignty of Nepal was declared. A similar treaty of permanent peace and friendship was concluded in October 1950 between Nepal and England.

Revolution of 1950

The political reform movement, which was supported by the Indian government and led by the NC party, found an influential ally in King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah Dev (on the throne 1911–1955), who, like his predecessors, had purely nominal powers. On November 6, 1950, the king, along with part of his family, left the palace, first taking refuge in the Indian Embassy, ​​and then moving to its territory. Maharaja Mohan Shumsher Rana demanded the extradition of the king, but having been refused, on November 7, 1950, he enthroned Tribhuvan’s three-year-old grandson, Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva. The international community, especially Britain and India, refused to recognize the new monarch. In Nepal itself, the removal of the king caused widespread outrage. Mass demonstrations began in the Kathmandu Valley demanding the return of the king. In less than a month, rebels from the Liberation Army occupied most the Terai region and penetrated into the mountainous regions in the west and east, where military operations were difficult. In the town of Birgunj, bordering India, a Provisional Government was formed. Part of the government troops went over to the side of the congressist units.

Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru refused to accept the removal of King Tribhuvana and demanded the reorganization of the Nepalese government in accordance with democratic principles, as well as elections to a constituent assembly. Negotiations between the Indian government and the Rana began on December 24, 1950 in Delhi. Two weeks later, both sides accepted India's proposed settlement plan. The Rana government agreed to recognize the king as head of state. It guaranteed the freedom of activity of political parties, promised an amnesty for all political prisoners and the holding of general elections to the legislative assembly no later than 1952. In addition, it was supposed to reorganize the cabinet of ministers, retaining half the seats for the Rana family, including the prime minister. A few days later the king accepted these proposals. The fighting was stopped.

Constitution of 1951. Returning to Kathmandu on February 18, 1951, King Tribhuvan announced the abolition of the institution of hereditary prime ministers and the creation of a coalition government. Further negotiations between the Rana, the king and the Nepalese Congress led to the formation of an interim government with the participation of five members of the Rana family and five members of the Nepalese Congress. The cabinet was again headed by Mohan Shamsher. The Interim Constitution of Nepal, promulgated by the king on April 10, 1951, established a constitutional monarchy. The head of state was declared to be the king, who received limited powers in the areas of executive and legislative power. The Constitution abolished the privileges enjoyed by the Rana family, proclaimed the equality of citizens before the law, the independence of the judiciary, and declared civil rights and freedom (the right to create political parties and organizations, universal suffrage, freedom of conscience, etc.).

The coalition government planned to introduce some socio-economic reforms, including measures to eliminate the birta system (tax-free land held by the Rana) and develop infrastructure. However, the main problem became the issue of security. Despite the adoption of the ceasefire law, many congressional units refused to lay down their arms and continued to fight. At the same time, Rana supporters became more active, openly calling for the overthrow of the coalition government and the restoration of Rana power. The issuance of the public safety law only led to more violence and repression against the democratic movement. Under these conditions, various public groups, including the Communist Party and the Praja Parishad, formed the People's National United Front, which led to protest demonstrations against police repression in cities. The police shooting of a student demonstration in Kathmandu (November 7, 1951), which left one student dead and several others wounded, caused political crisis and the fall of the government. As a sign of protest, on November 10, the congressmen left it, which allowed the king to independently appoint the composition of the government for the first time since the 19th century. On November 16, the cabinet was headed by Matrika Prasad Koirala, Chairman of the NC. The Rana family was removed from the helm of power, and the king became a full-fledged monarch.

The government of M.P. Koirala should have prepared the necessary conditions for elections to the constitutional assembly. However, a split soon developed in the Nepali Congress. At the end of July 1952, the head of the cabinet, M.P. Koirala, was released from the post of chairman of the NK party, and then expelled from its ranks. Taking advantage of these circumstances, Tribhuvan dissolved the government on August 10, 1952 and introduced a regime of direct rule in the country. An advisory council of five people was created as an advisory body. In September 1952, the king published an act on the right to suspend the provisions of the provisional constitution and exercise direct rule. In May 1953, the king again ordered the formation of the government of M.P. Koirala, who became the head of the National People's Party. Disagreeing with this, the League of Democrats formed by the Nepali Congress, the Nepalese National Congress and the Nepal Prada Parishad demanded that the Koirala government be replaced by a coalition government. At the beginning of 1954, the king again promised to convene a deliberative assembly. On February 14, 1954, the royal proclamation on constitutional changes was promulgated, expanding the executive functions of the king. The king's decree prohibited rallies and demonstrations.

Nepal under King Mahendra

After the death of King Tribhuvan on March 13, 1955, his son Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva ascended the throne. Under him, the direct rule of the king was restored. Deterioration of the economic situation in the country, food riots in western regions forced the monarch to make some concessions to the opposition, which demanded the abolition of direct rule, the holding of general elections and the creation of a coalition government. In August 1955, the king announced that elections to the legislative assembly would be held in October 1957. Negotiations with the opposition that lasted several months ended with the formation of the government of T.P. Acharya (Praja Parishad) on January 27, 1956. Over the next two years, several more governments changed.

In the field of foreign policy, Nepal has developed relations with neighboring countries. The 1956 agreement with China recognized Chinese sovereignty over Tibet. Nepal officially renounced the tribute Tibet was paying to Nepal; all Nepalese troops left Tibet in 1957. The China-Nepal border agreement (1961) established Nepal's border in the Himalayas.

Under pressure from a large-scale civil disobedience campaign launched in December 1957, the king finally declared the exact date upcoming parliamentary elections. In February 1959, a constitution was promulgated, democratic in form, which, however, retained all the basic privileges of the head of state, incl. the right to repeal the constitution and dissolve parliament. According to the constitution, the upper house of parliament consisted of 32 people, half of whom were elected and the other half appointed by the king. Elections to the lower house were to be held on the basis of universal suffrage. On February 18, 1959, the first elections to the newly formed National Assembly took place; 11 parties nominated their candidates. The Nepali Congress Party won the majority of parliamentary seats. On May 27, 1959, the NK government was sworn in, headed by Prime Minister B.P. Koirala. After months of silence, King Mahendra again went on the offensive, increasingly criticizing the government's moves. The Koirala cabinet managed to deliver on some of its major promises. In October 1959, the Birta possessions and the autonomy of the principalities in the western regions of the country were finally abolished. In 1960, the government revised the trade and transit agreement with India. Were installed diplomatic relations with the USA, USSR, China, France and Pakistan. In 1960, a treaty of peace and friendship with China was signed. IN economic field The actions of the new government were again ineffective. Feudal lords resisted reforms in agriculture. Instead of abolishing privileged land ownership, additional taxes were introduced in September 1960, hitting primarily the peasants. In some areas, a spontaneous movement has developed against the removal of tenants from their land. In October 1960, bloody clashes occurred in the Gorkha and West 1 districts.

Panchayat system

At the end of 1960, Mahendra expressed his dissatisfaction with the political and economic activity government. Declaring that the regime was corrupt and ineffective, King Mahendra dissolved parliament and government on December 15, 1960, assuming full legislative and executive powers. All members of the previous government, including B.P. Koirala were arrested. Soon, on January 5, 1961, a decree was issued banning the activities of all political parties and organizations. The authorities announced the dissolution of various parties and trade unions. Instead of the banned parties, the so-called parties operating under the control of the government were formed. “class organizations” – peasant, workers, youth, women’s, former military personnel, children’s. The parliament was replaced by a system of local government bodies - panchayats (councils). The Nepalese Congress tried to forcefully restore the previous state of affairs, but many of its leaders were imprisoned and most had to flee to India. There they began to reorganize party structures, drawing on the large communities of ethnic Nepalese in the states of West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Constitution 1962

Considering the parliamentary system as inappropriate to Nepalese conditions, the king announced a new constitution on December 15, 1962. According to the provisions of the 1962 constitution, all power in the state - executive, legislative and judicial - belonged to and emanated from the king; the king was the chairman of the Council of Ministers and could appoint members of the cabinet at his discretion. The Constitution also established the panchayat system of government (panchayat is the name for self-government bodies in South Asian countries). In accordance with the Basic Law, a multi-level panchayat system was created in the country, which included village, city, district and zonal panchayats. The constitution did not establish their rights and responsibilities. In place of the dissolved parliament, a National Panchayat was created, some of whose deputies were elected by members of lower panchayats, and some were appointed by Mahendra himself. No bill or amendment to it could acquire the force of law without the approval of the king, just as bills could not be discussed at a session of the National Panchayat without the prior sanction of the king.

In the 1960s, King Mahendra put forward several social and economic transformation, strengthened the independence of local governments and amnestied political prisoners in 1968. However, the activities of political parties were prohibited, and all decisions were made in an authoritarian manner. A new set of laws adopted in 1963 eliminated the most odious feudal remnants in the region social relations(prohibited various labor obligations and unpaid forced labor, early marriages, abolished caste restrictions, unified structures and management systems). The Agrarian Reform Law of 1963 and subsequent acts were aimed at eliminating large landownership. However, the agrarian reform undertaken in the mid-1960s in practice covered a very small part of the territories. All this did not contribute to the popularity of the panchayat system among the population of the country. In 1971, the Nepal Communist Party raised peasant revolt in the Japa district.

Nepal under Birendra

Mahendra died in 1972, and the throne was inherited by his eldest son Bir Bikram Birendra, who was formally crowned in 1975. He initially took measures to democratize the government of the country, but without any noticeable redistribution of power. The slowdown in development, growing corruption among officials and rising prices again led to popular unrest. Under pressure from student protests and urban street demonstrations that occurred in 1979, Birendra called a referendum in 1980 on the future of the panchayat system. According to official data, 55% of the electorate were in favor of maintaining it, 45% were against it, but in reality the vote ratio was almost equal. The king restored parliament, but did not allow the activities of political parties. The king reserved the right to directly appoint 20% of the legislative body; all candidates had to be members of one of six government-approved organizations, and after election they must speak on their own behalf, and not on behalf of any organization. Elections, according to the new conditions, were held in 1981 and 1986. The largest opposition party, the Nepali Congress, boycotted these elections. In 1985, the NK Party launched a civil disobedience campaign to restore the multi-party system.

Restoring democracy

After almost a decade of relative stability, the socio-economic situation of the population deteriorated sharply in the late 1980s, caused by the deterioration of Nepal-India relations. In February 1990, the Nepali Congress and the United Left Front launched a political campaign against the panchayat system, drawing on the support of the people of the Kathmandu Valley and many localities in the Terai and Lesser Himalayas. Despite the ban on the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy, which united the main parties, protest demonstrations continued for two months. On April 1, after months of bloody clashes, during which about 500 people died and thousands were arrested, King Birendra agreed to the creation of a new government, the head of which was appointed four days later by the moderate monarchist L.B. Chand. However, the opposition demanded radical reforms and changes to the system.

On April 6, the bloodiest clashes took place in front of the royal palace, in which between 200 and 300 people died. On the evening of April 8, 1990, King Birendra announced the lifting of the ban on the activities of political parties. Eight days later, on April 16, under pressure from opposition parties and ongoing popular protests, the king dissolved the National Panchayat and renounced his right to unlimited power. On April 19, an interim government was formed headed by the chairman of the Nepalese Congress (NC) K. P. Bhattarai, which also included representatives of the NC, NLF and human rights organizations. Two members of the cabinet were named by the king. The transitional government promised to develop a new constitution and hold general, free parliamentary elections within a year.

In June 1990, India ended its 15-month conflict with Nepal, which resulted in the closure of 13 of 15 border crossing posts. In November 1990, a new constitution was approved, which provided for the limitation of the power of the monarch, the establishment of parliamentary democracy, the accountability of the government to parliament and respect for human rights.

In the parliamentary elections held on May 12, 1991, the center-left Nepali Congress party won. She received 37.7% of the vote and 110 of the 205 seats in the House of Representatives. The elections demonstrated a significant increase in the influence of the communists, who became the second most important political force in the country. The Nepal Communist Party (United Marxist-Leninist) received 28% of the vote and 69 seats. In total, 36.5% of the votes were cast for the left parties, which allowed them to win 82 seats. Two factions of the conservative National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Goodwill Party (FDP) were also represented in parliament. All the other 12 parties that took part in the elections failed to enter parliament.

As a result of the 1991 elections, the cabinet of ministers was formed from members of the NC, headed by G.P. Koirala. Liberal reforms in the economy, rising prices for basic food products, and the unresolved agrarian problem caused serious discontent among broad sections of the population and disappointment with government policies. In April 1992, a general strike resulted in street clashes between protesters and police, resulting in many deaths.

The disagreements that arose in 1994 between Prime Minister G.P. Koirala and NC leader G.M.S. Shreshtha led to a split in the ranks of NC and made the government ineffective. In July 1994, Koirala resigned, after which parliament was dissolved. As a result of the general elections held on November 15, 1994, no party received a majority sufficient to form a government. As a result, a minority government was formed, headed by Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leader Man Mohan Adhikari. It lasted from December 1994 to September 1995, when it was subject to a vote of no confidence. Sher Bahadur Deuba, one of the leaders of the NK, was appointed as the new prime minister, who formed a coalition government consisting of the NK, PDP and PDV.

Maoist uprising

In 1992, an anti-landowner peasant movement began in a number of regions of the country, the suppression of which caused an even greater alienation of the peasantry from the official government. The Maoists began their armed struggle in the winter of 1995. On February 4, 1996, the leader of the United People's Front, Baburam Bhattarai, presented a list of “40 demands” to Prime Minister Sh. B. Deub, proposing a meeting before February 17. The memorandum included 40 demands, among which were: the abolition of the monarchy, the announcement of a new constitution and the creation People's Republic Nepal, abolition of royal privileges, abolition of peace and friendship agreements with India (1950) and the Mahakal agreement on the distribution of water and electricity. But four days before the appointed date, the Maoists, without waiting for a response, attacked police stations in Rukum, Rolpa, Gorkha and Sindhuli, declaring the start of a “people's war”.

At first, the war was limited to small clashes between the Maoists and the police, demonstrations, attacks on banks, village development committees, local landowners and politicians. As Maoist influence continued to spread, the police took action in October 1997 special operation, but the situation improved only temporarily. There was no increase in police forces great effect. On the contrary, the actions of the police, who, according to human rights organizations, practiced extrajudicial executions, kidnappings, torture and arbitrary arrests, only led to the expansion of the zone of uprising. Reports of human rights violations increased sharply after the government undertook increased mobilization in various areas of western and central Nepal in May 1998. Between May 28 and November 7, 1998, 1,659 people were arrested as suspected rebel supporters. Half of them were later released. As it turned out, among those detained were not only supporters of the rebels, but also active members of leading parliamentary parties. During the same period, 227 people were killed as “terrorists” during police actions. Some are believed to have been summarily executed after arrest. By mid-1999, the number of victims of the “people's war” reached 900 people. During the same period, 4,884 people were detained on suspicion of membership in Maoist organizations, of whom 3,338 were later released and the rest were charged.

In the second half of the 1990s, coalition governments replaced each other with incredible speed. In March 1997, a government consisting of the PDP (Chanda), NC, CPN (UML) and the NSP came to power and lasted only a few months. In October 1997, Surya Bahadur Thapa, leader of another faction of the PDP, was sworn in as prime minister. In August 1998, the cabinet of ministers was again headed by G.P. Koirala. Along with representatives of the NK, it also included communists from the CPN (UML) and the breakaway CPN (ML). This coalition collapsed after the ministers from the CPN (ML) resigned on December 10, 1998. In the same month, the king appointed a new coalition government of congressists and communists led by G. P. Koirala.

Nepal at the beginning of the 21st century

After the parliamentary elections in May 1999, in which the Nepali Congress Party won (113 out of 205 seats), a majority government was formed on May 31. New Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, the old NK leader, promised to normalize Nepalese relations with China and India, and work on a solution internal problems– the fight against poverty, illiteracy and unemployment. However, the government proved unable to fulfill its election promises. On March 17, 2000, KP Bhattarai resigned after a majority of parliamentarians from the ruling NC passed a vote of no confidence in him. G.P. Koirala became Prime Minister, holding this post for the fourth time.

The general strike called by the Maoists in April 2001 paralyzed life throughout almost the entire country; In Kathmandu, police arrested a number of anti-government demonstrators, including some opposition leaders.

Against the backdrop of worsening political situation On June 1, 2001, Crown Prince Dipendra executed almost the entire royal family, including his father, King Birendra, mother, Queen Aishwarya, and eight other family members. After that, he shot himself and died two days later without regaining consciousness. It is believed that the incident was the result of a family quarrel, which was caused by the disagreement of the royal family with the choice of the future bride of the crown prince. Despite everything that happened, Dipendra was crowned while in a coma. One of the few surviving family members, Prince Gyanendra, Birendra's younger brother, was appointed regent under him; On June 4, after Dipendra's death, Gyanendra succeeded to the throne. In October of that year, Gyanendra announced his son, Prince Paras, as the new crown prince.

The death of the royal family sparked rumors of a palace coup. For several days, unrest continued in the country, leading to the death of several people and many wounded. Under these conditions, the Maoists called on June 11 for the formation of an interim government, which should “... play historical role in establishing a republican system." On June 29, 2001, B. Bhattarai announced the birth of the so-called. "People's Republic of Nepal". At the same time, the Maoists intensified their activities in and around the capital. At the end of June and beginning of July 2001, several bombs were exploded in the center of Kathmandu, incl. near the official residence of G.P. Koirala - the first attack of this kind since the declaration of the “people's war”. Although no one was injured from the explosions, they caused panic.

In July 2001, after allegations of corruption, G. P. Koirala resigned. The Congressman Sh.B. Deuba became Prime Minister, who announced the beginning of some reforms, including land reforms, and presented plans to overcome the caste system and discrimination against Dalits (“untouchables”).

On July 23, 2001, the Maoists agreed to a truce proposed by the new government. On August 30, 2001, the first round of peace negotiations took place, accompanied by an exchange of prisoners. At the beginning of September 2001, an alliance of 10 left-wing political parties came up with a proposal to create a single government of all political forces, including rebels, and constitutional changes. Negotiations continued until November, but were unsuccessful. On November 21, 2001, the Maoists refused to continue the dialogue, saying that the government did not agree with their main demand - the adoption of a new constitution and the convening of a Constituent Assembly. On November 23, 2001, the rebels announced the formation of the United People's Revolutionary Council, a parallel Maoist government of the People's Republic of Nepal. Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the CPN (Maoist) and Chairman of the United People's Front B. Bhattarai was appointed its head. At the same time, they announced an end to the four-month truce that had been declared on July 23, 2001, and launched a coordinated offensive across the country on the night of November 23. Most heavy fighting unfolded in three western districts of the country (Rolpa, Rukum, Karnali) and northeast of Kathmandu. By November 26, the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) controlled almost half of Nepal's territory.

In the face of a severe crisis, King Gyanendra, at the request of the government, declared a state of emergency approved by parliament from November 27, 2001 throughout Nepal. Many civil liberties were suspended, restrictions on movement and censorship of the press were introduced. Unauthorized meetings were completely prohibited. The Maoists themselves were declared a terrorist organization. On the recommendation of the National Defense Council, it was decided to use the regular army to fight the partisans (previously, only police units and civil self-defense units were used for these purposes). The government declared the Maoists and their supporting organizations terrorist. The Ministry of Defense appealed to the population to “help the army in the fight against terrorists.”

Heavy fighting continued throughout next year. On February 17, 2002, the rebels launched their largest offensive against government forces in the western district of Achham, during which between 130 and 150 military, police and local government officials were killed. On February 21, parliament extended the state of emergency for another three months. In April and May 2002, the insurgents intensified their campaign in western Nepal.

In May, Sh.B. Deuba proposed for parliamentary consideration the issue of extending the state of emergency. The majority of parliamentarians intended to vote against this proposal, arguing that the state of emergency was ineffective from the point of view of suppressing the terrorist activities of the Maoists, with whom it was necessary not to fight, but to negotiate. On May 22, 2002, King Gyanendra, on the recommendation of Prime Minister S.B. Deuba, dissolved the lower house of parliament and called early parliamentary elections for November 13, 2002 (the legality of these steps was confirmed Supreme Court Nepal). The work of the National Assembly, which is not subject to dissolution, was declared a “break” by decree of the king. In response to the dissolution of parliament, the Nepalese Congress expelled Sh.B. Deuba from the party and demanded the resignation of the cabinet.

Meanwhile, the Maoist insurgency grew. The rebels established control over a large part of Nepal, incl. over the districts of Achkham, Dang, Syangja, Surkhet, Rukum, Kalikot, Jajarkot, Rolpa, Salyan and Gorkha. At the end of September, Prime Minister S.B. Deuba recommended to the king to postpone the elections by one year in connection with military operations against the rebels. Instead, on October 4, 2002, King Gyanendra removed Deuba from his post as prime minister and announced the dissolution of the cabinet for “failure to hold elections as scheduled.” Until the appointment of a new head of government, Gyanendra temporarily declared a regime of direct rule, concentrating all functions of the executive power in his hands. He approved the decision to postpone the elections indefinitely. This step caused open discontent of all parties, who regarded it as a constitutional coup. On October 11, 2002, King Gyanendra appointed a new cabinet headed by L.B. Chand, one of the leaders of the NDP. The transitional government, which included only representatives of dissident factions of major parties and a number of technocrats, was given only two tasks: to resolve the Maoist issue and prepare new elections. Political situation Things became tense in the country when the king reintroduced direct rule in December 2002, thereby causing new protests and accusations of exceeding his constitutional powers.

Against the backdrop of political instability, the government made some progress in negotiations with the Maoists. On January 29, 2003, a new truce was announced. By this point, approximately 7,000 military, civilians and rebels had been killed in the conflict. In April and May 2003, two rounds of peace negotiations took place between the government of L.B. Chand and the rebels. As a result of street protests on May 30, 2003, the government of L.B. Chand resigned. CPN (UML) General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has been proposed as a candidate for the post of head of the cabinet by the major political parties. However, hopes of a compromise with the opposition were dashed when, on June 4, King Gyanendra commissioned the formation of a cabinet by S.B. Thapa, a prominent PDP figure, is in office for the fourth time since 1996. Thapa has also failed to attract other parties to his government; therefore, only seven members remained in the Council of Ministers (since March 2004 - 8 members), mostly well-known conservative politicians from the non-party panchayat system abolished in 1990. In August 2003, the government of S.B. Thapa held the third round of negotiations with the Maoists. On August 24, the Maoists threatened to break the truce unless the government agreed to include their participation in the war within 48 hours. Constituent Assembly. On August 27, 2003, the Maoists unilaterally interrupted the negotiations, announcing the end of the truce, and resumed fighting against the government. In September, the rebels went on a 3-day strike. At the end of 2003 - beginning of 2004, there was a new surge of violence, clashes between students and police. In April 2004, thousands of people demonstrated in Kathmandu, organized by the Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML). The protesters demanded to hold parliamentary elections in the near future and transfer power to a coalition government. As a result, the monarch promised to hold elections in 2005.

The documented history of the country begins with the arrival of Mongoloid tribes into Nepal from the east. Kirats. Back in the 7th century BC, the Kirats founded their dynasty and ruled for about a thousand years. large territory, which included the Kathmandu Valley. According to legend, during this period there were 27 kings of the dynasty. It was under the Kirats that Buddhism began to spread throughout Nepal. During their reign in the 3rd century BC. Emperor Ashoka of India visited Lumbini, where he installed a column at the birthplace of Buddha and, according to legend, he or his daughter visited the Kathmandu Valley at the same time. The rule of the Kirats lasted until the end of the 3rd century AD. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the name of the first Kirat ruler Yalambara is mentioned in the great Indian epic Mahabharata, very little is known about this period of Nepal's history. It is believed that one of the oldest peoples of Nepal - the Rai and Limbu, living in the mountains and foothills of the eastern regions of the country, are direct descendants of the Kirats. Descendants of the Kirats speak languages ​​of the Tibetan-Burman group and, as a rule, profess Hinduism. A large number of Limbu and Raev serves in the Nepal Police and Army. Representatives of these nationalities formed the backbone of the well-known military units of the Gurkhas.

Since the end of the 3rd century, migration of Indo-Aryan peoples from India to Nepal has intensified, which led to the strengthening of the position of Hinduism, the political and social dominance of representatives of new migration flows over the indigenous Newar population and, as a result, to the transfer of power to the Hindu Lichchhavi dynasty. From this time on, Hinduism gradually became the main religion and society was restructured according to Hindu ideology, including the adoption of the caste system.

The beginning of the reign of the Lichchhavi dynasty was characterized by the establishment of close ties with India and with the Gupta dynasty ruling during this period. Emperor Samudragupta of India (335-380), for example, in the famous "Allahabad inscription" called the Nepalese king his vassal. There is much evidence of the influence of Indian culture from the Gupta dynasty on the culture of Nepal, for example, sculptures of the Changu Narayan Temple. The temple is also famous for the first surviving inscription of the Lichchhavi dynasty king Mahadev (465-506).

In 602, the Nepalese throne passed to a representative of the Hindu clan of Thakurs. One of its rulers, Amsuvarma, married the daughter of the Lichchha king Shivadeva. This period is characterized by the development of relations with the rapidly expanding Tibetan empire. Amsuvarma's daughter Princess Bhrikuti (Bribtsun) became the wife of the Emperor of Tibet Srontsangambo (618-650). According to legend, she was one of the founders of Buddhism in Tibet and, according to the beliefs of Tibetan Buddhists, the incarnation of the goddess Tara (Green Tara). She is often depicted in traditional Tibetan religious paintings tanks.

In 1200, the Thakuras were replaced by the Malla dynasty. The time of her reign (1200-1769) is considered the heyday of the Nepalese feudal state. The Hindu Malla kings were traditionally worshipers of the god Shiva, although they were considered an incarnation of the god Vishnu. They showed tolerance towards Buddhism, which contributed to the development of Buddhist culture in Nepal. In the second half of the 13th - first half of the 14th centuries, numerous temple, religious and palace buildings were built in the main cities of the valley - Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, which have survived to this day.

In the 15th century, the Nepalese feudal state broke up into numerous independent small principalities (46 in total are known). There are four centers in the Kathmandu Valley - Kantipur (Kathmandu), Bhaktapur, Lalitpur (Patan) and Banepa. The Malla kings made attempts to unite the leading principalities, but to create a stable public education they never succeeded. Gradually, the mountain principality of Gorkha (Western Nepal) began to play an increasingly prominent role, whose rulers, belonging to the top of the Nepalese kshatriyas - the Thakurs, according to legend, descended from the Indian Rajput rajahs and received the title Shah from representatives of the Mughal dynasty (1526-1858). .). An important role in expanding the influence of the principality belongs to Rama Shah (1606-1632), by the end of whose reign the principality of Gorkha occupied an area of ​​one thousand square kilometers. By 1769, his descendant Prithvi Narayan Shah (1742-1775) conquered the Kathmandu Valley, moved his capital to Kathmandu and actually founded a new royal dynasty of Nepal. Subsequent kings of the dynasty continued the struggle to expand the territory and carried out a number of aggressive campaigns, including the invasion of Tibet in 1788, which ended, however, after the intervention Chinese army, defeat of the Nepalese troops.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the powerful British East India Company began to interfere increasingly in the internal affairs of Nepal, seeking to establish control over trade routes from India to Tibet and China. Having started a new wave of colonial conquests after the defeat of Napoleon in Europe, on November 1, 1814, she declared war on Nepal, which, despite the courageous resistance of the Nepalese, ended in 1816 with the signing of the unequal Treaty of Segauli. The agreement provided for the presence of an English resident in the country, a significant limitation of Nepal’s foreign policy independence and large territorial concessions in favor of the East India Campaign, which included such Nepalese territories as Sikkim, Dehradun, Simla (now Indian territory). At the same time, despite these concessions, Nepal managed to maintain state independence and avoid tribute. Bravery Nepalese soldiers made such a strong impression on the British that after the end of the war, England began to attract units of the Gurkhas (the collective name for the mountain tribes of the Rai, Limbu, Gurungs, etc.) into the British Indian Army, and later into the British Army. As part of the British military contingent, Nepalese units participated in World Wars I and II (100 and 180 thousand soldiers, respectively), losing more than 30 thousand people killed on various fronts. Several units are still part of the British Armed Forces under contract.

In 1846, through palace intrigues, power in the country actually passed to the Rana family, led by Jang Bahadur Rana (1846-1877), who appropriated the title of “Prime Minister” and later “Maharaja” and took all executive power in the country into its own hands. The royal dynasty of the Shahs practically turned into powerless hostages of the Rana clan of prime ministers. The Rana reign lasted more than a hundred years until King Tribhuvan, the grandfather of the recently reigning King Birendra of Nepal, restored the full rights of his royal dynasty in 1951 with the support of India.

In 1958, King Tribhuvan's son, King Mahendra approved the first Constitution, which introduced a parliamentary system. However, this constitution was soon abolished. The 1962 Constitution established the government of the country on the basis of traditional Hindu social principles of the "panchayat" and with a cabinet appointed by the king, headed by the prime minister. King Mahendra paid official visits to the Soviet Union twice, in 1958 and 1971. In 1972, the Nepalese throne was inherited by the son of King Mahendra, Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, who carried out a number of democratic reforms, including lifting the ban on the activities of political parties and the adoption of a new constitution that restored the parliamentary system.

After the tragic death of King Birendra and his family members on June 1, 2001, his son Dipendra was proclaimed king, but died on June 3, unconscious after being injured in the same palace incident. After this, on June 4, 2001, the king's younger brother Gyanendra was crowned.

King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev of Nepal was born in July 1947 at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace in Kathmandu. He is the second son of King Mahendra and Princess Indra Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah. In accordance with tradition, Gyanendra's coronation took place in the old royal palace located at Darbar Square in the historical center of Kathmandu.