1.2 Major Natural Resources of Nepal

🌄 1.2 MAJOR NATURAL RESOURCES OF NEPAL 📋

Nepal is a small country but it is rich in Natural Resources 🎁. These natural resources are the gifts of nature.

Some of the important natural resources of Nepal are: Forest 🌳, Water 💧, Soil or Land 🌱.

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📍 1.2.1 LAND 🗺️

Land is one of the important natural resources of Nepal. The recent data (Department of Survey, GoN) shows that:

LAND STATISTICS	VALUE	PERCENTAGE
Total Arable Land	41,275.54 km²	27.89% of total land
Remaining Land	106,669.46 km²	72.11% of total land

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🏛️ LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN NEPAL 📜

1. RAIKAR LAND 🏢

• Denotes land owned by the government

• Person using it is liable to pay tax

• Most common land tenure system

2. BIRTA LAND 🎖️

• Definition: Land provided to government employee for bravery or to a person proven good in state administration as 'subsistence'

• Historical Types:

  • Kush Birta: Presented to Brahmins as donation

  • Fikdar Birta: To government employees for good work

  • Marwat Birta: To families of soldiers died during war

• Historical Context: Common practice during Rana regime

• Current Status: With the promulgation of Birta Abolition Act, 2016, all Birta land converted into Raikar land

3. GUTHI LAND ⛪

• Definition: Institutional land used as trust for fulfillment of specific public or common goal

• Etymology: Word 'Guthi' originates from Sanskrit 'Gosthi', meaning 'council'

• Common Guthi Types:

  • Raj Guthi

  • Duniya Guthi

  • Pilakrana Guthi

  • Bakas Guthi

• Management: As per Land Reform Act, 2021, Guthi Sansthan (Guthi Corporation) established to control and manage all Guthi types

4. KIPAT LAND 🏔️

• Location Practice: Eastern hills of Nepal

• Tax Status: Users not required to pay tax

• Historical Grant: Prithivi Narayan Shah gave Kipat land to Rais and Limbus of eastern Nepal

• Conditions:

  • Recipients supposed to support government/king as required

  • People not allowed to sell Kipat land

• Current Status: After Land Reform in 2021 B.S, Kipat lands allowed to be bought/sold as Raikar land

Source: http://www.doinepal.gov.np/

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🌱 TYPES OF SOIL 🏞️

SOIL TYPE	FOUND IN	CHARACTERISTICS	CROPS/TREES
ALLUVIAL SOIL 🌾	Terai region & basins	Most suitable for agriculture	Paddy, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, pulses/lentils
SANDY PEBBLY SOIL 🌲	Bhawar region, Inner Madhesh, Chure hill	Difficult irrigation	Teak, sissoo (mostly forested)
RED GRAY SOIL 🏔️	Steep cliffs of Mahabharat range	Formed by decomposed weeds in broken rocks	Fruits, tea, potatoes, maize, millet
LACUSTRINE SOIL 🏙️	Kathmandu Valley (dried lakes)	Also called Talaiya soil, best for agriculture	Paddy, wheat, vegetables (grow well)
GLACIAL SOIL ❄️	Foot of inner & high Himalaya	Mixture of soil, sand, pebbles, conglomerates, rocks deposited by glaciers	Buck wheat, maize, barley, potato, finger millet

Source: http://www.doinepal.gov.np/

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🌳 1.2.2 FOREST 🌿

Forest resources have important role in conserving and balancing environment. However, there has been widespread decline in forest resources in past few decades.

🌍 GLOBAL & REGIONAL COMPARISON 📊

COUNTRY	FOREST COVER (% of total area)	PER CAPITA FOREST AREA	TREES PER PERSON
World Average	31.0%	0.6 hectare	422 trees
China	22.96%	-	-
Bhutan	69.71% (Highest in South Asia)	-	-
Afghanistan	1.85% (Lowest in South Asia)	-	-
Nepal	41.69% (excluding bushes/saplings)	-	-

Source: Ministry of Forest and Environment, 2080

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📈 NEPAL'S FOREST STATUS DETAILED 🇳🇵

CATEGORY	PERCENTAGE	NOTES
Total Forest Area	45.31%	Includes 41.69% forest + 3.62% bush/sapling
By Topography
- Mid-Hill	Largest part	-
- Terai	Smallest part	-
By Province
- Koshi Province	Largest area	-
- Madhesh Province	Smallest area	-
- Far Bagmati Province	Highest % of provincial land	-
- Madhesh Province	Lowest % of provincial land	-

Source: Economic Survey, FY:2023/24

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🌲 REALMS OF FORESTS IN NEPAL 🗺️

5 Categories based on landscape & diversity:

1. Natural Vegetation

2. Sub-tropical Evergreen Forest

3. Temperate Deciduous Forest

4. Coniferous Forest

5. Alpine Grassland

6. Tundra Vegetation

Various types of climates and natural vegetation found according to altitude

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📋 TYPES OF NATURAL VEGETATION DETAILED 🌳

TYPE	ALTITUDE	LOCATION	TEMPERATURE	VEGETATION
1. SUB-TROPICAL EVERGREEN	60m - 1,200m	Terai, Bhawar, Doon, Chure hill	Up to 45°C in summer	Tall, hard evergreen trees: Sal, Sisau, Khayar, Jamun, Kusum
2. TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST	1,200m - 2,100m	Upper/central Chure hill, lower Mahabharat hill	24°C - 30°C in summer	Lower: Deciduous; Upper: Mixed deciduous & coniferous. Species: Teak, Pine, Himalayan Cedar, Golden Michelia, Chestnut, Walnut, Rhododendron, Bodhi tree
3. CONIFEROUS FOREST	2,101m - 3,350m	Upper Mahabharat hill, lower Himalayan Mountain	Summer: ~20°C, Winter: ~0°C	Cold temperate & evergreen coniferous forest
4. ALPINE FOREST	3,351m - 5,000m	Hilly & lower Himalayan region	Winter below 0°C	Open land, harsh bushes, medicinal herbs, rhododendron, pasturelands (Kharka)
5. TUNDRA VEGETATION	Above 5,000m	Above snowline	Snow-covered year-round	Cold desert vegetation: lichen, mosses, small flowering plants on steep slopes/rocks

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⛏️ 1.2.3 MINERALS 💎

Nepal is quite rich in mineral resources. Minerals are natural resources including:

EXAMPLES: Slate, stone, rock, coal, iron, copper, limestone, magnesite, mica, natural gas, marbles (made of rocks), limestone (used in cement industries - Hetauda & Udaypur cement factories)

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🗺️ PROBABLE AREAS OF MINERALS IN NEPAL 📍

MINERAL	LOCATIONS
IRON 🪨	Fulchoki, Those, Chitwan, Kulekhani, Bhaise, Pyuthan, Bajhang, Doti, Jantar, Labdhi, Pharping
COPPER 🔶	Tamakhani, Simakhani, Kulekhani, Buddhakhola, Wapsa, Barhabise, Marpha, Bandipur, Okhaldhunga, Ilamanda, Myagdi
MICA ✨	Bhojpur, Doti, Chainpur, Sindhuligadhi, Jaymire, Nibuwa Gau, Rasuwa, Bajhang, Lamjung, Gosaikunda, Sundarijal
LIMESTONE 🏔️	Chobhar, Bhaise, Dhankuta, Morang, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Palpa, Godawari, Surkhet
LEAD ⚖️	Ganesh Himal, Phulchoki, Makwanpur, Baglung, Marphu, Galkot, Tipling, Baitadi
ZINC ⚪	Ganesh Himal, Phulchoki, Majer Khola, Nampa
SULPHUR 💛	Chisapani Gadhi, Gosaikunda, Barahakshetra
KHARI 🪨	Sindhupalchok, Khotang, Bhojpur
SLATE 🪨	Bandipur, Bagmati, Lumbini, Gandaki, Janakpur
MARBLE 🏛️	Godawari, Mahabharat mountain range
OCHRE (GERU) 🟤	Sindhupalchok, Chautara
COAL ⚫	Dang, Salyan, Chautara, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Kathmandu valley
PETROLEUM 🛢️	Koilabas, Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi, Muktinath, Dailekh, Pyuthan, Dang, and more likely in wider Terai & Chure hill
GAS 💨	Wider Terai areas, Mustang area, Kathmandu valley
GOLD 🥇	Sunkoshi, Budhigandaki, Riu Khola, Kaligandaki banks, Bering, placer gold in Koshi
SILVER 🥈	Chisapanigadhi, Baglung, Phulchoki
COBALT 🔷	Palpa, Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Dhankuta
SODA 🧂	Salyan, Doti
ROCK SALT 🧂	Rasuwa, Syaphrubesi
NIWOBERUS & OTHER STONE (Rare metal) 💠	Gorkha, Dadeldhura, Jajarkot
NICKEL ⚪	Khokling, Nampa, Tungthang, Bhorle
MAGNESITE ⚪	Kharidhunga (Dolakha), Kamughat (Udayapur), Nunkhani (Mustang)

Source: http://www.doinepal.gov.np/

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💧 1.2.4 WATER RESOURCES 🌊

Water is the most important natural resource of Nepal. Nepal is second richest in water resources in world after Brazil.

🌊 RIVER SYSTEM 🏞️

MAIN RIVERS (6 Major): Mechi, Koshi, Narayani, Gandaki, Karnali, Mahakali OTHER IMPORTANT RIVERS: Kankai, Bagmati, Trishuli, Marshyangi, Seti, Rapti, Bheri TOTAL RIVERS: Over 6,000 rivers

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📊 WATER STORAGE CAPACITY 💦

RIVER SYSTEM	STORAGE CAPACITY	% OF TOTAL
Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali	1,48,000 cubic meters	74% of total
All Rivers	2,00,000 cubic meters (approx)	100%

HYDROELECTRIC POTENTIAL: Total generation capacity = 83,000 MW ⚡

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🏔️ RIVER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM 📋

CLASS	ORIGINATION	EXAMPLES
FIRST CLASS	Himalayan/Tibet	Saptakoshi, Saptagandaki, Karnali
SECOND CLASS	Mahabharat range below Himalayas	Mechi, Kankai, Troyuga, Kamala, Bagmati, Banganga, Tinau, Rapti, Babai, Mohana
THIRD CLASS	Shiwalik/Chure range	Sirsiya, Tilabe, Jamuni, Hardinath, Duduwa, Bakraha, Arjun Khola

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🏞️ PLACE OF ORIGIN OF SOME IMPORTANT RIVERS 🗺️

(Detailed origin points would be mapped here)

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🏞️ LAKES, POOLS AND PONDS 🌅

Lakes are important sources of water. Many lakes in Nepal:

LAKE	LOCATION	FEATURES
RARA LAKE	Mugu district	Largest lake, also called Mahendra Lake, Altitude: 3,200m, Size: 5km × 3.2km, Depth: 167m
PHEWA LAKE	Pokhara, Kaski	Second largest, tourist area
BEGNAS LAKE	Pokhara	Third largest in Pokhara
RUPA LAKE	Pokhara	In Pokhara valley
PHOKSUNDO LAKE	Dolpa district	Deepest lake, Local name: 'Rigmo', Altitude: 3,613m, At southern foot of Mt. Kanjirowa
TILICHO LAKE	Manang district	Highest altitude lake in world, Altitude: 4,919m, Size: 4km × 1.2km, Depth: 200m, Also called Tiri-cho/Tilijo
GOSAIN KUNDA	Rasuwa district	Religious significance
SATYAWATI LAKE	Palpa district	Historical significance
CHO-ROLPA LAKE	Dolakha district	Altitude: 4,580m

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❄️ GLACIERS 🏔️

DEFINITION: A glacier is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. Forms where accumulation of snow exceeds ablation over many years/centuries.

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📋 MAJOR GLACIERS IN NEPAL ❄️

GLACIER	LOCATION	FEATURES
KHUMBU GLACIER	Khumbu region, northeastern Nepal (between Everest & Lhotse-Nuptse ridge)	World's highest glacier, Elevation: 4,900m (terminus) to 7,600m (source), Largest glacier in Nepal

OTHER GLACIERS: Various throughout Himalayan range (comprehensive list would include all named glaciers)

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