Nepal, Bhutan & Maldives

4. Nepal : The Himalayan Kingdom

Physical Setting

• Location: A landlocked country situated between India and China (Tibet).
• Topography: Divided into three broad divisions:
  • Terai: Lowland, fertile plains in the south (bordering India).
  • Pahad (Hill Region): The central mountainous belt including the Mahabharat Range/Lesser Himalayas. Kathmandu Valley is located here.
  • Himal: The mountainous region in the north, containing 8 of the world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest (Sagarmatha).

Economic Geography

• Highly dependent on agriculture and remittances from abroad (Gurkhas, migrant workers).
• Tourism: A vital pillar of the economy, driven by mountaineering, trekking, and religious tourism (Pashupatinath, Lumbini - birthplace of Buddha).
• Hydroelectric Potential: Immense untapped potential uniquely situated on steep Himalayan rivers.

5. Bhutan : Land of the Thunder Dragon

Physical Setting

• Location: Landlocked between India and China.
• Topography: Entirely mountainous, consisting of the Greater and Lesser Himalayas. Valleys like Thimphu provide habitable areas.

Economic Geography

• Famous for prioritizing Gross National Happiness (GNH) over GDP, focusing on sustainable development, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation (the constitution mandates maintaining 60% forest cover).
• Hydroelectricity: The primary export. Bhutan generates surplus hydropower, almost all of which is exported to India, forming the backbone of its revenue.
• Agriculture: Subsistence farming is common in the valleys.

6. The Maldives : The Coral Islands

Physical Setting

• Location: An archipelago in the Indian Ocean, southwest of India and Sri Lanka.
• Topography: A long, narrow chain of atolls (ring-shaped coral reefs) and coral islands. It is the lowest country in the world, with an average ground-level elevation of just 1.5 meters.

Economic Geography

• Tourism: The absolute core of the Maldivian economy. It relies on high-end luxury resort tourism spread across its atolls.
• Fishing: The traditional and second-most important sector. Tuna is the primary catch and export.
• Vulnerability: The Maldives is on the frontline of climate change. Rising sea levels pose an existential threat to the nation.