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Kathmandu Metropolitan City येँ महानगरपालिका ñē̆ dēy (ञेँ देय्) Kantipur
Flag
Coordinates: 85°20′N 27°42′E / 85.333, 27.7
Country	Nepal
Development Region	Central
Zone	Bagmati
District	Kathmandu
Established	723 [1]
Government
- CEO	Dinesh Thapaliya[1]
Area
- Total	50.67 km² (19.6 sq mi)
Population (2001)
- Total	701,962
Time zone	GMT +5:45 (UTC)
Website: http://www.kathmandu.gov.np/

Kathmandu (Nepali: काठमाडौं, काठमान्डु, Nepal Bhasa: येँ), or Kathmandu Metropolitan City (Nepal Bhasa:येँ महानगरपालिका yē̆ mahānagarapālikā, Nepali: काठमाडौं महानगरपालिका kāṭhamāḍauṁ mahānagarapālikā) is the capital and largest urban area of Nepal^[2]. It is the only metropolis in Nepal^[3]. The metropolis consists of 35 wards ^[4]. The metropolitan city is located in Kathmandu District of Bagmati zone in Central Development Region of Nepal.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Administrative divisions 3.1 Central sector 3.2 East sector 3.3 North sector 3.4 City core 3.5 West sector 4 Demographics 5 Government 6 Economy 6.1 Tourism 7 Important places 8 Sister cities 9 See also 10 Gallery 11 References

According to Swayambhu Puran, Manjushree established a city called Manjupattan after draining Nagdaha, the lake that was covered Kathmandu valley. The place where he established this city is located in ward 21 of Kathmandu called Majipa^[5]. During Kirat and early Lichhavi era, the core city area was inhabited at two separate places called Koligram and Dakkhin Koligram or Yengaal (near Manjupattan), by the sides of river Vishnumati. Licchavi king Gunakamdev created a city center between the two at the banks of river Vishnumati. The city was called Yen. Later during Malla confederacy, the core city served as the capital of the Kantipur Malla kingdom. After the unification of the nation, the city served as the captal of the Nepalese nation.

The city is located in northwestern part of Kathmandu valley. The Kathmandu Valley covers an area of 218 sq. miles. It is situated at 1336m above the sea level. Bagmati, Bishnumati, and Tukucha rivers wind through the city.

The metropolitan has been divided into 5 sectors by metropolitan authorities as follows^[6]

The central sector consists of wards 1, 5, 11, 31, 32 and 33.

The north sector consists of wards 2, 3, 4, 16, 29.

The city core consists of wards 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 12, 20, 21, 22 and 23. This is the most densely populated part of the city. This part consists of most of the historical and cultural monuments of the city.

The west sector consists of wards 13, 14 and 15.

According to 2001 census, there are 152155 houses in the metropolitan city^[7]. Kathmandu metropolitan authorities estimate the number of people living in the city to be around 700,000 people ^[8] The largest ethnic groups are Newars, Brahmins and Kshetris. The major languages are Nepali and Nepal Bhasa. The major religions are Hinduism and Buddhism.

The city is looked after by Kathmandu metropolitan office located at Bagdarbar. The city hosts Singhadarbar, the government seat of Nepal (with office of Prime Minister, Supreme Court and Senate). Most of the ministries are present in the Singha Darbar premises. The Royal Palace is located in central part of city in ward number 1.

Kathmandu houses most of the banks, business houses, offices, organizations and share market of Nepal. The busiest economic centers are New Road of Kathmandu, Ason, Putalisadak and Darbar Marg.

Kathmandu caters national, regional and international tourists. The tourists mostly visit the religious and historical centers. The largest number of foreign visitors to Kathmandu come from India who visit Pashupatinath and other holy shrines within the city. A large number of Bajrayana Buddhists visit Swayambhunath and Bauddhanath. Western tourists mostly visit Freak Street and Thamel. The Newar culture and architecture of core city attracts a lot of international tourists and non-Nepalese Newars (for rituals).

The most important landmarks of city are-

• Kathmandu Darbar Square
• Swayambhunath
• Pashupatinath
• Kasthamandap
• Narayanhiti Palace
• Bouddha

• Eugene, Oregon, USA
• Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
• Xi'an, People's Republic of China
• Yangon, Myanmar
• Minsk, Belarus
• P'yŏngyang, North Korea

• Kathmandu
• Nepal

The palace in the Kathmandu Durbar Square.	A view of Kathmandu Durbar Square from 1920. Bhairava in the background.	Same as the picture to the left but from 2007, shot for comparison.	Thanbahil stupa
Chee baha dya (Stone carving) in Kathmandu street	View over Kathmandu	A seller warming himself up in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal (pre-prohibition)	Boudnanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal
Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal	Pedicab driver in Kathmandu near Durbar Square	Two Sadhus, or Hindu Holy Men, near Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu.	Two girls seeking shadow on Bodnath Temple.