Why Nepal ?
Nepal nestles in the Himalayan mountains, between India and China. It has a population of 30 million, and its territory has 8 of the 14 mountains on the planet above 8000 meters. 85% of its people live in the countryside or the mountains. 50% of the population is illiterate. It is one of the poorest countries in the world and the poorest in Asia.
More than 50% of the population lives below the poverty line (less than 1 euro per day, or 1.25 USD).
This former kingdom has been through a Maoist guerilla war which, beginning in the early 2000s, grew significantly. The army had difficulty controlling the guerrillas due to the mountainous terrain.
This guerilla war finished in 2006 with the abdication of the king and the creation of a Democratic Republic. Since then, elections have taken place in 2008 to a Constituent Assembly charged with writing a new constitution. As of today, despite fresh elections in 2013, this new constitution had still not been agreed.
The country emerged from these years of guerrilla war fare exhausted both socially and economically. People have migrated into the big towns and in particular Kathmandu, which has seen its population double in 15 years (4million inhabitants) to the detriment of rural villages and the mountains which remain relatively neglected in terms of education and the economy.