The history of Nepal has been influenced by its isolated position in the Himalayas and its two neighbors, India and China.

Due to the arrival of disparate settler groups from outside through the ages, it is now a multiethnic, multicultural, and multilingual country. Central Nepal was split in three kingdoms from the 15th century until the 18th century, when it was unified under the Shah monarchy. The national language of Nepal is Nepali, which is also the most spoken language of Nepal.

Nepal experienced a struggle for democracy in the 20th century. During the 1990s and until 2008, the country was in civil strife. A peace treaty was signed in 2008 and elections were held in the same year.

Many of the ills of Nepal have been blamed on its royal family. In a historical vote for the election of the constituent assembly, Nepal voted to oust the monarchy in June 2008. Nepal was formally renamed the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal when it became a federal republic.