Features

Terai

Siwaliks

Middle Mountain

High Mountain

High Himal  

Geology

Quaternary

Tertiary sandstone, siltstone, shale and conglomerates

Phyllite, quartzite limestone and islands of granites

Gneiss, quartzite and mica schists

Gneiss, schist, limestone and tethys sediments

Elevation

 60-330 m

 200 - 1,000 m

800-2,400 m. Relief 1,500 m with isolated peaks to 2,700 m

1,000-4,000 m. High relief 3,000 m from valley floor to ridges

2,000 to 5,000 m

Climate

Tropical

Tropical, subtropical

Subtropical, warm temperate (but tropical in lower river valleys; cool temperate on high ridges)

Warm to cool temperate, alpine

Alpine to arctic (snow 6-12 months)

Moisture regime

Sub-humid in FW+MWDR: humid in W+C and EDR

Sub-humid in most of the area: humid in N-aspect of W+C+EDR and Dun Valleys

Humid: per humid above 2000 m

Sub-humid to per humid

Semi arid behind himal

Rainfall intensity

High

High

Medium

Low

Low

Vegetation

Sal + mixed hardwoods

Sal + mixed hard woods + pine forest

Pine forest + mixed hardwood and oak forest

Fir, pine, birch and rhododendron

Open meadows + tundra vegetation

Soils

Ustochrepts, Haplustolls, Hapiaquepts, Haplustalfs, Ustifluvents and Ustorthents

Ustochrepts, Haplustolls, Rbodustalfs, Ustothents, Dystrochrepts, Haplaquepts and Ustifluvents

Ustochrepts, Haplustalf, Rbodustalfs, Haplumbrepts, Ustorthents and Ustifluvents

Eutrochrepts, Dystrochrepts, Cryumbrepts, Cryorthents and Ustorthents

Cryumbrepts, Cryorthents and Rock

 Crop

Rice, maize, wheat, mustard, sugarcane

Rice, maize, wheat, millet, radish, potato, ginger

Rice, maize, wheat, millet barley, pulses, sugarcane, radish, potato, ginger, cardamom

Oat, barley, wheat, potato, buckwheat, yams, amaranths, medicinal herbs

Grazing (June-September)

Horti-

culture

Mango, litchi, pineapple, jackfruit, potato, tomato

Mango, papaya, banana, potato

Mango, papaya, banana, orange, lime, lemon, peach, plum, potato, cauliflower

Chestnut, walnut, apple, peach, plum, apricot, potato

Apple, walnut, vegetable seed, potato

People

Tharus, Brahmins

Tharus (Dun Valley), presently all hill tribes displaced/

immigrated from Middle Mountains

Gurung, Magars, Tamangs, Newars, Brahmins, Chhetris, Damais, Sarkis, Sunars, Kumals, Rais, Limbus

Khas Chhetris, Tibetan related groups Thakalis, Bhotiyas, Sherpas, Tamangs, Ghales

Temporary herders, Sherpas and Bhotiyas

Industry

Match factory, jute factory, cigarettes factory, sugar factory, katha factory, saw-mills, rice and flour mills, soaps, condiment and food processing furniture, industrial estates

Sawmills, rice, flour and oil mills. Industrial estates, cotton factory, cement factory, wildlife camps

rice, flour and oil mills, cement factory, industrial estates. Cottage industry handicraft, curios, hosiery, metallurgy, furniture, plastics, hotels and lodges.

Cottage industry, carpets, blankets, hand woven cloth, trekking

Mountaineering and trekking

Transport

Good road linkages

Good road linkages within dun valleys

Road linkages around major centres

Very few road linkages

No road

linkages