For centuries, Nepal remained divided into many principalities. Kirats ruled in the east, the Newars in the Kathmandu Valley, while Gurungs and Magars occupied the mid-west.

The Kirats ruled from 300 BC and during their reign, Emperor Ashoka arrived from India to build a pillar at Lumbini in memory of Lord Buddha. The Kirats were followed by the Lichchhavis whose descendants today are believed to be the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley. During this period, art thrived in Nepal and many of the beautiful woodcarvings and sculptures that are found in the country belong to this era. With the end of the Lichchhavi dynasty, the Malla kings came to power in 1200 AD and they also contributed tremendously to Nepal’s art and culture.

However, after almost 600 years of rule, the kings were not united amongst themselves and during the late 18th century, Prithvi Narayan Shah, King of Gorkha, conquered Kathmandu and united Nepal into one nation. Recognizing the threat of the British Raj in India, he dismissed European missionaries from the country and for more than a century, Nepal remained in isolation. During the mid-19th century, Jung Bahadur Rana became Nepal’s first Prime Minister who wielded absolute power. He set up an oligarchy and the Shah kings remained the figureheads. The Ranas were overthrown in a democratic movement of the early 1950s.

After the 21st century Jana Andolan, in a historic vote for the election of the constituent assembly, the Nepalese people voted to oust the monarchy system in Nepal and June 2008 marked the end of the Shah Dynasty (the royal family). Now, Nepal is formally known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal and the first president of Nepal, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav was sworn in on July 23, 2008.