Clockwise from top: Torans seen in portals around Kathmandu, Degutaleju with Taleju in background at Kathmandu Durbar Square, Boudhanath Stupa, Bagmati river, Budhanilkantha, Singha Durbar, Swayambhunath temple at night, Pashupatinath temple

Kathmandu (Nepali: काठमाडौं [kɑʈʰmɑɳɖu]; Nepal Bhasa: येँ देय्‌) is the capital and, with almost one million inhabitants, the only metropolitan city of Nepal. The city is the urban core of the Kathmandu Valley in the Himalayas, which contains two sister cities: Lalitpur (historical Patan), 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to its south and Bhaktapur or Bhadgaon, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to its east, as well as a number of smaller towns. It is also known informally as 'KTM,' or 'the tri-city'. and it has a population density of 19,250 per km².

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathmandu
• Hillman 1000 Wonders