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NEPAL 
NATIONAL REPROT 
FOR 
PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING 
1992-1996 
Prepared for Nepal Remote Sensing & Photogrammetric Society 
; by 
Buddhi N. Shrestha 
President NRSPS 
ABSTRACT 
The National Report of the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal outlines activities and new development in 
photogrammetry, remote sensing, GPS,GIS, digital mapping, education and research related to them 
during the period 1992-96. The involvement of various organizations is described including 
government departments, non-government organizations, private companies, consultancy services and 
end users. An attempt is made to describe on the aspect of application and facilities are mentioned. 
This report has been prepared from the collection of information written and verbal, replies and 
responses to questionnaires sent to organizations involved in photogrammetry or remote sensing or 
both, from published literature and seminar and from the author's personal knowledge of activities in 
these disciplines, as precise as possible due to page limit constraint as circulated by the ISPRS. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
The kingdom of Nepal is a landlocked mountainous country in the Himalayan region with an area of 147,181 km? . It is 
situated in between India and China(Tibet), the elevation ranging from 60 meter from MSL to 8,848 meter(Mt. Everest). The 
kingdom comprises of five physiographic regions having Tarai plain 1496, Siwalik Low Hill 1396, Middle Mountain 3094, Hi gh 
Mountain 20% and High Himal 23%. Nearly 14% of total area of the country is covered with perpetual snow and ice. Within a 
short distance there is a sharp elevation differences which causes marked changes also to the micro-climate flora and fauna as 
well. Nepal has nearly 20 million population(with 1.1 million in the Capital Kathmandu valley) with 42% literacy and per 
capita 165 US$. 
Nepal has different forms of devastating catastrophic hazard zones with its physiographic and human influence such as, Glacial 
lakes outburst flood, Landslide, soil erosion, land use changes, Earthquake due to tectonic activities underneath the Himalaya, 
Deforestation, flash flood havoc, river channel course shifting, environment pollution and degradation etc, The effect of 
catastrophes are directly or indirectly inter-connected in the whole physical, socio-economic and environmental system of the 
country. Several organizations in Nepal are applying remote sensing data and techniques for natural resources survey, 
monitoring & management and environmental impact assessment as well. 
2. DEVELOPMENT OF REMOTE SENSING 
The establishment of National Remote Sensing Center in the country through the joint co-operation between HMG Nepal and 
U.S. Aid in early nineties was a landmark in using remote sensing technology in the field of forestry, watershed management, 
agriculture, land use classification, geology, hydrology, water resources and glaciers etc. The center in fact was a focal point for 
remote sensing activities concerning natural resources monitoring and evaluation in the country and it rendered services 
providing new and better information in the form of imageries, maps and organizing training/workshops as well. The center 
was equipped with interpretation lab, photo lab, cartographic unit, reproduction section, computer wing, training and 
technology transfer unit with a number of trained and qualified multi-disciplinary staff. Sensing 
In the late nineties, the remote Sensing center (RSC) was merged with Forest Survey Division as Remote, Section. It hindered a 
little bit for the further development of remote sensing activities in some extent. A kind of setback in remote sensing 
application is felt by the present democratic government of Nepal. Realizing the fact, some arrangement is now being 
considered to revive RSC and its function upgrading the status and revitalizing the activities. It is hoped that this will help to 
expand future remote sensing activities in the kingdom, co-ordinating with other concerned agencies and organization both in 
thepublic and private sectors. Royal Nepal Academy of Science & Technology (RONAST) will play a facilitating role in 
boosting the capability and bringing technical people to work together. There is a felt need to expand the application of remote 
sensing technique for the study of water resources potentiality, snow and glacial movement, havoc of flash flood and monitoring 
of environment and pollution in the country. 
49 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B6. Vienna 1996