Nepal history closely follows the history of its giant southern neighbor-India. The history of Nepal is entwined with its two neighboring countries of India and China since time immemorial.
Nepal history begins from the Neolithic era of human history. Neolithic human habitation traces are found in the Kathmandu valley. The earliest inhabitants in the history of Nepal were probably of Tibeto-Burman descent. The ancient Hindu epic of Ramayana mentions the Nepal region in its manuscripts. Goddess Sita was supposedly born in Nepal. Historical traces of Valmik ashram were excavated in Nepal. The Aryan tribes founded the Shakya clan around 1500BC. The founder of Buddhism-Gautama Buddha belonged to one of the major Shakya clans. Nepal saw the rule of the Maurya Empire and the Gupta Empire in its history.
Modern history in Nepal started during the reign of Prithvi Narayan Shah in the 18th century. He politically unified the Himalayan country. His successors tried to conquer Tibet and Sikkim. They also fought with the British East India Company on the issue of territorial rights. The Shahs was defeated by the company and were forced to accede Sikkim and certain areas of the Terai region to the Europeans. The Rana family took over the reins of the Nepal administration in the 19th century. The Shahs are the ceremonial rulers of Nepal at present.
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