COMMERCE AND TOURISM

The main determinant of Nepal's commerce - its history, pattern, composition and volume - has been geography.

Ridges stretching southward from Himalayan highlands to the lowlands of the Terai have interposed lofty
deterrants to east-west trade within the country, an effect reinforced by un-bridged rivers flowing southward into India. Rugged terrain throughout the greater part of the country has been a sever obstacle to even north-southm commerce, internal and external. But the trade channedl that have exited - within the country and through a few high passes into the Tibet region of China, and across the flat 500 mile Indian frontier - are largely north to south channels
As a land-locked nation, Nepal's contacts with and routes to the outer world were entirely through India and the remote Tibet region of China. From an undeveloped economy, more than 95 per cent agricultural, it had few items which could compete successfully in world markets. The only trading in volu me has been the passage of local products both ways across the almost indistinguishable Indian frontier.
Until our educational facilities in this field can be built up,
selected advanced students will be sent abroad for training in the fields of our greatest need. By these and other means effort will be made to enable commerce to play its important part in broadening the country's economic base and in raising the standard of living of all segments of the population.