Nepal was formerly a country.
Nepal . Nepal ( [ Nepālhelp = no ] } } [ neˈpal ] ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal , is a landlocked central Himalayan country in South Asia . It has a population of 26.4 million and is the 93rd largest country by area . The country was never colonised but served as a buffer state between Imperial China and Colonial India . The country struggles with the transition from a monarchy to a republic . Despite these challenges , Nepal is making steady progress , with the government declaring its commitment to elevate the nation from least developed country status by 2022 .