China–Nepal border

The China–Nepal border is the international boundary between the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. This border is very important because Nepal is a country that sits between two large nations, India to the south and China to the north, acting like a protective space between them.

The border is 1,389 kilometres (863 mi) long and runs along the tall Himalayan mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Over time, the borders between China and Nepal have changed, especially after big events like the Annexation of Tibet in 1949.

In 1956, China and Nepal signed an agreement to keep friendly relations, and in 1960, they signed a treaty to show their peace and friendship. These agreements helped set the borders as we know them today, especially around the Himalayan Plateau near Kanchenjunga. They also talked about the traditions and beliefs of people living there, including Buddhism and Hinduism.

Description

The border between China and Nepal starts in the west near a place where India, China, and Nepal meet close to the Tinkar Pass in Sudurpashchim Province. From there, it moves towards the southeast and then northeast, using the Karnali River for a short distance before heading southeast again. The border goes over many tall mountain peaks in the Himalayas, including Mount Everest, Mount Makalu, and Mount Salasungo, passing through several mountain paths. It ends where India, China, and Nepal meet again at Jongsong Peak.

History

The area where China and Nepal meet has been part of many old kingdoms from Nepal, India, and Tibet. People from Nepal and Tibet have traded things like wool, tea, spices, and salt for many hundreds of years. In the past, Nepal and Tibet made agreements about land, but these were not very clear.

In 1950–51, China took control of Tibet, which meant they also had to deal with the unclear border with Nepal. In 1960, China and Nepal agreed on a border line and set up a group to make the border more exact. They finished this work in 1961 and put up markers on the ground to show where the border was. In 2021, Nepal talked about some problems with China’s actions near the border but later did not share this information publicly.

Kalapani Border Disputes

The area where China, Nepal, and India meet is disputed. Nepal has disagreed with India and China about this area since the 1990s. In 2015, Nepal objected when India and China agreed to trade through a place called Lipulekh.

In 2020, some Nepali leaders said China had taken over land that belongs to Nepal. Nepal formed a team to look into this, and in 2021, they said the claim was true. In 2022, a report showed that China was building structures on land Nepal says is theirs.

Border crossings

In 2012, Nepal and China agreed to open new ports of entry, making a total of six official places where people can cross. Three of these places are for international travel, and three are just for trade between the two countries.

One important crossing is between Zhangmu and Kodari on the Friendship Highway, which has been open since 1968. Another crossing at Rasuwa Fort (Rasuwagadhi) opened for trade in 2014 and for foreign visitors in 2017. This place might also get a train station in the future. There are other smaller crossings, like the one at Burang-Hilsa, that have been used for local trade for many years. Sometimes, changes in rules can affect these places. For example, in 2008, when China had stricter checks during the Olympics, some villages like Kimathanka had trouble getting food because trade was stopped. The newest crossing, Korala, began operating in 2023.

Galleries

Here are some photos of border crossings from west to east:

• Nara La near the Burang–Hilsa crossing
• View across the border at PLA border output from Lo Manthang near Korala
• Chinese port-of-entry building at Gyirong–Rasuwa crossing
• Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge at the Zhangmu–Kodari crossing

The section also shows historical maps of the border from the middle and late 20th century.