The city of Kathmandu

Kathmandu is the capital and largest city of Nepal, with a population of around one million. Kathmandu is also the largest metropolis in the hilly region. Nepali and Nepal bhasha are the most spoken languages in the city. Kathmandu, also known as City of Temples, stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 meters above sea level in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley in central Nepal. The valley is historically termed as "Nepal Mandela" and has been the home of newer culture, a cosmopolitan urban civilization in the Himalayas foothills. The city was the royal capital of the Kingdom of Nepal and hosts palaces, mansions and gardens of the Nepalese aristocracy. It has been home to the headquarters of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985. Today, it is the seat of government of the Nepalese republic established in 2008; and is part of the Province No. 3 in Nepalese administrative geography. Tourism is an important part of the economy; in 2013, Kathmandu was ranked third among the top ten upcoming travel destinations in the world by Trip Advisory, and ranked first in Asia. The city is the gateway to the Nepalese Himalayas, and home to seven world heritage sites: the Durban Squares of Hangman Dhoka, Patna and Bhaktapur; the Stupas of Swayambhunath and Baudhanath; and the temples of Pashupati and Change Narayan. There are also seven casinos in the city.