Nepal operates on Nepal Time (NPT), which is 5 hours and 45 minutes ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+5:45). This is one of only two 45-minute offset timezones in the world (the other being Chatham Islands, New Zealand). Nepal does not observe daylight saving time.
Major cities including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lalitpur, Biratnagar, and Bharatpur all follow NPT.
Nepal chose the unusual UTC+5:45 offset to distinguish itself from India (UTC+5:30) and to align with the meridian passing through Kathmandu (roughly 85.5°E). Nepal is home to 8 of the world's 14 highest peaks, including Mount Everest. The country has the only non-rectangular national flag in the world—two stacked triangles representing the Himalayan mountains.