The Mahabharat are the 1,000 to 4,000 metre high foothills of the Himalayan mountains and are locally known as the Pahad and contain the capital city Kathmandu.
The climate in the foothills can often be very cold in the winter and during the monsoon season, there is a great amount of flooding which kills many people and wrecks houses and communities.
Because of the flooding and deforestation the soil is poor quality and producing enough food is a big problem. The growth in population has also led to large migration from the hills to the plains or abroad for work.
Local wildlife includes wild goats, deer, antelope, and the black bear, and the forests are full of neutral weather plants such as the rhododendron which can reach 12 metres in height. There are also many bird species including the golden eagle, hill partridge, pheasant, snow pidgeon, and many flowerpeckers.
