The land development boom in Kathmandu valley
Kathmandu Valley has been subject to a rapid process of urbanization. Particularly noteworthy in recent years has been the spiraling price of land, with an associated boom in the real estate sector and land speculation. The drivers of this boom include: rural to urban migration, which in turn is driven by the relative economic development of the city and the displacement of large numbers of people by conflict in rural areas; capital flows, including remittances from Gurkhas and other emigrant workers, asset transfers from other, less secure regions of Nepal, and credit provided by domestic financial institutions; and weak governance, including ineffective planning and land management and the weakness of government in the face of the real estate sector lobby.