UN Geologist Surveys Natural Resources in Nepal

Though brought into the news from time to time in recent years as a result of expeditions to Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks, Nepal is the least known of the United Nations' newest members. Lying in the Himalayan mountains, between Tibet and India, the country has remained in virtual isolation for centuries, but the work being carried out by Toni Hagen, a United Nations geologist, may well result in a much wider knowledge of Nepal. He is making a detailed survey of the country's natural resources. Work has progressed slowly because of the extremely difficult terrain, but he hopes to complete it this year or early next year.

Photograph shows Hagen (at left) as he visited a school in Eastern Nepal during one of his survey trips. Though the pay of teachers was very low, they displayed excellent spirits and a keen interest in their work. Hagen found only four schools in the region, some of them staffed by retired Gurkha soldiers. [No exact date]

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