The word Gurkhas originated from Gorkha, one of the districts west of Nepal, where king Prithivi Narayan Shah reigned early 17th century. He had very strong, loyal, tough and devoted Gorkhali Armies from whose contribute he succeeded in uniting Nepal into one kingdom around 1768-69 AD. The Gurkhas are world famous soldiers, highly prized in the British Army and known for their bravery and courage. Gurkhas come from the mountainous country of Nepal which nestles in the Himalayas, bordering Tibet in the north and India on its southern foothills.