Nepal has granted permits to a record-breaking number of climbers for this spring season’s expeditions to Mount Everest, with a total of 463 permits issued so far. The climbers, including 367 men and 96 women from 65 countries, are accompanied by more than 1,500 Nepali Sherpas and staff members. Concerns have been raised over dangerous overcrowding at the summit, with previous incidents leading to traffic jams and long queues. The Nepali authorities have set up multiple ropes and are carefully managing climbers to avoid overcrowding. Mount Everest is a significant source of revenue for Nepal, with the country home to eight of the world’s ten highest mountains.