Bhutan

Bhutan At Glance
Bhutan is a small but a unique country between Tibet, the autonomous region of China and India. It is unique in cultural, natural and social, all three aspects. Bhutan is the last remaining Buddhist Kingdom. It is also known by the name - “The Land of Thunder Dragon”. The country sits on the laps of eastern Himalayas and enjoys a diverse climate from northern mountains to southern plains. It is distinguished by its beautiful natural scenery and culture that is found nowhere else. Bhutan is also called “The Last Shangri La”.
The country remained under isolation for a long time and it was not until recently that it was open to the outside world. Bhutan was opened for tourism only in 1974. Now, Bhutan is one of the best tourism destinations often referred as the “living museum” for retaining its distinct cultural and natural originality. The country is full of ancient temples, monasteries, stupas adorned with prayer flags and strategic fortresses known as Dzongs.  An isolated Buddhist Kingdom for a long time, the culture and tradition is heavily influenced by the religion. This is visible in the art, music, dress and lifestyle of the local people.

Area: 47,000 sq km

Population: 742,737 (2012 estimate)

Geographic Location: Bhutan is a landlocked country situated between Tibet, the autonomous region of China to the north and most portion of the west and India to the South and East. It is only slightly separated from Nepal and Bangladesh by the Indian states of Sikkim, Assam and West Bengal. It sits on the southern slopes of Eastern Himalayas  between latitudes 26° and 29°N, and longitudes 88° and 93°E.

Language: The official language of Bhutan is Dzonkha. It is a language in Tibetan language family. Interestingly, Nepali was spoken by almost 40% of the population as of 2006. This is mainly because of the early migrants from Nepal who entered Bhutan as early as 1890s. However, the number of Nepali speakers is decreasing due to both forced and voluntary emigration of ethnic Nepali people. Tshangla, Dzala, Limbu and Kheng are other languages spoken in Bhutan, all belonging to the Tibetan language family.

Climate: Due to the change in elevation, Bhutan’s climatic condition varies drastically from north to south. Over a maximum north-south distance of 150 km, elevation rises from 200 m (660 ft) in the southern foothills to more than 7,000 m (23,000 ft). The Southern Bhutan is generally hot and humid whereas the high mountains in the north experience severe alpine climate and remain under perpetual snow. The western, central and eastern Bhutan experience moderate weather. Winter generally lasts from November through March.

Temperatures in the southern plains range from 15°C in winter (December to February) to 30°C in summer (June to August). In the capital city of Thimphu, it ranges from -2.5°C in January to 25°C in August. In the northern mountainous regions, the temperature is around 0°C in winter and may reach 10°C in summer. Precipitation varies significantly with the elevation.

People and Religion: The primary residents of Bhutan are the Ngalops (Western Bhutanese) and the Sharchops (Eastern Bhutanese). The Ngalops and Sharchops are culturally close to Tibetans. Another major group called the Lhotshampa (southerners) is a heterogeneous group of mostly Nepali origin. In recent decades, more than a hundred thousand Lhotshampas have been forced out from their homes and expelled to refugee camps in Nepal.
The state religion of Bhutan is Vajrayana Buddhism, making Bhutan the only Vajrayana country. It is followed by more than two-thirds of the population. Hinduism is followed by over one-quarter Bhutanese, mostly the Lhotshampas.

Currency: The official currency of Bhutan is the Bhutanese ngultrum (BTN or Nu). 1 ngultrum can be further divided into 100 chetrum. Its value is fixed on par to the Indian rupees. Indian rupees are widely accepted while the US dollars are accepted in the major places only.

Bhutan