Asia

Bhutan

Bhutan is a small, developing independent country in south-central Asia. It lies in the eastern Himalaya between India and Tibet.

Bhutan is a rugged, mountainous country with great extremes of climate. Thick forests grow on the rain-drenched southern slopes of the mountains.
It is extremely hot in the low foothill regions and extremely cold in the Great Himalaya. Only in the mid-Himalaya regions is the climate moderate.

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a small, landlocked nation of South Asia, located in the Himalaya Mountains, sandwiched between India and the People’s Republic of China. The local name for the country, Druk Yul (pronounced dru ü), means “land of the dragon". It is also called Druk Tsendhen, “land of the thunder dragon", as the thunder there is said to be the sound of roaring dragons...Bhutan Gernal Introduction.

Full country name: Kingdom of Bhutan
Area: 47,000 sq km
Population: 2.13 million
Capital City: Thimphu
People: Drukpas (Ngalops and Sharchops - 65%), indigenous or migrant tribes (15%), other
Language: Dzongkha, Tibetan, Nepali
Religion: Buddhist (75%), Hindu (25%)
Government: monarchy
Head of State: King (Druk Gyalpo) Jigme Singye Wangchuck
Head of Government: Prime Minister Yeshey Zimba

History of Bhutan

Bhutan’s early history is steeped in mythology and remains obscure. It may have been inhabited as early as 2000 B.C., but not much was known until the introduction of Tibetan Buddhism in the 9th century A.D. when turmoil in Tibet forced many monks to flee to Bhutan. In the 12th century A.D., the Drukpa Kagyupa school was established and remains the dominant form of Buddhism in Bhutan today. The country’s political history is intimately tied to its religious history and the relations among the various monastic schools and monasteries.

The consolidation of Bhutan occurred in 1616 when Ngawana Namgyal, a lama from Tibet, defeated three Tibetan invasions, subjugated rival religious schools, codified an intricate and comprehensive system of law, and established himself as ruler (shabdrung) over a system of ecclesiastical and civil administrators. After his death, infighting and civil war eroded the power of the shabdrung for the next 200 years when in 1885, Ugyen Wangchuck was able to consolidate power and cultivated closer ties with the British in India... Bhutan's History.

Overview of Bhutan 's Economy

GDP: US$2.3 billion
GDP per capita: US$1,100
Annual Growth: 6.5%
Inflation: 7.4%
Major Industries: Cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, rice, corn, root crops, citrus, dairy products, eggs
Major Trading Partners: India, Bangladesh, Japan, UK, Germany, USA

Also Read: A Brief insight in the Economy of Bhutan

Political System of Bhutan

- Government of Bhutan
- International Relations of Bhutan
- Political Conditions Of Bhutan
- Politics of Bhutan
- Defence Of Bhutan

Climate, Vegetation and Fauna

- Environment of Bhutan: Landlocked Bhutan is roughly the size of Switzerland. It is bounded on the north and northwest by Tibet, with India nudging its remaining borders...Environment of Bhutan
- Population of Bhutan: Population: 2,049,412 (July 2001 est.)note: other estimates range as low as 800,000...Population of Bhutan.
- Geography of Bhutan: Bhutan is a very mountainous and landlocked nation, situated within the eastern Himalaya. Mountain peaks in the north reach up to over 7,000 meters...Geography of Bhutan
- Culture of Bhutan: In many ways, Bhutan seems to teeter between contemporary and medieval: monks transcribe ancient Buddhist texts into laptop computers...Culture of Bhutan


Facts for the Traveler

Visas: This is the difficult part. If you're from the US or South Korea you can pretty much forget about it. Other nationals may have some luck approaching the tourism office in the North Korean Embassy in Beijing; your chances of being granted a visa are far lower at other embassies. A visa, if it is going to be granted, can normally be granted quickly.
Health risks: No particular risks, although there is a shortage of western medicines so it's not a great place to get sick. Traditional Korean medicine is available and is similar to the Chinese variety.
Time: GMT/UTC plus nine hours
Electricity: 110/220V, 60 Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

Also Read:Transportation of Bhutan

When to Go to Bhutan

The best time to visit is October and November and during major festivals. The climate is best in autumn, from late September to late November, when skies are clear and the high mountain peaks are visible. This is the ideal time for trekking and for travelling throughout the country. You’re likely to get wet no matter what the season, but avoid the monsoon, June-August, when an average of 0.5m (1.5ft) of rain buckets down in Thimphu and up to 1m (3ft) saturates the eastern hills.

What to See in Bhutan

Major Tourist Attractions in Bhutan
- Thimphu: Thimphu lies in a beautiful, wooded valley, sprawling up a hillside on the bank of the Thimphu Chhu river, and it is the only world capital without traffic lights...
- Laya: Laya, in the far northwest of Bhutan, is one of the kingdom’s highest villages at 3700m (12,136ft), under the peak of the Tsenda Gang. A group known as Layap...
- Bumthang: It sounds like a blues bar in America’s deep south, but Bumthang is the spiritual heartland of Bhutan and home to its most ancient and precious Buddhist sites...
- Paro: If you come to Bhutan by air, you’ll probably land in Paro. Western Bhutan is the heartland of the Drukpa people and you will be confronted...
- Phobjika Valley: Phobjika is a glacial valley on the western slopes of the Black Mountains. It borders the Black Mountains National Park which is one of the most important...

Other Tourist Attractions in Bhutan

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What to do in Bhutan?

Rugged mountains, enchanting valleys, meandering rivers, crystal lakes, dense forests and the unspoilt virginity of nature make Bhutan a trekking paradise. While roughing it on spindly trails without anything resembling comfort might seem like an odd way to spend your US$200 a day, trekking is the ideal way to experience rural Bhutanese culture and unspoilt wilderness.

There is no personal equipment available in Bhutan, and nowhere to rent a sleeping bag, so bring your own. Trek operators will provide guides, pack animals, foam mattresses, eating utensils, and kitchen equipment. Trek routes range from the relatively easy three-dayers to veritable expeditions lasting over three weeks.

Though rafting in Bhutan is in its infancy, experts who have scouted the rivers say that is has the potential for some of the best rafting on earth. The fees are the same for normal tourists and trekkers, and there are several specialist companies already offering river programs on rivers ranging from class 3 to 5. The outstanding ones are Mo Chhu, upstream of Punakha in eastern Bhutan, and the Ema Datse Canyon on the Mangde Chhu in central Bhutan.


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Eurocentrism in Middle East Some have criticized the term Middle East for its perceived Eurocentrism. The region is only east from the perspective of western Europe. To an Indian, it lies to the west; to a Russian, it lies to the south. The description Middle has also led to some confusion over changing definitions. Before the [...]
Borders of Middle East The term Middle East defines a cultural area, so it does not have precise borders. The most common and highly arbitrary definition includes: Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, Iran (Persia), Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Iran is [...]
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