The Land of Thunder Dragon

Bhutan, also know as the “Land of the Thunder Dragon”, is a small mountainous kingdom (38,394 sq. km.) of south Asia located in the eastern Himalayas. It is situated between latitude 26° 40’ and 28° 15’ north and longitude 88° 45’ and 92° 10’ east. Bhutan standard time is six hours ahead of GMT. Bhutan shares its boundary with India to the south and China to the north.

Geographically, Bhutan can be divided into three distinct regions; the High Himalayas of the north, the Inner Himalayas of the west, east and central region, and the plain foothills of the south. As a result of large variation in elevation, a wide range of climatic conditions prevail in Bhutan . The flat plains of southern region are hot and humid, whereas the great Himalayan zone in the north is extremely cold with heavy snow falls, thus a factor for a great diversity of vegetation within its limited geographic area.

Bhutan stands among one of the top 10 hot spots of biological diversity in the world. Two-third of the total land is covered by profuse vegetation which has a wide variety of flora and fauna species. The snaky fast flowing rivers, snow peaked mountains, streams and high water-falls have blessed the kingdom with enormous potential for hydro electricity, which is vital for the country’s economy and well known for eco-tourism. 

For many centuries, Bhutan remained isolated from the rest of the world and this could be the main reason for the past history being based on Buddhist mythology and legends. Till 20^th century, Bhutan experienced internal conflicts among the local leaders known as the ‘Penlops’. After years of civil war, Bhutan was finally unified under one leader in the year 1907. The most powerful penlop of Trongsa, Ugyen Wangchuk, was unanimously chosen as the right leader for Bhutan.

After the establishment of the hereditary monarch, Bhutan slowly choose to abolish the policy of isolation. Bhutan has achieved sustainable development since then.     

The Bhutanese people have set a good example to the world in preserving their natural environment and upholding their age old tradition and culture even at this age of rapid modernization. In the villages as well as in the cities, people still wear their traditional dress even after the introduction of TV and internet.  Bhutan’s unique culture and well conserved natural environment are the major attractions for tourists.

Visitors are amazed by the uniqueness of this hidden land and some authors have even described the journey to Bhutan as ‘going back to the past’. The giant fortress known as the ‘dzongs’, the old monastries which were built centuries ago and the pristine environment makes Bhutan a unique and remarkable destination.

FACT FILE

About Bhutan