Bhutan (known as Druk Yul to the locals) is situated between China and India in the deep folds of the Himalayas. It is blessed with green valleys, dense forests, rolling hills, and towering crags. This natural beauty is further enriched by the charm of its medieval customs, picturesque ceremonies, and the hospitality of its people whose religious fervor find divinity in every mountain, rock, and tree.

Perched high on the mighty Himalayan range, the kingdom of Bhutan has defied globalization and chosen to remain a hidden paradise, accessible only to a fortunate few. Bhutan is now on the verge of modernization without compromising its unique culture and traditions that the Bhutanese people so dearly hold on to.

The year 2008 marks the beginning of a very phenomenal change in the history of this little Himalayan kingdom. While the year 2008 celebrates the 100 years of monarchy in the kingdom and the official crowning of the fifth Druk Gyalpo (King) of Bhutan, it also marks the beginning of democracy. Size: 38,394 sq. km. 

Population: Roughly 672 thousand 

Religion: Mahayana Buddhism 

Language: Dzongkha (National Language) and English (widely spoken)

Time: 6 hours ahead of GMT  

Currency: Ngultrum (at par with the Indian Rupee)

National Animal: Takin (Budorcas taxicolor) known to the Bhutanese as Dong gyem tsey. 

National Bird: Raven (Corvus Corax Tibetanus).  

National Flower: Blue Poppy (Mecanopsis Grandis). 

National Tree: Cyprus (Cupresses Corneyana). 

National Sports: Archery.  

National Day: National day is celebrated on the 17^th of December to commemorate the crowning of the

first king of Bhutan, Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck in 1907.  

National Flag

The upper yellow half of the flag signifies the country’s secular authority of the King in the affairs of the religion and state. The bottom orange half signifies the country’s religious practice and spiritual power of Buddhism manifested in the Drukpa Kagyu and Nyingma traditions. The white dragon in the middle symbolizes the name of the country, locally known as Druk Yul (meaning the ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’). The white color signifies the purity and loyalty of the Bhutanese people. The snarling mouth of the dragon signifies the strength of the male and female deities protecting the kingdom, while the jewel clad claws represent the wealth, prosperity, and perfection of the country and the people.

National Dress:

Bhutanese men wear gho, which are longish robes tied around the waist with a belt known as kera. The Bhutanese women wear an ankle-length dress known as kira, which is usually made up of fine hand-woven fabric with traditional patterns. The women wear a shirt inside called wonju and a coat on top of the kira called tego.

Climate:

The country has three very distinct climate zones; the sub-tropical, temperate, and alpine arctic zones and four distinct seasons. These climate variations coupled with huge changes in altitude varying from 1,000 feet in the south to 17,000 feet in the north account for the rich diversity of flora and fauna, some of them found only in Bhutan. Bhutan ranks amongst the top ten percent of highest species density in the world on a species richness per unit area. To preserve the eco-diversity, Bhutan has been declared as one of the ten hotspots for environmental conservation by the U.N.

Spring is arguably the most beautiful time of the year with all the flowers in bloom. You can see wildflowers cover the countryside, the hills, and the valleys.  Summer is also beautiful with the flowers still bloom and the valleys covered in lush green. It is also when the annual monsoon from the Bay of Bengal affects the south and central regions leaving the kingdom smelling fresh and clean. Fall is also a beautiful time of the year when you can see the leaves all turn red. You can see the mix of green and red leaves on the trees alongside the rivers. Although the winter can be cold, the days are full of sunshine.