Bhutan
Capital: Thimphu · Southern Asia
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, located in the Eastern Himalayas, bordering China's Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast.
Photo: NASA, Public domain · source
Centenary Farmers Market, Thimphu, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Hotel Thimphu Tower, Thimphu, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
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The Himalayan mountains in the north rise from the country's lush subtropical plains in the south. In the Bhutanese Himalayas, there are peaks higher than 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) above sea level. Gangkhar Puensum is Bhutan's highest peak and is the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. The wildlife of Bhutan is notable for its diversity, including the Himalayan takin and golden langur. The capital and largest city is Thimphu, with close to 15% of the population living there.
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Hotel Druk, Clock Tower Square, Thimphu, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Hotel Druk, Clock Tower Square, Thimphu, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Gate at the Buddha Dordenma statue complex, Thimphu, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Etymology
The precise etymology of "Bhutan" is unknown, although it is likely to derive from the Tibetan endonym "Böd" for Tibet. Traditionally, it is taken to be a transcription of the Sanskrit Bhoṭa-anta (भोट-अन्त) "end of Tibet" through Nepali Bhuṭān (भुटान), a reference to Bhutan's position as the southern extremity of the Tibetan plateau and culture.
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Buddha Dordenma statue, Thimphu, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Chimi Lakhang monastery, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Chimi Lakhang monastery, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
History
Stone tools, weapons, elephants, and remnants of large stone structures provide evidence that Bhutan was inhabited as early as 2000 BCE, although there are no existing records from that time. Historians have theorised that the state of Lhomon (lit. 'southern darkness'), or Monyul ("Dark Land", a reference to the Monpa, an ethnic group in Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh, India), may have existed between 500 BCE and 600 CE. The names Lhomon Tsendenjong (Sandalwood Country) and Lhomon Khashi or Southern Mon (country of four approaches), have been found in ancient Bhutanese and Tibetan chronicles.
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Gaa-Tyen Handicraft, Sopsokha, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Entrance of the Puna_Mochhu_Bazam bridge, Punakha, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Milestone in Phuentsholing, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Geography
Bhutan is on the southern slopes of the eastern Himalayas, landlocked between the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north and the Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam to the west and south, and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh to the east. It lies between latitudes 26°N and 29°N, and longitudes 88°E and 93°E. The land consists mostly of steep and high mountains crisscrossed by a network of swift rivers that form deep valleys before draining into the Indian plains. In fact, 98.8% of Bhutan is covered by mountains, which makes it the most mountainous country in the world.
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Immigration Check-Post, Phuentsholing, Bhutan
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Government and politics
Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary form of government. The reigning monarch is Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. The current Prime Minister of Bhutan is Tshering Tobgay, leader of the People's Democratic Party. Bhutan's democratic transition in 2008 is seen as an evolution of its social contract with the monarchy since 1907. Bhutan was classified as an electoral democracy for year 2024 according to V-Dem Democracy Indices in the Regimes of the World classification.
The Druk Gyalpo ("Dragon King") is the head of state. The political system grants universal suffrage.
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Economy
Bhutan's currency is the ngultrum, whose value is fixed to the Indian rupee. The Indian rupee is also accepted as legal tender in the country.
Though Bhutan's economy is one of the world's smallest, it has grown rapidly in recent years, by eight per cent in 2005 and 14 per cent in 2006. In 2007, Bhutan had the second-fastest-growing economy in the world, with an annual economic growth rate of 22.4 per cent. This was mainly due to the commissioning of the gigantic Tala Hydroelectric Power Station. As of 2012, Bhutan's per capita income was US$2,420. This figure increased to US$4,347.1 in 2024, according to a budget report released by Bhutan's Ministry of Finance in 2026.
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Demographics
Bhutan had a population of 777,486 people in 2021. Bhutan has a median age of 24.8 years. There are 1,070 males to every 1,000 females. The literacy rate in Bhutan is around 66%.
Thimphu, the largest city and capital of Bhutan.
Damphu, the administrative headquarters of Tsirang District.
Jakar, the administrative headquarters of Bumthang District and the place where Buddhism entered Bhutan.
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Culture
Bhutan has a rich and unique cultural heritage that has largely remained intact because of its isolation from the rest of the world until the mid-20th century. One of the main attractions for tourists is the country's culture and traditions. Bhutanese tradition is deeply steeped in its Buddhist heritage. Hinduism is the second most dominant religion in Bhutan, being most prevalent in the southern regions. The government is increasingly making efforts to preserve and sustain the current culture and traditions of the country. Because of its largely unspoiled natural environment and cultural heritage, Bhutan has been referred to as The Last Shangri-La.
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