Nestled in the eastern Himalaya, Bhutan has an area of 38,394km2 with population about 700,000. The country is bordered by the giant countries; India in the south, east and west, Nepal in the east and China in the north. The country’s capital is in Thimphu located in western Bhutan. Bhutan has 20 districts with 205 Geogs (sub-districts), and Dzongkha is our national language. Mahayana Buddhism is our religion. Gho for men and kira for women are our national dress.

Local time here is six hours ahead of GMT and half hour ahead of India. Here we experience wide geographical variation, climatic character and have four distinct seasons; summer, winter, autumn and spring. The country has unique and rich cultural heritage that has remained remarkably unblemished.

The country’s name was evolved in many forms. Lho Mon Kha Shi - is referred to the southern Mon country of four approaches such as Lho Mon Tsenden Jong - the country of Sandalwood, Lho Jong Men Jong - the country of medicinal herbs, Druk Yul - the land of Thunder Dragon, Lho Jong - the valleys of the south. Mon is referred to Mongoloid, non-Buddhist people that inhibits in the southern Himalayas.

This land of Lho Mon began as a part of the Bhotia speaking area. When Buddhism had still not spreaded in Tibet, the state was protected by three sects of Bon. Other members of the dynasty, however, exiled the Bon teachers beyond the borders and spreaded Buddhism. As a consequence, some of the Monpas wandered beyond the frontiers and established themselves in the southern region gradually spreading the Bon practices, in which the deities of the sky and earth and the various worldly and cosmic gods and goddesses such as those of fire, wind, sun, and moon are worshipped.

The name Bhota ant is derived from Sanskrit, meaning that country’s geographical situation at the end of Bhot (Tibet). The other derivative regarding the origin of the word Bhutan is said to be from Bhu-utan or highland (Source: Royal Government of Bhutan, 1980. Education Department, Thimphu, Bhutan).

The country has rich biodiversity both flora and fauna and so far documented over 5,500 vascular plants, 770 species of birds, 200 species of mammals, 400 species of lichens, 369 orchids, 90 species of mushrooms, 45 species of Rhododendrons and above 800 species of butterflies (Source: Forestry facts, figure & Trends-2011). This rich flora and fauna made the country to rank in the top ten percent of countries with highest species density in the world.

Bhutan’s ecosystems span from sub-tropical broadleaved forest in the south to alpine meadow and snow-capped mountain in the north with the elevation ranging from 150masl to over 7000masl. The country now has 72% forest coverage and the Royal Government of Bhutan is committed to maintain 60% forest cover for all time to come.

The country is connected with Protected Area System (Pas) network and Pas is connected through strings of Biological corridors. There are ten Protected Areas in the country; five national parks, four wildlife sanctuaries and one Strict Nature Reserve. This total up to an area of 19,703.57km2 which is above 51.44% of the country’s total land. Map below shows the protected area system network in Bhutan.

Gross National Happiness(GNH) includes four pillars; equitable and equal socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, conservation of environment and good governance. They are the development philosophy of Bhutan first expressed by His Majesty the third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck as a path to the people prosperous and happy. The king addressed to the United Nations in 1971 for Bhutan's admission to the United Nations.

The fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck emphasized that "Gross National Happiness" is important than "Gross National Product." The concept of Gross National Happiness is based on the premise that true development of human society take place when materials and spiritual development take place to complement and reinforce. Recently, Gross National Happiness has received international recognition (Source: Tourism Council of Bhutan).

Conservationists and scientists around the world are facing challenges to safeguard species and the environment due to drastic degradation of environment with the change in times. Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Bhutan still boasts of rich environment which is essential to protect, conserve and pass down rich heritage value to our future generations.

Bhutan is an under-developed country. With close to 79% of Bhutanese population dependent on subsistence agriculture, Bhutan’s economic growth is very low comparing to the rest of the world. Despite this, the Royal Government of Bhutan provides free education and health care to the people of Bhutan to strengthen the standard of education and safeguard people lives from various diseases.

The country introduced the primary healthcare approach in 1978 to build a modern health system in harmony with its traditional medicine services strongly emphasizing community participation. The health system in Bhutan firmly attached in the country’s unique social, cultural and spiritual development system based on the Gross National Happiness philosophy and prioritizes people’s physical, mental and spiritual well-being within a safe and secure environment. The Royal Government of Bhutan provides free access to basic public health services in both modern and traditional medicines and has positive effect for achieving both better health outcomes as well as poverty reduction. The Bhutan Health Trust Fund was created in 1997 with the objective to enhance accessibility and quality of health care by ensuring the continued availability of vaccines and essential drugs (Souce: World Health Organization).

The advent of Buddhism into Bhutan was a peaceful evolutionary process, which ushered into the country the dawn of a spiritual and historical consciousness. The pastoral and nomadic people of Mon Yul or the south country, living in a cultural and geographical isolation, having an imperfect faith in a primitive religion, and steeped in animism, worship of ghosts, demons and demi-gods, and a belief in sorcery and witchcraft, were brought into contact with the dynamic and living principles of Buddhism. A process of gradual transformation ensued. Mahayana tantric form of Buddhism evolved its characteristic mystic doctrine in the Himalayan environments. It accepted the doctrine of the kalachakra, a belief in the karma, a concept of relations between people and the supreme deity, salvation by successive rebirths and the attainment of the nirvana.

Guru Padmasambava came to Bhutan in 746 C.E. He made a great impact on the country that almost all Bhutanese religious, ethical, and historical traditions emanate from him. Buddhism had gained considerable adherents in the country. Guru Padmasambava gave to Bhutan a distinct and authoritative image of the Dharma, exhibited his thaumaturgic powers, which could subdue local demons and evil spirits with his Vajra or thunderbolt, laid the foundation of the first community of the lamas in Bhutan, and firmly established in the country the Mahayana form of Buddhism deeply imbued with tantric practices. Guru Padmasambava is a great historical and religious figure in Bhutan embodying almost all of its religious, ethical and national legends. He is the patron-saint of Bhutan, the second historical Buddha who revealed the tantras. He is called the Guru Rimpoche or the precious teacher, with miraculous powers and is worshiped in his eight fold manifestations.(Royal Government of Bhutan, 1980. Education Department, Thimphu, Bhutan).

In the world, Bhutan is the only Mahayana Buddhism kingdom. It is practiced throughout the country. The second most common religion in Bhutan is Hinduism. Prior to establishment of Buddhism, many forms of animistic religion were practiced. A small portion of the people in Bhutan still practice these traditions and rituals. People attend monastic school and in each house of the people in Bhutan, one can see Chotsam to pray and ensure that Buddhism remains alive.

The Bhutanese people may be said to be composed of different racial elements. They are scattered all over the country due to ruggedness of the geographical terrain and remoteness. Majority of Bhutanese are homogeneous group divided linguistically into three broad sub-groups such as Ngalops in the west, Sharchops in the east and Lhotshampas in the south. There are many sub-groups people like Bumthaps and Khenpas in the central Bhutan. The country also has numerous communities living in isolation and keeping their tradition alive. These are Doyas in the south, Layaps in the north-west, Monpas in the central and the nomads in the eastern Bhutan. Social equity in Bhutan is balanced where women enjoy equal rights with men in every respect. Women actively involved in all ranges of Bhutan’s’ socio-economic development. The country also doesn’t have a rigid class or caste system.

There are major language groups and about 14 minor dialects which prevail in the country. Dzongkhag is our national language spoken nationwide. In the past, written communication in the country, both an official and private nature, have always been in the classical language derived from the Tibetan Buddhist scriptures known as chhokey and for the reason of correspondence is written in a Bhutanese adaptation of the Tibetan script. Dzongkha was chosen by Royal Government of Bhutan for developing into the national language of the country at a time when economic and social development program was first being planned. Dzongkha is based on the major language group prevailing in the seven districts of western Bhutan. Now the Dzongkha has been declared as the national language of the kingdom, it has become a cohesive force of national unity and integration (Source: Royal Government of Bhutan, 1980. Education Department, Thimphu, Bhutan).

In the country varieties of traditional food are available. Staple diet here is red rice, white rice, maize, buckwheat, wheat, pork, beef, chicken, yak meat, butter, cheese, mutton, fish and chilies which are taken as a vegetable and not as a spice. Ema-Datsi is one of the main national dishes and it is very hot. Ema refers to chilies and Datsi means cheese. Bhutanese chefs will prepare you food from continental to Chinese, and Bhutanese to Tibetan and Indian dishes to suit your interest.

Suja (butter tea) is popular Bhutanese tea and served in all social occasions. Sweet milk tea is also available and popular beverage in Bhutan. Ara (spirit distilled from maize, wheat, rice, barley), Senchang known as local beer a product of cereals and Bangchang which also product of cereal are popular and common drinks in Bhutan and is offered as greeting gesture. You should opt for mineral water rather than tap water.

Bhutan has very rich traditional art, architecture and handicrafts representing vital aspect of the country’s unique cultural heritage. The Bhutanese form of art is blended with Mahayana Buddhism and popular for its originality. The country’s architecture generally has no planning and designing done on paper prior to a structure is constructed.

Such unique traditional arts, crafts and architectures and handicrafts are passed down from generation to generation since the ancient times and formed integral part of the history, cultural and national identity of the people of Bhutan. It reflects the rich customs, traditions and social values of the country. These creative treasures of Bhutan are source of pride to the nation. It is, therefore, paramount that they are preserved and promoted as integral part of the kingdom’s nation building efforts towards socio-economic development.

In architectural designs its Dzong, Lhakhangs, Goenpa, Chhortens, Palace, Villages houses etc possess an individualistic character as follows (Source: Royal Government of Bhutan, 1980. Education Department, Thimphu, Bhutan);