About Bhutan
Key Facts
| Surface area | 38,394 sq. km. |
| Location | China in the north and India in the east, west and south |
| Population | 671,083 (2008) |
| System of governance | Democratic Constitutional Monarchy |
| National Language | Dzongkha |
| National Currency | Ngulturm |
| National Animal | Takin |
| National Bird | Raven |
| National Tree | Cypress |
| National Flower | Blue Poppy |
| Capital | Thimphu |
| Districts | 20 |
| Blocks | 205 |
| Local time | 6 hours ahead of GMT |
| Country code | + 975 |
History
Our country is known as “Bhutan” to the outside world. For the Bhutanese, we know our country as Druk Yul, literally meaning the Dragon Country. There are very little written sources on the history of Bhutan.
People
Difficulties in access have resulted in diversities in languages and ways of life that visitors do not expect in a country of less than a million people. Inaccessibility meant that people had only themselves to rely on.
Environment
Traditional beliefs in Bhutan continue to reinforce respect for and even worship of the environment. Bhutan ranks in the top 10 percent of countries with the highest species density in the world.
Art and Architecture
Bhutan places great emphasis on conservation of tangible arts as well as intangible ways of life and customs. The categorization of arts and crafts into 13 forms was initiated in the 17th Century.
Religion
Religion plays a central role in everyday lives, from celebrating a birth to helping the dead transition. Buddhism is recognized as the spiritual heritage of Bhutan with a majority of people practicing the Mahayana tradition.
Political systems
Bhutan’s adoption of the present system of governance in 2008 is often depicted as a rapid transformation. However, our political history show that our Kings made farsighted decisions to prepare the country for these changes.
Socio-economic Development
Bhutan’s overall development philosophy is expressed in the phrase Gross National Happiness (GNH). GNH was conceived by His Majesty the Fourth King as, in the words of the Prime Minister of Bhutan, “the beacon of Bhutan in its search for greater well being”