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About Bhutan |
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Bhutan, also known as the last
Shangri La and the Land of Thunder Dragon is
perhaps the most unknown but fascinating travel
destination left. The climate of Bhutan is
variable from region to region. While it is
tropical in the southern plains, in the central
valleys one experiences cool winters and hot
summers. On the other hand, in the Himalayas
severe winters and cool summers are prevalent.
This makes a Bhutan tour much more pleasant.
There are also many trekking zones in Bhutan ,
some of then perhaps the best in the world.
There are many trails in Bhutan yet to be
discovered. And all this is possible now as the
government has become much more focused on the
tourism promotion of Bhutan . |
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General Information About
Bhutan |
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Bhutan Info |
The kingdom of Bhutan lies in
the Eastern Himalayas , between Tibet to the
North, and the Indian territories of Assam and
West Bengal to the south, Arunachal Pradesh to
the east and Sikkim to the west. The kingdom has
a total area of about 47,000 square kilometers
and spreads between meridians 89°E and 93°E, and
latitudes 27°N and 29°N.
Located in the heart of the high Himalayan
mountain range, Bhutan is a landlocked country
surrounded by mountains. The thinly populated
Greater Himalayas, bounded to the north by the
Tibetan plateau, reach heights of over 7,300 m,
and extend southward losing height, to form the
fertile valleys of the Lesser Himalayas that are
divided by the Wang, Sunkosh, Trongsa and Manas
rivers. The entire country is virtually
mountainous, the 7554-m Kulha Gangri on the
Tibetan border being the highest. North to
south, Bhutan features three geographic regions,
namely, the high Himalayas of the north, the
hills and valleys of the interior, and the
foothills and plains of the south. Its great
rivers helped to carve its topography and their
enormous potential for hydropower has helped
shape the economy. Monsoon influences promote
dense forestation in this region and alpine
growth at higher altitudes. The cultivated
central uplands and Himalayan foothills support
the majority of the population. In the south,
the Daurs Plain drops sharply away from the
Himalayas into the large tracts of semi-tropical
forest, savannah grassland and bamboo jungle.
Forests and woodlands cover 70% of Bhutan 's
total area.
The Drukpas form the major chunk with nearly 67%
of the total population. They are of two groups.
Those related to the Tibetans speak Dzongka. The
other major language is Tsangla in the east with
11 different dialects. The Nepalis form 20% of
the total Bhutanese people. Formerly the second
largest peoples group after the Tsangla, they
inhabited the southern region mostly. However,
lately due to disagreements over government
policies they have moved back to Nepal , their
country of origin. Indians, Tibetans, Sikkimese,
Sherpas, etc., form the remaining 13% of the
population. The unity of the Bhutanese people
and independence of the country is under control
of the state religion, Buddhism. There is very
limited religious freedom, as government and
social pressure do not allow for public
expressions of other faiths. Buddhism is
followed by 70% of the population, while
Hinduism is practiced by 25%. The rest are
either Muslims or Christians. |
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