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Bhutan Country Overview

The last Shangri La on Earth-Bhutan, an essential travel guide to the "land of the dragon" Travelers will find comprehensive information about this mystic land’s diversity-geography, economy, science, people, culture, environment, government and history. The Kingdom of Bhutan is a small landlocked country in South Asian region; it is located in the eastern Himalayas range, and bordered by India and China.

The Kingdom of Bhutan is home to a population of about 691,141, spread over an area of about 47,000 sq. km., with about 70 percent of the land area under the forest cover conserved. Mostly the population lives in the central highlands areas and almost two-third of total population are classified as rural inhabitants as a cultural and traditional life style. The landscape is mostly hilly, with alpine peaks in the north areas close to Tibet, and some sub-tropical plains in the south parts. Bhutan’s Per capita gross national income (GNI), one of the highest in South Asia, has consistently risen from $730 in 2000 to $1,900 in 2008 and up to this date getting more up.
 
Bhutan’s fact quick look
Location:    Southern Asia region, between China and India
Climate:    varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valley; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Topography:    mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Resources:    timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
Hazards:    violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
Population:    691,141

Economic Overview

• One of the smallest economies in the world.
• Agriculture based economy which is generated employment for half of the population.
• Renewable natural resource sector which includes forestry, livestock, logging etc is the major GDP Contributor.

Business Hours
Offices:   Monday to Friday from 09:30 - 16:00 for November to March and 09:00 - 17:00 for rest of the months.
Banks:    Monday to Friday from 09:00 - 15:00 and Saturday 09:00 - 11:00


Public Holidays

Festival                                                                                Date
Independence Day                                                           August 08
Birthday of HM Jigme Singye Wangchuck                    November 11, 12, 13
National Day of Bhutan                                                    December 17