Southern Asia · AsiaBhutan
Discover Bhutan - the Himalayan kingdom that measures Gross National Happiness, where tigers prowl at 4,000 meters, monasteries cling to cliff faces, and tradition is not negotiable.
Where Is Bhutan?
Bhutan is a country in Southern Asia. Its capital is Thimphu.
- Capital Thimphu
- Population 797K
- Area 38,394 km²
Bhutan is the country that decided GDP was the wrong way to measure progress and invented Gross National Happiness instead. This tiny Himalayan kingdom wedged between India and China has taken a path so different from the rest of the world that it sometimes feels like a place from another century. Television and the internet arrived only in 1999. Tourism is limited by a daily fee. Every building, by law, must be constructed in traditional Bhutanese style. The result is a country where fortress-monasteries called dzongs dominate every valley, forests cover over 70% of the land, and the national sport is archery.
The landscape is staggering. Bhutan rises from subtropical plains at 200 meters to Himalayan peaks above 7,000 meters in a distance of barely 170 kilometers. The Tiger's Nest monastery, clinging to a cliff face 900 meters above the Paro Valley, is one of the most photographed and awe-inspiring buildings on Earth. Bhutan is the world's only carbon-negative country - its forests absorb more CO2 than the nation produces. It is a place where red-robed monks share the streets with stray dogs considered sacred, where phallus symbols painted on houses ward off evil spirits, and where the king himself cycles to work. Bhutan is not stuck in the past - it has simply decided which parts of the modern world it wants to let in.
At a glance
Largest cities in Bhutan
Thimphu
Phuntsholing
Paro
Famous people from Bhutan
Jigme Singye Wangchuck
PoliticsFourth King who introduced Gross National Happiness as a development philosophy and voluntarily transitioned Bhutan to democracy
Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal
Politics17th-century Tibetan lama who unified Bhutan, established the dzong system, and created the distinct Bhutanese national identity
Tshering Tobgay
PoliticsPrime Minister who brought global attention to Bhutan's carbon-negative status and environmental leadership through a viral TED talk
Traditional cuisine of Bhutan
- Ema Datshi
- Bhutan's fiery national dish of chili peppers cooked in a thick cheese sauce, eaten with red rice at virtually every meal
- Phaksha Paa
- Pork belly strips cooked with dried red chilies, radish, and Sichuan pepper, a hearty mountain comfort food
- Red Rice
- Bhutan's staple grain, a nutty, slightly sticky variety grown in the Paro Valley that accompanies every dish
- Momos
- Steamed or fried dumplings filled with meat or cheese, the ubiquitous snack eaten across the Himalayan region
- Suja
- Butter tea made with yak butter, tea leaves, and salt, a rich, warming drink essential in Bhutan's cold mountain climate
Nature and landmarks in Bhutan
- Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang)Landmark
- Sacred monastery clinging to a cliff face 900 meters above the Paro Valley floor, one of the most spectacular buildings in the world
- Jigme Dorji National ParkNational Park
- Bhutan's largest protected area spanning from subtropical forest to glacial peaks, home to snow leopards, tigers, and takin
- Gangkhar PuensumMountain
- At 7,570 meters, the highest unclimbed mountain in the world - Bhutan has banned mountaineering on peaks above 6,000 meters
- Phobjikha ValleyLandmark
- Glacial valley and wintering ground for endangered black-necked cranes that migrate from Tibet each November
- Bumthang ValleyLandmark
- Spiritual heartland of Bhutan with ancient temples dating to the 7th century, surrounded by pine forests and buckwheat fields
Sports in Bhutan
- Archery
- Bhutan's national sport, played with bamboo or compound bows on fields 140 meters long, accompanied by singing and dancing
- Khuru
- Traditional Bhutanese dart-throwing game using heavy wooden darts at small targets, played at festivals across the country
Did you know?
Bhutan is the world's only carbon-negative country - its forests absorb more CO2 than the entire nation produces
Television and the internet did not arrive in Bhutan until 1999, making it one of the last countries on Earth to go online
Gangkhar Puensum at 7,570 meters is the highest unclimbed mountain in the world - Bhutan has banned climbing above 6,000 meters
Every building in Bhutan must be constructed in traditional architectural style, by law - even banks and government offices
Bhutan measures national success by Gross National Happiness, not GDP, considering spiritual wellbeing as important as economic growth
Phallus paintings on houses are common in Bhutan - they are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck
Can you find Bhutan on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place Bhutan and its neighbours without a second thought.
