OFFICIAL NAME

Kingdom of Bhutan

GEOGRAPHY

Located in southern Asia, between China and India. Mountainous, from the Himalayas to lower-lying foothills and some savannah. Climate: Alpine to temperate to subtropical with monsoon season from June to September.

AREA

46,500 sq. km. / 17,954 sq. miles

COMPARATIVE

slightly smaller than the combined area of Vermont and New Hampshire.

POPULATION

2,139,549

CAPITAL

Thimphu (population approximately 55,000)

LITERACY

42.2% (age 15+ and can read and write)

LANGUAGE

Official: Dzongkha
Other: Nepali (Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects) and Tibetan (Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects).

RELIGION

Lamaistic Buddhist - 75%
Hindu - 25%
Bhutan is the only official Buddhist kingdom in the world. The Bhutanese call their country Druk-yul, meaning “Land of the Thunder Dragon”. The Drukpa sect of Kagyupa Buddhism (a branch of Tibetan Buddhism) is the state religion.

POLITICS

Evolving from a monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. Bhutan became independent from India on August 8, 1949.

INCOME

Per capita income US$ 760 a year

CURRENCY

Ngultrum (Nu)

TIME ZONE

GMT/UTC +6