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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 .
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. |
