Full Country Name
The Kingdom of Bhutan

Area 38,394 sq km

Population
646,851 (2006 census)

Capital City
Thimpu (Population: 90,000)

Language
Dzongkha, English, Sharchop, Nepali etc

Religion
70% Buddhist, 25% Hindu, 5% others

Government
Democratic Constitutional Monarchy

King
His Majesty the fifth King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Prime Minister
Jigme Y. Thinley (First PM after becoming democratically elected government)

 

Time

Bhutan time is 6 hours ahead of GMT and there is only one time zone throughout the country.

Language

The national language is Dzongkha. English is widely spoken in major towns and is a medium of instruction in schools. Other widely spoken languages are: Nepali, Bumthap, Sharchop and Hindi. There are a host of local dialects spoken in small villages within the country.

Money

The unit of currency is called Ngultrum (Nu), which is equivalent to one Indian Rupee. The Indian rupee is also legal tender. Major convertible currencies and travelers' checks can be exchanged at banks in all major towns. Certain credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, & American Express) are accepted at a few larger hotels and some shops.
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Drinks

It is safer to drink bottled, boiled and filtered water. A reasonable variety of both hard and soft drinks are available in hotels, restaurants and shops in most towns. Many Bhutanese enjoy drinking traditional homemade alcoholic brews made from wheat, millet or rice.

Electricity

All towns in western Bhutan have a reliable power supply. Elsewhere, access is less consistent, and electricity is not available in many outlying areas of the country. The voltage supply is 220/240, the same as India. If you do bring electrical appliances, take along an international converter kit complete with a set of adapter plugs. The sockets are round.

Health

The main health risks are similar to other South Asian countries, namely diarrhea, respiratory infection or more unusual tropical infection. It is wise to have health insurance and although vaccinations are not mandatory, they are recommended. When trekking, there are also risks associated with altitude sickness and accident. In an event of health problems, there are basic hospital facilities in each district headquarters.

Safety

The current crime rate is extremely low, making Bhutan one of the safest places in the world. It is rare to feel insecure within the country.

Communications

All major towns have basic communication facilities, including post, telephone, fax and telegraph. Television and internet were introduced in 1999, and can be accessed from most towns and cities. Cell phones network are widely available in all major cities.

Shopping

The most popular tourist purchases are traditional Bhutanese arts and handicrafts. Produced by skilled artisans, these are generally of a high quality and include: Buddhist paintings, statues, textiles, jewelry, wooden bowls and carvings. Bhutan is not a consumer society and the variety of everyday goods available is not particularly large. Bhutan is also popular for its exquisite postage stamps.

Weather/Climate

The central valleys of Punakha, Wangdiphodrang, Mongar, Trashigang and Lhunsthi enjoy a semi tropical climate with very cool winters, while Thimphu, Paro, Tongsa and Bumthang have pleasant summer, cold winters with monsoon rains, mainly from June-August. At the end of September, after the last big rainfall, autumn suddenly arrives and it is a magnificent season for trekking until November. Winter in Bhutan starts towards the end of November through February. At this time of the year, the climate is dry with daytime temperatures sometimes falling below zero Celsius. The southern part of Bhutan is tropical and in general the east of Bhutan is warmer than the west of the country.
More information and links about weather - climate conditions >>

 

National Symbols of Bhutan

Find out more about national symbols: Flag, national anthem, emblem, national animal, bird, flower, tree, national sport - archery etc.
More information about National Symbols of Bhutan >>

 

Archery - The National Sport

Since time immemorial Bhutanese have been passionate about their national sport  Dha (archery). Competitions are normally colorful and full of excitement, with two teams in traditional dress shooting at small wooden targets placed 140 meters apart (Olympic standard is 50m).
More about Archery >>

Traditional Medicine

One of the ancient names for Bhutan was Menjong 'the Land of Medicinal Herbs'. The Himalayan Buddhist system of medicine is called So-ba Rig-pa and is practiced in many countries today. Because it originally developed in ancient Tibet, it is commonly known as Tibetan medicine.
More about Traditional Medicine in Bhutan >>

Bhutan's Nature, Wildlife, National Parks, Birds & more

Nowhere in the Himalayas is the natural environment more rich and diverse than it is Bhutan. One of Bhutan’s ancient names by the Tibetan neighbors was Menjong Yul, meaning ‘the land of Medicinal Herbs’ and so rightfully. Even today, natural environment is mostly in undisturbed and pristine form. The ecosystem in Bhutan is diverse because of its location, great geographical and climatic variations. Bhutan’s high, rugged mountains and deep valleys are rich with spectacular biodiversity, making one of the world’s ten most important biodiversity ‘hotspots’. 
Read more about Bhutan's Environment,  National Parks, Flora & Fauna >>