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 The
Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan lies along the lofty ridges of the eastern
Himalayas. The country forms a giant staircase, from a narrow strip of
land in the south to some of the highest unclimbed Himalayan peaks on
earth. With an area of 46,500 square kilometers, Bhutan is comparable to
Switzerland both in its size and topography, being largely mountainous.
It was the mighty Himalayas which protected Bhutan from the rest of the
world and left the Kingdom blissfully untouched.
With a relatively small population of 6,50,000, people in Bhutan enjoy a
sustainable lifestyle which they inherited from their forefathers. About
85% population of country still live in small villages sparsely
scattered over rugged mountain land. Buddhism, prevalent in the country
since the 7th century and continues to play important role in their
peaceful lives.
For centuries, Bhutanese have treasured the natural environment and have
looked upon it as the source of all life. This traditional reverence for
nature has delivered Bhutan into the 21st century with an environment
still richly intact. More than 72% of the land area is still under
forest cover. The country has been identified as one of the ten
bio-diversity hot spots in he world and as one of the 221 global endemic
bird areas. Its Eco-system harbors some of the most exotic species of
the eastern Himalayas with an estimated 770 species of birds and 50
species of rhododendrons, besides an astonishing variety of medicinal
plants and orchids. Many parts of the country which have been declared
as wildlife reserves, are the natural habitat of rare species of both
flora and fauna .During the second half of the 20th century , Bhutan has
seen its isolation steadily eroded by the inexorable forces of progress
and development. Until then it was a country shrouded in mystery,
untainted by any foreign influence. Although its seclusion prevented the
Kingdom from fully benefiting from many developments of the modern world
but it also shielded the country from many of the detrimental side
affects of unplanned or haphazard development. As a result, while most
of the Himalayan region has seen its natural resource base severely
compromised through deforestation, soil degradation, erosion and
pollution, while Bhutan’s natural patrimony of extensive and varied
forests, limited yet fertile and productive farmland, and pristine water
and air remains largely intact.
 Druk
Yul or the ‘Land of Thunder Dragon’, the country as called by Bhutanese
is a land replete with myths and legends. The mountains are magnificent,
the forest are dense, the people are delightful, the air is pure, the
architecture inspiring, the religion exciting and the art superb. Like
timeless images from the past, the traveler encounters the full glory of
this ancient land through its strategic fortresses known as Dzongs,
numerous ancient temples, monasteries and stupas which dot the
countryside, prayer flags which flutter along the high ridges, wild
animals which abound in dense forests, foamy white waterfalls which are
the ethereal showers, and the warm smile of its friendly people. Each
moment is special as one discovers a country which the people have chose
to preserve in its magical purity.
With its beautiful and largely unspoiled Himalayan setting, its rich
flora and fauna and its vibrant Buddhist culture, Bhutan has become an
increasingly popular destination for international tourists.
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