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Area and Population The
Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan
lies along the lofty ridges of the eastern
Himalayas, bordered by China (Tibet) to the north and northwest, and by the Indian
states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal and Sikkim on the east, south
and west respectively. Bhutan is a small mountainous country approximately 300km
long and 150km wide with an area of 38,394 square kilometers. Bhutan is comparable
to Switzerland both in its size and topography. The Altitude ranges from 160meters
in the southern foothills to 7541 meters high in the northern high mountains.
With a population of 650,000 (October 2005) Bhutan
is one of the sparsely populated counties in the world. Bhutanese
People Bhutanese
people are friendly and hospitable people.The large mojority of them are a homo-geneous
group divided linguistically into three broad sub-groups.These are Sarchops, Ngalong
and Lhotshampa. Besides, there are a number of smaller groups, many with their
own language which form about 1 % of the population.Some of these groups are:Bumthap
in Bumthag, Tsa ngho in
the east, Layapas in the north-west, Brokpas in the north-east and the Doyas in
the south-west of Bhutan. Bhutanese
Culture and Tradition The traditional
dress for men is the gho, a knee-length robe tied at the waist by a cloth belt
known as the kera. Women wear an ankle-length dress, the kira, which is clipped
at one shoulder and tied at the waist.An accompaniment to the kira is a long-sleeved
blouse, which is worn underneath the outer layer.Social status and class determine
the texture, colors, and decorations that embellish the garments. Scarves and
shawls are also indicators of social standings, as Bhutan
has traditionally been a feudal society.
One of the main attractions of the kingdom is its annual religious
festivals, the tsechus celebrated to
honor Guru Padmasambhava (more commonly referred to as "Guru Rinpoche"). For local
people, tsechus are an occasion for reverence
and blessing, feasting and socializing. Two of the most popular tsechus are held
at Paro
and Thimphu,
in spring and autumn respectively, but others are held all the year round at temples,
dzongs and monasteries throughout the country. Attendance at one of these religious
events provides an opportunity for the outsider to experience the extraordinary.
Bhutanese
Arts and Architecture The
most striking physical features of Bhutan
is its architecture. The characteristic style and color of every building and
house in the kingdom is a distinct source of aesthetic pleasure.
The dzongs -
themselves imposing 17th century structures built on a grand scale without the
help of any drawings and constructed entirely without nails - are outstanding
examples of the best in Bhutanese architecture.
Patterns of rich colors adorn walls, beams, pillars and doors in traditional splendor.
As with its architecture, art and painting are important aspects of Bhutanese
culture and they bear testimony to the
spiritual depth of Bhutanese life. Sports The
national sport is archery.Other traditional sports include digor-a kind of shotput,
darts and wrestling. The international sports, such as soccer, basketball, volleyball,
tennis, and table tennis are becoming popular. Food The
main staple diet is rice but buck -wheat, wheat, maize, millets are also taken
as staple food. Bhutaneses eat pork, chicken, beef, yak meet, cheese and chillies
which are taken as a vegetable not as a spice. Flora
and Fauna Known for its rich flora
and fauna, Bhutan harbours many of the
endangered species and rare medicinal plants in its rich bio-diversity. For its
size, Bhutan probably has the greatest bio-diversity of any country in Asia, and
it is for these reasons that Bhutan has been declared as one of the world's ten
most important bio-diversity hotspots.Bhutan has an extensive forest cover of
72.5% currently including 26.23% as protected areas and largely intact natural
resource base. Economy Agriculture
and livestock raising are the mainstay of the economy.They contribute about 45%
to the GNP.Agriculture is still the main source of livelihood for about 89 % of
people living in the rural areas of Bhutan.
About 62% of women are involved in agriculture and their contribution is substantial.
The farms are mostly narrow pieces of land cut into terraces on hill slopes. Forestry
contributes 15 % to the Gross National Product (GNP) and industry and mining 10%. Related
Links History
of Bhutan Political
Systems in Bhutan Monarchy
of Bhutan Tiger's
Nest Monastery
Access
Bhutan Tours & Treks
(Bhutan
Tour & Travel Company)
P.O
Box 993 Yangchenphug, Thimphu, Kingdom of Bhutan
Tel::
+975-17110720, 17140616 & 17111489::Fax::+975-2-321263 Email::accessbhutan@gmail.com
& bhutantript1@gmail.com
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