Short facts instead of long texts

Bhutan in a nutshell

The most important information about Bhutan

Below you will find everything you need to know about Bhutan clearly summarized in a table. If something is not clear, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Location	On the southern slopes of the northeastern Himalayas between Tibet to the north and northwest, Sikkim to the west, West Bengal and Assam to the south and Arunachal Pradesh to the east.
Area	46,500 km²
Inhabitants	Ca. 730,000
Capital	Thimpu, 2,400 m.a.s.l.
Districts	20: Bumthang, Chukha, Dagana, Gasa, Haa, Lhuntse, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatshel, Punakha, Samdrup Jongkhar, Samtse, Sarpang, Thimphu, Trashigang, Trashiyangtse, Trongsa, Tsirang, Wangdue Phodrang, Zhemgang
Topography	Bhutan’s Himalayan mountains range from the fertile plains of the Brahmaputra Valley at 200 meters in the south to glaciated Himalayan peaks at over 7,500 meters. Bhutan’s highest mountain is Mt. Kulakangri (7,553 m) in the north. Also in Bhutan is the highest unclimbed mountain in the world, Mt. Ganthar Peunsum (7,541 m).
Vegetation	Alpine, forest-free vegetation from 4,000 meters, mixed and coniferous forests of the temperate zone (2,000-4,000 m) and subtropical forests from 200 to 2,000 meters. Forest covers 72% of the country.
Flora & Fauna	Bhutan is not only a country of great scenic charm, but is also home to a highly interesting flora and fauna. The fauna and flora are a colorful mixture of species that contain elements from the Indian subcontinent as well as Central Asia and Southeast Asia.
Climate	Tropical, subtropical, temperate and alpine zones. Monsoon rains in summer from July to August
Snow line	Approx. 5,000 m
Forest boundary	Approx. 3,900 m
Temperatures	Thimpu, 2,300 m: June trough September: 15° to 26°C.Summer: 13° to 28°C. January: -3° to +16°C. In between approx. 15° to 25°C
Precipitation	In the temperate zone: approx. 100 cm per year. In the south: over 700 cm per year The summer monsoon lasts from July to mid-September, with the heaviest rainfall expected in August.
Languages	The official language is Dzongkha, which is related to Tibetan and is spoken by around 75% of the population. The alphabet corresponds to Tibetan. Approx. 25% speak Nepali. English is also widely spoken and has been taught in schools since 1964. Due to the remoteness of many villages, 24 different dialects have been preserved. Sharchop Kha, the northern dialect, is the most widespread.
Alphabetization	Approx. 47% (34% women)
Religions	The state religion is Vajrayana Buddhism, a tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism to which around 75% of the population belong. The Nepalese immigrants who make up the majority of the population in the south are mostly followers of Hinduism (approx. 20%). There is also a small Muslim minority in the south.
Main economic sector Main exports	90% of the population lives from agriculture and animal husbandry: Maize, corn, tour, wheat, barley, buckwheat, millet and livestock, as well as electricity (hydroelectric power plants), cement, wood products, fruit and alcoholic beverages.
Journey	Flight to Kolkota or Delhi in India, Bangkok (Thailand) or Kathmandu (Nepal). With a connecting flight with the national airline Druk Air to Paro, Bhutan. It is possible to enter the country by land via Phuntsoling in the west of the country, via Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal or via Samdrup Jongkhar in the east of the country via Guwahati Airport in the Indian state of Assam. There are daily flights from Guwahati and Bagdogra to Kolkota and Delhi.
Souvenirs	Stamps, handwoven textiles, carved wooden masks, thangkhas (Buddhist images of saints), wooden bowls, handmade paper, jewelry. The purchase and sale of antiques is strictly prohibited.