Bhutan

more...

Home
Africa
Asia
Albania
Austria
Belgium & Colonies
Bhutan
Bulgaria
China
Collections/ Mixture
Croatia
Czechoslovakia
Denmark/ Faroe Is
Estonia/ Latvia/ Lithuania
Europe
Finland
France & Colonies
Germany & Colonies
Greece
Greenland
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Italy & Area
Japan
Korea
Laos
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Monaco
Mongolia
Nepal
Netherlands & Colonies
Norway
Other Asian Stamps
Other European Stamps
Philippines
Poland
Portugal & Colonies
Romania
Russia & Area
Spain & Colonies
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Vietnam
Yugoslavia
Commonwealth/ British...
Great Britain
Ireland
Latin America
Middle East
Philately/ Postal History
Rest of the World
Thematics
United States

The Kingdom of Bhutan (also Bootan) (IPA: Listen (help·info)) is a landlocked South Asian nation situated between India and People's Republic of China. The entire country is mountainous except for an 8-10 mile (13-16 km) wide strip of subtropical plains in the extreme south which is intersected by valleys known as the Duars. The elevation gain from the subtropical plains to the glacier-covered Himalayan heights exceeds 23,000 feet (7,000 m). Its traditional economy is based on forestry, animal husbandry and subsistence agriculture however these account for less than 50% of a GDP now that Bhutan has become an exporter of hydroelectricity. Cash crops, tourism, and development aid (the latter mostly from India) are also significant. An extensive census done in April, 2006 resulted in a population figure of 672,425. Thimphu is the capital and largest city.

Bhutan is one of the most isolated nations in the world; foreign influences and tourism are regulated by the government to preserve its traditional Tibetan Buddhist culture. Most Bhutanese follow either the Drukpa Kagyu or the Nyingmapa school of Tibetan Buddhism. The official language is Dzongkha (lit. "the language of the dzong"). Bhutan is often described as the last surviving refuge of traditional Himalayan Buddhist culture.

Bhutan is linked historically and culturally with its northern neighbor Tibet. Yet politically and economically today's kingdom has drawn much closer to India.

Bhutan has been a monarchy since 1907. The different dzongkhags were united under the leadership of the Trongsa Penlop. The current king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, has made some moves toward constitutional government.

Name

'Bhutan' may be derived from the Sanskrit word 'Bhu-Uttan' which means 'High Land'. In another theory of sanskritisation, 'Bhots-ant' means 'end of Tibet' or 'south of Tibet'. However some Bhutanese call their country 'Druk Yul' and its inhabitants 'Drukpa'. The Dzongkha (and Tibetan) name for the country is 'Druk Yul' (Land of the Dragon). Because of the serenity and the virginity of the country and its landscapes, Bhutan today is sometimes referred to as the Last Shangri-La.

Historically, Bhutan was known by many names, such as 'Lho Mon' (Southern Land of Darkness), 'Lho Tsendenjong' (Southern Land of the Sandalwood), 'Lhomen Khazhi' (Southern Land of Four Approaches), and 'Lho Men Jong' (Southern Land of Medicinal Herbs).

Read more at Wikipedia.org