Bhutan
Population: 708,427
Official Language: Dzongkha
Bhutan, officially known as Kingdom of Bhutan, is a tiny, remote and impoverished kingdom nestling in the Himalayas between its powerful neighbours, India and China. The landscape consists of a succession of lofty and rugged mountains and deep valleys. The perpetually snow-covered Great Himalayas are uninhabited, except for some Buddhist monks in scattered monasteries.
Almost completely cut off for centuries, it has let in some aspects of the outside world while fiercely guarding its ancient traditions. The Bhutanese name for Bhutan, Druk Yul, means “Land of the Thunder Dragon” and it only began to open up to outsiders in the 1970s. Bhutan’s ancient Buddhist culture and breathtaking scenery make it a natural tourist attraction.
