buthanBhutan is a tiny, landlocked South Asian country located between China and India, at the eastern end of the Himalayas. Its population is about 740,000, and the name of the capital is Thimphu. This is most probably the only country in the world, which follows Gross National Happiness (GNH) instead of the universally followed Gross National Product (GNP) as a tool to measure a country’s progress. Bhutan is administratively divided into 20 districts (Dzongkhags). There are also urban municipalities (thromdes) and village blocks (geogs). The country’s economy is built around agriculture, forestry, tourism, and the export of hydroelectric power to the neighboring India.

Acknowledgements

  • Authored by M. Kalim Qamar (July 2013)
  • Edited by Burton E. Swanson