Brief Information on
 Geography, Religion, Economy

Bhutan, a Satelite-View

The Kingdom of Bhutan is squeezed between India (Sikkim, Assam, Arunchal Pradesh) and China (Tibet), east of Nepal on the southern Himalayan slopes.
Comparable in size and shape with Switzerland it is only populated however by 700.000 inhabitants, 12% living in the capital Thimphu. Buddhism (mainly tantric Drukpa Kagyu) is the dominant religion (75%), the remaining 25% are mostly Hindu, imigrated from India.
 On the countryside people are still widely self-sufficient and with no train connections there is little industry. Tourism and
export of minerals, agricultural products and electricity from small hydropower plants to India and Bangladesh procures some foreign currency. Until into the 1960-ties there have been no public schools, hospitals, telephone or postal service, paved roads, neither a national currency, not to talk about foreign tourists.

Bhutan people call their country "Druk Yul", land of the thunder dragon. The name dates back to a 12th century legend, where Tsangpa Gyaren Yeshe Dorje, searching for a suitable spot for building a monastery, heard a thunderous growl, which he took as agreement of a dragon (druk).
The western term "Bhutan" may be derived from sanscrit "Bhot-ant" - the bottom of Tibet.  
The whole country is mountainous, starting at low hills in the south up to the 7.500m high Gangkhar Puensum bordering Tibet. Deep river valleys crease the landscape, guiding the wild waters from the Himalaya towards the Bramaputra stream.