The Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan lies along the lofty ridges of the eastern Himalayas, bordering the Tibetan autonomous region of China in the North and India in the South. With an area of 38,394 sq. km, Bhutan is comparable to Switzerland both it its size and topography, being largely mountaineous. It was the mighty Himalayas that protected Bhutan from the rest of the world and left the Kingdom blissfully untouched. The Drukpa Kagyupa sect of Mahayana Buddhism provided the essence of a rich culture and fascinating history. The Bhutanese people protected this sacred heritage and unique identity for centuries by choosing to remain in a jealously guarded isolation.

With a relatively small population of about 7,00,000 people, the Bhutanese enjoy a sustainable lifestyle which they inherited from their forefathers. Majority of the population still live in small villages sparsely scattered over rugged mountain terrain. Buddhism, prevalent in the country since the 7th century, continues to play an important role in their peaceful lives.

For centuries the Bhutanese have treasured the natural environment, looking upon it as the source of all life. This traditional reverence for nature has brought Bhutan into the 21st century with a pristine environment. More than 72% of the land area is under forest cover. Bhutan is one of the ten bio-diversity hot spots in the world and one of the 221 global endemic bird areas. Its ecosystem harbors some of the most exotic species of the eastern Himalayas with an estimated 770 species of birds and 50 species of rhododendrons, besides an astonishing variety of medicinal plants and orchids. Many parts of the country which have been declared as wildlife reserves, are the natural habitat of rare species of both flora and fauna. Unlike other parts of the region, Bhutan’s natural patrimony of extensive and varies forests, limited yet fertile, productive farmlands and pristine water and air remain largely intact.