Bhutan at a glance

Total Area
 38 thousand sq. km

Population
790k

Languages
 3 major languages and
at least 19 indigenous languages

Four performers wearing colorful traditional costumes and masks, celebrating at a cultural festival with a large audience watching in the background.

Facts about Bhutan

  • The total area is about 38 thousand sq. km. and the total population is approximately 790 thousand.

  • Bhutanese people love spicy food.  Chili is considered an important part of the food to the point that most Bhutanese people would not enjoy food that is not spicy.

  • Bhutan believes that “Gross National Happiness holds more importance than “Gross National Product”.  This was instilled by the monarchy of the country over time.

  • Dzongkha is the national language of Bhutan. It is written using the Tibetan script. Nepali and Tshangla are also widely spoken.

  • The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a famous natural wildlife destination.

A brown animal with small black horns walking through a field of blue flowers with trees in the background.

  • The current Prime Minister is Tshering Tobgay, who served from 2013 to 2018 and was recently re-elected in 2024.

  • The country has progressed from a Hereditary Monarchy to a Parliamentary Democracy, and in 2008, Bhutan held its first elections.

  • Other Notable Facts:

    • Carbon Negative: Bhutan's vast forests absorb more carbon dioxide than the country emits, making it a carbon-negative nation.

    • Limited Tourism: Bhutan maintains a high-value, low-impact tourism model.

    • National Dress: Bhutanese citizens widely wear traditional attire in public spaces. The law requiring dress code was formalized in 1989 but the practices dates further back.

    • Archery: Archery is considered the national sport of Bhutan, and they even have an Olympic team. Bhutanese archers shoot at twice the distance of Olympic target requirements.

    • Free Education and Healthcare: Bhutan provides free education and healthcare to all its citizens. 

    • The national animal is the takin and the flower is a blue poppy

Colorful prayer flags hanging in front of a snow-capped mountain under a blue sky.
A large outdoor celebration with a colorful traditional dance performance. A performer in a vibrant yellow costume with an elaborate mask is dancing, surrounded by a crowd of people taking photos and playing drums on a bright, sunny day. Flower petals are scattered on the ground.
The domes and minarets of a historic Islamic mosque with white marble domes and red sandstone minarets against a pale sky.