Until recently, the tiny Asian kingdom of Bhutan remained tucked away in total isolation from the rest of the world. That segregation helped to preserve its deep Buddhist traditions, the importance of the family and pristine landscapes. It’s also made it a fascinating country to study.

  1. One of 43 landlocked countries in the world, Bhutan is about half the size of the state of Indiana;
  2. Bhutanese prefer Happiness over WealthGross National Happiness as a measure of progress replacing the capitalistic Gross Domestic Product);
  3. The country was isolated from the world until the 70s;
  4. Bhutan has never been conquered;
  5. Bhutan is carbon negative;
  6. Bhutan is the first country in the world with specific constitutional obligations on its people to protect the environment;
  7. One-third of Bhutan’s population is under the age of 14; its median age is 22.3 years;
  8. Thimphu is one of just two capital cities in Asia that does not have a single traffic light (The other is Pyongyang, North Korea);
  9. Bhutan’s 72% Forest coverage;
  10. Bhutan is the only nation in the world where the sale of tobacco is banned;
  11. Bhutan has the craziest roads;
  12. Plastic bags are banned in Bhutan;
  13. The Bhutanese believe that ‘Phalluses’ protect from evil;
  14. No animal is killed in Bhutan;
  15. Bhutan time is 6 hours ahead of GMT and there is only one-time zone throughout the country; and,

The unit of currency is called Ngultrum (Nu), which is at par with Indian Rupee.