Hidden deep in the folds of the great Himalaya mountains for years, Bhutan developed its own civilisation. The population of about 700,000 people, living in close harmony with nature, evolved a unique identity, derived largely from a rich religious and cultural heritage.
Bhutan is becoming increasingly known for its pure practice of Mahayana Buddhism in the Tantric form, its untouched culture, its pristine ecology and wildlife, and the unparalleled scenic beauty of its majestic peaks and lush valleys. It is still, in many ways, a magical kingdom of the past.
Bhutan is one of the most isolated nations in the world; foreign influences and tourism are heavily regulated by the government to preserve its traditional Tibetan Buddhist culture. Most Bhutanese follow either the Drukpa Kagyu or the Nyingmapa school of Tibetan Buddhism. The official language is Dzongkha (lit. "the language of the dzong"). Bhutan is often described as the last surviving refuge of traditional Himalayan Buddhist culture. Non-Buddhists complain of human rights violations; approximately 100,000 ethnic Nepali (who are generally Hindu) left the country in the 1980s because they were unhappy with new government policies designed to reduce the growing illegal immigration from Nepal....
Places in Bhutan 
