Bhutan
By: Lauren Frank
Basic Information
Capital- Thimpu
Population- 90,000 peopleLanguage- Dzonghka- official, English- secondary language
Leader- King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Government- Constitutional monarchy
Mountains of Bhutan
Tropical Jungles of Bhutan
Forests in Bhutan
Geography
Bhutan is a landlocked country between, India and China, it is slightly smaller than Switzerland, but about half the size of Indiana.
Mountains
Bhutan has many different mountains in the borders, for example, Gnaghar Puensum is the highest point in Bhutan, reaching at just over 24,000 ft, also Bhutan controls important places in the Himalayas. Bhutanese people treat the Himalayas with respect, for they are sacred to their religion.
Land Forms
Bhutan is home to many different kinds of land forms, including, mountains, forests, and tropical jungles More than 70% of Bhutan is covered in forests and tropical jungles. The southern part of Bhutan is made up of tropical forests and grasslands, with river valleys and sprawling forests. Many various endangered creatures make their homes in Bhutan, like the red panda, the snow leopard, the takin, and the golden langur.
Climate
The climate varies as much as the landscape in Bhutan. In the mountains, monsoons regularly bring heavy amounts of rain, high winds, flash floods, and landslides, from June to September, snow falls year round in the mountains also. The tropical south is usually hot and humid, while the central and western regions are mild and dry, with cold winters and hot summers.
Sports and Entertainment
Archery
Datse, which is archery in Dzonghka, is a culturally distinctive because it is a martial arts practiced among among a modern group of people in Bhutan. Bhutanese people find archery most interesting, in the fact that it is both fun and gets people active.
Darts
Khuru, which is darts in Dzonghka, is a traditional Bhutanese sport. Which involves teams of 8 to 12 people, no maximum for number of teams. The darts are wooden sticks approximately 20 cm long with a sharp point at the end, and a bone, wood, or metal collar surrounding the middle 6 cm, to act as a handle or grip.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game, somewhat like baseball. One team the designated batting team, attempts to score as many runs as possible. At the start of each game two batsmen and eleven fielders enter the field of play. The play begins when the designated member of the fielding team, known as the bowler, delivers the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, towards a set of wooden stumps, which stand at the batsmen, known as the striker. The bowler's intention to both prevent the scoring of runs and to dismiss the batsmen.
Economy and Society
Travel
Most Bhutanese walk wherever they can, in the countryside. The government is working on roads, but there are problems with rugged landscape and frequent rainfalls that make it difficult. Most families have cars, but use buses, bikes, and taxis to travel far distances. Policemen direct traffic, because stop lights are not allowed in Bhutan. Bhutan has no railways, but there is an underground train that goes through India.
Tourism
Only a small amount of people are allowed into the country, to keep out influences that would affect Bhutan's people or culture. Tourism is a large part of Bhutan's economy. Places to see in Bhutan include; Thimpu- the capital, Laya- backpacking and hiking, Paro- architecture and buildings, and Royal Manas National Park- butterflies, tigers, parks, and nature.
Bibliography
"Archery in Bhutan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 12 May 2016.
"Bhutan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 10 May 2016.
Cooper, Robert. Bhutan. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2001. Print.
Forests in Bhutan. Digital image. Bhutan National History. Web. 11 May 2016.
"Khuru (sport)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 12 May 2016.
Map of Bhutan. Digital image. Atlas.com. Web. 7 May 2016.
Mountains of Bhutan. Digital image. Little Bhutan. Web. 11 May 2016.
The Official Flag of Bhutan. Digital image. Wikipedia. Web. 7 May 2016.
"Subscriber Area Only." CultureGrams Online Database: Subscriber Area Only. Web. 06 May 2016.
Tropical Jungles. Digital image. Mongabay. Web. 11 May 2016.