Bhutan: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

Bhutan is a small kingdom high in the eastern Himalayas, between China and India. Its capital is Thimphu, and fewer than a million people live there, about 800,000. Bhutan is known for its snowy peaks, thick forests, Buddhist monasteries perched on mountainsides, and for measuring its success by Gross National Happiness, not only by money. It is one of the few countries in the world that is still ruled by a king, now alongside an elected parliament.

On My Earth Toy you can visit Paro Taktsang, often called the Tiger's Nest. This Buddhist monastery clings to a sheer cliff hundreds of metres above the Paro Valley, and visitors reach it by a steep hiking trail through pine forests.

Geography and nature

Bhutan climbs from warm, humid foothills near India in the south to icy Himalayan peaks over 7,000 metres in the north. Gangkhar Puensum is often called the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. Forests cover more than two-thirds of the country, and its constitution says at least 60 percent must always stay forested. Tigers, red pandas, snow leopards, golden langurs and the takin, the national animal, all live here.

People, languages and culture

The national language is Dzongkha, and English is used in schools. Most people follow Vajrayana Buddhism, and colourful prayer flags flutter on hills and bridges. Bhutanese people often wear national dress, the gho for men and the kira for women. Archery is the national sport. Ema datshi, a spicy dish of chillies and cheese, is the best-known food. Festivals called tshechus feature masked dances in monastery courtyards.

History in a nutshell

In the 1600s a Tibetan lama, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, unified Bhutan and built many great fortress-monasteries called dzongs. The Wangchuck family became the royal family in 1907. For a long time Bhutan kept itself apart from the world; television and the internet only arrived in 1999. In 2008 Bhutan held its first national elections and became a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament.