Bhutan

Thimphu serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Bhutan, positioned in Southern Asia. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Phuntsholing, Paro — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Thimphu is one of the world's few capitals with no traffic lights — roundabouts manage flow, and the one occasion a traffic light was installed it was removed following citizen complaints that it felt impersonal — and the city's architecture is governed by a law requiring all new buildings to incorporate traditional Bhutanese dzong design elements.

With a population of approximately 760,000, Bhutan is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is Dzongkha, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, Bhutan is reached via the dialling code +975. Bhutan measures national success through Gross National Happiness — a development philosophy formalised by King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in the 1970s that balances economic growth against cultural preservation, environmental sustainability and good governance — an approach that the UN has studied but no other country has formally adopted as constitutional policy.

Bhutan spans 38,394 km², in the Southern Asia subregion of Asia. Geographically centred around 27.5°N, 90.5°E, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the left-hand rule, in line with surrounding Asia convention.

The official currency is the Bhutanese ngultrum (Nu.), Indian rupee (₹), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Bhutan's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC+06:00, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.

Archery holds a special place in the heart of Bhutan's national identity. Archery is Bhutan's national sport and differs from Olympic archery in every social dimension — bouts are community events involving singing, dancing and deliberate distraction of opponents by teammates standing near the target, and the traditional bamboo bow has been largely replaced by compound bows while the ceremonial format remains unchanged.

The highest point in Bhutan is Gangkhar Puensum, rising to 7,570 metres above sea level. Bhutan has constitutionally mandated that a minimum of 60 percent of its land area must remain under forest cover in perpetuity — currently over 70 percent is forested — and the country is carbon negative, absorbing three times more CO2 than it produces, making it the only country where the ecological constraint is written into the founding law.