National Flag
The national flag was created in 1947 by Mayum Choying Wangmo
Dorji and modified in 1956 to take its final shape. The
Bhutanese flag is divided diagonally and depicts a white dragon
across the middle. The upper part of the flag is golden yellow,
representing the secular power of the king, while the lower part
is orange, symbolising the Buddhist religion. The dragon, whose
white colour is associated with purity, represents Bhutan. The
jewels held in its claws stand for the wealth and perfection of
the country.
Weather/Climate
The central valleys of Punakha, Wangdiphodrang, Mongar,
Trashigang and Lhunsthi enjoy a semi tropical climate with very
cool winters, while Thimphu, Paro, Tongsa and Bumthang have
pleasant summer, cold winters, with monsoon rains mainly from
June-August.
At the end of September, after the last of
the big rains, autumn suddenly arrives, and is a magnificent
season for trekking until November.
Winter in Bhutan starts from the end of
November until Febuary, and at this time of the year the climate
is dry, with daytime temperatures sometimes falling below zero
Celsius.
The southern part of Bhutan is tropical, and
in general the east of Bhutan is warmer than the west of the
country.
Time
Bhutan time is 6 hours ahead of GMT and there is only one time
zone throughout the country.
Language
The national language is Dzongkha. English is widely spoken in
major towns and is a medium of education in schools. Other
widely spoken languages are Nepali, Bumthap, Sharchop and Hindi.
There are a host of local dialects spoken in small pockets
within the country.
Full Country Name: Kingdom of Bhutan
Government: Monarchy
King: Dasho Jigme Kesar Namgyal Wangchuck
Prime Minister: Rotates every year among the cabinet
ministers
Capital City: Thimpu (Population: 40,000)
Population: 700,000 (approximately 1 million)
Area: 46,620 sq km (18,182 sq mi)
Religion: 70% Buddhist, 25% Hindu, 5% others
