Bhutan

mountain kingdom · Buddhism · South Asia · democracy

Himalayan hideaway. Bhutan sits high in the Eastern Himalayas, squeezed between giant China to the north and India to the south. It's a small, mountainous country that stayed isolated from the rest of the world for centuries.

King and democracy. Bhutan has a King as the head of state and a prime minister who runs the government, making it a constitutional monarchy. The country switched to democracy in 2008, letting ordinary people vote and have a say in how things are run.

Buddhist nation. Almost everyone in Bhutan practices Vajrayana Buddhism, a beautiful form of Buddhism that shapes how people live and think. The Je Khenpo, a spiritual leader, is the head of this religion and is deeply respected.

Tiny but mighty. With only about 800,000 people spread across 38,394 square kilometers, Bhutan is one of the least crowded countries in Asia. It's small enough that you could drive across it in a day, but mighty in its unique culture and values.

Green and pristine. Bhutan has worked hard to protect its forests and mountains, making it one of the most unspoiled places on Earth. The government even measures how happy its people are instead of just how much money they make.