Eastern
Himalayas
Landlocked
between China in the north and India in
the south, east and west, Bhutan is a
small country with an area of 46,500 square
kilometers. Its geography is characteristic
of the Eastern Himalayas with elevation
ranging from 150 meters above sea level
in the south to more than 7,300 meters
in the north.
Bhutan
is divided into three zones. The southern
zone is characteristic of low foothills
and dense tropical forests. With an average
temperature of 20 degrees centigrade,
this region is hot and humid. The central
zone is situated between 2000 and 3500
meters. While the climate in the lower
valleys is semi-tropical, most of the
region is alpine with a monsoon. The central
zone is divided into three regions: Western
Bhutan, Central Bhutan, and Eastern Bhutan.
The northern zone stretches from west
to east between 6800 meters to 7400 meters,
forming part of the Great Himalayas.
RELIGION
Buddhism is practiced throughout the country
and the majority of the Bhutanese are
Buddhist. Hinduism is practiced particularly
in Southern Bhutan among the Bhutanese
of Nepali origin.
As
practiced by the Southern Bhutanese, Hindu
religion has many common saints and divinities
with Vijrayana Buddhism, the school of
religion prevalent in Bhutan. The main
protective deity of the country, Yeshey
Gonpo or Mahakala, is a Tantric Buddhist
form of Hindu God Shiva and often appears
in the form of a raven.
Prior
to the advent of Buddhism, various forms
of animistic religions including Bon were
followed in Bhutan. In some parts of the
country these traditions and rituals are
still practiced by minority groups.
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Bhutan
Rainfall
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Bhutan
Temperature
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