The Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked nation in the Himalaya Mountains, sandwiched between India and China in South Asia. The Bhutanese call their country Druk Yul (land of the thunder dragon). Historically Bhutan was known by many names, such as Lho Mon (southern land of darkness), Lho Tsendenjong (southern land of the Tsenden cypress), and Lhomen Khazhi (southern land of four approaches). The origins of the name Bhutan are unclear; historians have suggested that it may have originated in variations of the Sanskrit words Bhota-ant (the end of Bhot – another word for Tibet, which Bhutan is immediately south of), or Bhu-uttan (highlands). The word Bhutan as a name for the country dates from the late 19th century.

Bhutan is one of the most isolated and least developed nations in the world. Nonetheless, survey data from the country suggest it is also one of the happiest (see the section on the Economy). Foreign influences and tourism are heavily regulated by the government to preserve the country’s traditional culture and national identity. The landscape ranges from subtropical plains in the south to the Himalayan heights in the north, with some peaks exceeding seven thousand metres. Vajrayana Buddhism is the state religion and the population is predominantly Buddhist, with Hinduism being the second most dominant. Thimphu is the capital and largest city.