Kingdom of Bhutan

Druk-Yul

CAPITAL: Thimphu (Tashi Chho Dzong)

FLAG: The flag is divided diagonally into an orange-yellow field above and a crimson field below. In the center is a wingless white Chinese dragon.

ANTHEM: Gyelpo Tenjur, beginning "In the Thunder Dragon Kingdom, adorned with sandalwood."

MONETARY UNIT: The ngultrum (N) is a paper currency of 100 chetrum. There are coins of 5, 10, 25, and 50 chetrum and 1 ngultrum, and notes of 1, 5, 10, and 100 ngultrum. The ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee (R), which also circulates freely. N1 = $0.0213 (or $1 = N46.97) as of May 2003.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard, but some traditional units are still in common use.

HOLIDAYS: King's Birthday, 11–13 November; National Day, 17 December. Movable Buddhist holidays and festivals are observed.

TIME: 5:30 PM = noon GMT.

Location, Size, and Extent

Bhutan, a landlocked country in the Himalaya mountain range, has an area of 47,000 sq km (18,147 sq mi...