Bhutan Geography

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Land use: arable land: 3.09% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.48% (2001)

Irrigated land: 400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season

Environment - current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes



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Areas in Bhutan: Bumthang | Gasa | Lhuentse | Lobesa | Mongar | Paro | Phobjika Valley | Punakha | Samtse | Thimphu | Trashigang | Trashiyangtse | Trongsa | Wangdue {#[blogfeed]#}{#[photos]#}