The Kingdom of Bhutan is nuzzled in the eastern Himalayas, north of India and south of Tibet. Not only is it in the mountains, it is virtually all mountain. The country ranges in elevation from about 600 feet to 24,778 feet, and only 8% of the land is tillable. Flying in on the exclusive airline, Druk Air, is the only way for travelers to get there. It has a fleet consisiting of two 72-passenger airplanes and has the distinction of being the only airline to routinely fly over eight of the tallest peaks in the world. The word Druk means dragon. Druk Yul is what Bhutanese call their country, translated as the 'Land of the Thunder Dragon'. Bhutan is known as one of the top ten biodiversity hot spots in the world, with an estimated 165 mammal and 5500 plant species, 500 of which are considered medicinal. There are about 770 bird species. (In contrast, North America is reported to have about 800 species of birds, in a land mass more than 400 times larger than Bhutan.) Even a recent Smithsonian expedition was unable to disprove the presence of yeti. Instead they found hairs from a creature not recognizable to their DNA testing. Seventy-two percent of the Kingdom is covered with forests. A remarkable 26% of the entire country is protected by national parks and sanctuaries. Most of the giant peaks have never been explored by westerners and are considered home to the deities, so climbing them is not allowed. Bhutan is so protective of its environment that killing a black-necked crane means life imprisonment. Plastic bags are illegal. In many ways, Bhutan epitomizes both the dual qualities of protection and vulnerability. Nestled in the Himalayas, the country is virtually all mountain. The highest peaks are considered sacred, and have never been climbed by westerners. Some of the country has not been mapped. In part because of this inaccessibility, Bhutan has never been colonized. The only foreign invasions they've faced have been from their Tibetan neighbors to the north, and those wars have been fought with bows and arrows. Until recently, one village considered itself protected because it was surrounded with cactus. There were virtually no roads until the 1970s. Their rivers are neither dammed nor diverted. The king reports their most important product of the country is "gross national happiness." The king of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is respected both internationally and at home. In his 26-year reign he's been credited with opening Bhutan to the visitors for the first time. Bringing in travelers and trekkers is one thing, but delivering Bhutan to the 21st century is quite another. Bhutan's resources are as vulnerable as they are impressive. It has a population of about 650,000 people, most of whom are scattered in remote valleys narrowly wedged between high mountains. It measures 180 miles long and 100 miles wide, a land mass about one-fifth the size of Oregon. The majority of people live on subsistence farming with an average annual income of $510.00. Starting in2002 and for the first time ever, Bhutanese are required to pay income tax. Roads have been built within the last 20 years, and though they connect some regions, most of the country can only be reached by footpath. In order to be cautious with its capacity to absorb visitors, Bhutan's annual tourist count is about 7,000. Major earthquakes have been rocking the region, and scientists predict more to come. Perhaps even more threatening to Bhutan's well-being is the prophetic arrival of television two years ago. Wrestling is now reported to be very popular with the children. This worries the elders, but they also know that prohibiting television may be too heavy-handed. In Afghanistan, for example, it was the Taliban that banned TV in 1998. — HO You can contact Mrs. Tshering, Hob Osterlund's trekking planner at: lhayul@druknet.bt or visit their web site at http://www.lhayul.com |
