Bhutan, nestling in the heart of the great Himalaya, has for centuries remained aloof from the rest of the world. Since its doors were cautiously opened in 1974, visitors have been mesmerised: the environment is pristine, the scenery and architecture awesome and the people hospitable and charming. Despite the huge potential of its natural resources, Bhutan emerged as one of Asia's poorest countries, shunning the 'profit at all costs' mentality of the rest of the world. With one foot in the past and one in the future, it strolls confidently towards modernisation on its own terms. Warning It's a long, hard, winding slog to reach eastern Bhutan. To avoid the greying of hairs on the way back, many Bhutanese travel into India, cross the plains and re-enter Bhutan at Pheuntsholing. However, travel in Assam is seriously discouraged due to intense security problems posed by Indian separatist groups such as the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) who are seeking their own independent homeland. This route was closed to all foreigners except Indian travellers in late 2001. There is a highly visible Indian army presence in Assam. If you choose, or are forced by road closure, to travel through this area, take extreme caution. Do not take inspections lightly - the Indian army is under continuous attack and understandably jittery. Full country name: Kingdom of Bhutan Area: 47,000 sq km Population: 2.13 million People: Drukpas (Ngalops and Sharchops - 65%), indigenous or migrant tribes (15%), other Language: Tibetan, Dzongkha, Nepali Religion: Buddhist (75%), Hindu (25%) Government: monarchy Head of State: King (Druk Gyalpo) Jigme Singye Wangchuck GDP: US$2.3 billion GDP per capita: US$1,100 Annual Growth: 6.5% Inflation: 7.4% Major Industries: Cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, rice, corn, root crops, citrus, dairy products, eggs Major Trading Partners: India, Bangladesh, Japan, UK, Germany, USA Visas: Despite popular mythology, you don't need special 'pull' to get a visa, neither is there a limit on the number of tourists allowed to visit. However, to minimise the perceived threat to Bhutan's unique culture, the government has established a stringent set of rules, which means you must travel on a pre-arranged itinerary and pay around 165.00-200.00, depending on the time of year, a night for the privilege, all costs included. Apart from that, the process is relatively straightforward. All visa applications must be channelled through the Department of Tourism (DOT) from a selected tour operator. With notification of approval and receipt of full payment, visas are issued when you arrive in the country. It's actually an extremely efficient system and you can set up a trip with as little as 10 days planning. Health risks: altitude sickness, diarrhoea, hepatitis, malaria (lowland areas only) Time Zone: GMT/UTC +6 Dialling Code: 975 Electricity: 230V ,50Hz Weights & measures: Metric

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