Bhutan is located towards the eastern extreme of the Himalayan range, between China on the north and Indian on the south. A small landlocked country, its total area is 46,500 sq.kms divided into 20 districts and 205 village blocks, which are further divided into numerous municipalities. The entire country is mountainous, and ranges in elevation from 100m along the Indian border to the 7,554m Kulha Gangri Peak on the Tibetan border, thus forming a landscape which stretches from sub-tropical to arctic like conditions. Physically, Bhutan can be separated into three geographic regions- the great Himalaya, the inner Himalaya, and the Southern foothills. The great Himalayan region extends from Mt Chomolhari in the west to Kulha Gangri and is dominated by the mountains. Almost 20 percent of the land in the region is under perpetual snow. Extreme weather, high winds are some of the features of the region. The largest geographic region of Bhutan, the inner Himalaya ranges from 1,100 m to 3,000 m in elevation. All the major towns of Bhutan such as Thimpu, Paro, and Punakha are situated in this region. The southern- most part of the country is rich in vegetation, particularly tropical forests. This region is largely agricultural and rice is the major crop produced.
Bhutan is top countries with the most intact ecosystems in the world. Over fifty-five hundred varieties of plant, more than seven hundred seventy species of avifauna and more than 165 species of mammals are known to exist in the country.
