If you’re living in the Western part of the world, you probably don’t know much about Bhutan. It’s a tiny Asian country tucked away between India and China. With television and internet only legal in the country since 1999, much of its culture has been hidden from the world until now.
1. “The world has few secrets left, but Bhutan is one of them,” said author Kartie Hickman.
“This is why I went there. Isolated from the outside for three centuries, this forbidden Kingdom in the Himalayas provides the setting for a bewitching adventure amongst widely varying peoples and terrain.”
2. Now, as the culture of Bhutan becomes more widely known, people are realizing just how interesting it is.
Here’s the most amazing thing about the country, something that makes it totally unique. Its homeless population is 0.
That’s right, Bhutan has no homelessness. It also has free healthcare for all its citizens. It also has an official government department, The Gross National Happiness Committee, that checks in on its residents’ mental health.
3. How does Bhutan ensure that none of its citizens have no home?
It’s simple. If someone loses their home, all they need to do is have a meeting with the king. He gives them their own property to build a house and grow food.
Equality is also extremely important in Bhutan. Women are held in great esteem, and inheritance laws prove it. By law, the land, animals, and possessions go to the eldest daughter of a family, not the eldest son.
4. The country is also extremely environmentally conscious.
The vast majority of its citizens practice Buddhism, which involves being aware of plants and animals. In 2015, the country broke a world record when a group planted 50,000 in a single hour. There is a nationwide conscious effort to plant trees.
The love of nature also features into the country’s diet. Vegetarianism is common. A Bhutanese diet usually centers around tea, vegetables, and red rice.
5. It’s concerned about the health of its citizens, too.
Tobacco and tobacco products are not grown, produced, or sold in the country. Tourists who want to bring any smoking material in the country are required to pay a fine.
It’s a country that is deeply concerned about its citizens’ mental and physical well-being. It’s also country unique in the world — for more reasons than one.
“The Bhutanese have no desire for cultural assimilation,” said French ethnohistorian Francoise Pommaret. “They are different and intend to remain so.”
6. If you are interested in traveling to Bhutan, you might have a difficult time crossing the border.
While many countries depend on tourism to boost their economy, Bhutan’s government restricts the practice. Tourists may visit, but are limited to certain parts of the country. You must also travel under the direction of a guide and only in a group. However, these strict rules may be worth it to get a glimpse of a country that was shrouded in mystery for so many years.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
