Geography of Bhutan

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: 2.3%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 97.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:
400 sq km (2003)

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