Natural environment of Bhutan
In brief
Nowhere in the Himalayas is the natural heritage more rich and varied than in Bhutan. In historical records, Bhutan was called the ‘Valley of Medicinal Herbs’, a name that still applies to this day. About 72.5 per cent of the country’s area is under forest cover.
The Geographical Background
Situated along the southern slopes of the great Himalayan range between 26º5’ and 28º5’ North latitude and 88º and 92º East longitude, the kingdom of Bhutan, with an area of 18,000 square miles and a population of about 1.2 million, lies like a picturesque fairyland between China to the north and India to the south, east and west.
Flora
An astonishing array of plants grow in Bhutan: over 5400 species, including 300 species of medicinal plants and over 50 species of rhododendrons. Of the more than 600 species of orchid, most are commonly found up to 2,100m, although some hardy species thrive even above 3,700m.
Fauna
Because of its unique setting and relatively un-exploited environment, Bhutan probably possesses the greatest biological diversity of any country of its size in Asia. It certainly contains some of the best remaining representatives of habitat types found in the Himalayas.
Flowers of Bhutan
Western and Central Bhutan are the best areas to see this region's incredibly rich variety of alpine flora.
White-bellied Heron in Bhutan
Bhutan is a home to one of the most endangered bird species in the world, the White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis) according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature ( RSPN-Bhutan ).
