Bhutan has become smaller

Thimphu, December 29: After speculative debate over the size of the country for years, Bhutan has finally and formally squeezed to its size by less than a thousand square kilometers.

According to new details given by Office of the International Boundaries, Bhutan’s total geographical area is 38,394 sq km. Of this, 40 percent is protected corridors and protected lands.

The office said Bhutan’s total areas, as mentioned in various publications including the government’s official records, was never at 47,000 sq km. The office further said, it was the assumption before Bhutan signed the Sinchula treaty with British Indian in 1865. 

The protected area in the country is 11,502 sq km or 29.96 percent. It includes national park, conservation area, wildlife sanctuary, wildlife reserve, nature reserve, strict nature reserve, research forest, critical watershed and other areas declared as a Protected Area.

The detail has come into public at a time reports of Chinese intrusion in the north and government’s proposal to cede some part of the southern districts to India. Bhutan News Service