Bhutan lies in the eastern Himalayas, between Tibet to the north, the Indian territories of Assam and West Bengal to the south and east, and Sikkim to the west. Bhutan is a tiny country having a total land area of about 47,00 square KM. Bhutan is located in the heart of the high Himalayas. Bhutan is a land-locked country like Nepal surrounded by mountains. The sparsely populated Greater Himalayas, bounded as formidable wall to the north by the Tibetan plateau, reach heights of over 7,300 meters (23,950ft.), and extend southward sloping down to form the fertile valleys of the Lesser Himalayas divided by the Wang, Sunkosh, Trongsa and Manas Rivers. Monsoon influences promote dense forestation in this region and alpine growth at higher altitudes.The cultivated central uplands and Himalayan foothills support the majority of the population. In the south, the Duars (the gates or doors; the traditional 18 points of access into Bhutan from the Indian plain.) drop sharply away from the Himalayas into the large tracts of semi-tropical forest, savannah grassland and bamboo jungles. Bhutan remained a hidden Kingdom as a kingdom of choice to visit for many years. Today, it has opened its door to visitors, and a small number of people are welcomed to explore the Kingdom.