"of the name Bhutan, which came into common foreign use in the late 19th century and is used in Bhutan only in English-language official correspondence. The traditional name of the country since the 17th century has been Drukyul—country of the Drukpa, the Dragon people, or the Land of the Thunder Dragon, a reference to the country's dominant Buddhist sect. Some scholars believe that during the early historical period the inhabitants were fierce mountain aborigines, the Monpa, who were of neither the Tibetan or Mongol stock that later overran northern Bhutan. The people of Monyul practiced a shamanistic religion, which emphasized"
"Laos Laos (, ; , ""Lāo"" ), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (; ), commonly referred to by its colloquial name of Muang Lao (Lao: ເມືອງລາວ, ""Muang Lao""), is a socialist state and the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia at the heart of the Indochinese peninsula, bordered by Myanmar (Burma) and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southwest, and Thailand to the west and southwest. Present-day Laos traces its historic and cultural identity to the kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Khao (Kingdom of a Million Elephants Under the White Parasol), which existed for"
"Mongolia Mongolia (; ""Monggol Ulus"" in Mongolian; in Mongolian Cyrillic) is a landlocked country in East Asia. Its area is roughly equivalent with the historical territory of Outer Mongolia, and that term is sometimes used to refer to the current state. It is sandwiched between China to the south and Russia to the north. Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, although only separates them. At , Mongolia is the 18th-largest and the most sparsely populated unitary sovereign state in the world, with a population of around 3 million people. It is also the world's second-largest landlocked country behind"
"Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, , , , ), officially also the Republic of Uzbekistan () (), is a landlocked country—the only doubly landlocked one (i.e. surrounded solely by other landlocked countries)—in Central Asia and one of only two anywhere in the world. The sovereign state is a secular, unitary constitutional republic, comprising 12 provinces, one autonomous republic, and a capital city. Uzbekistan is bordered by five landlocked countries: Kazakhstan to the north; Kyrgyzstan to the northeast; Tajikistan to the southeast; Afghanistan to the south; and Turkmenistan to the southwest. What is now Uzbekistan was in ancient times part of the Iranian-speaking"
"traveler Мөнхбаярт Батсайхан (Munkhbayart Batsaikhan), to compete with their birds. The Ice Festival and the Thousand Camel Festival are amongst many other traditional Mongolian festivals. Mongolia Mongolia (; ""Monggol Ulus"" in Mongolian; in Mongolian Cyrillic) is a landlocked country in East Asia. Its area is roughly equivalent with the historical territory of Outer Mongolia, and that term is sometimes used to refer to the current state. It is sandwiched between China to the south and Russia to the north. Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, although only separates them. At , Mongolia is the 18th-largest and the most"
"Dragon Boat Festival. Taiwan Taiwan (, ), officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a state in East Asia. Its neighbors include the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the west, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south. It is the most populous state and largest economy that is not a member of the United Nations. The island of Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa, was inhabited by aborigines before the 17th century, when Dutch and Spanish colonies opened the island to mass Han immigration. After a brief rule by the Kingdom of Tungning, the island was annexed"
"sect. As the sect became more popular, it set up monasteries in what is now Bhutan, with the result that the area became known as Dug Yul, or Land of Thunder, among both Tibetans and Bhutanese. Druk The Druk (, ) is the ""Thunder Dragon"" of Tibetan and Bhutanese mythology and a Bhutanese national symbol. A druk appears on the flag of Bhutan, holding jewels to represent wealth. In Dzongkha, Bhutan is called ""Druk Yul"" ""Land of Druk"", and Bhutanese leaders are called Druk Gyalpo, ""Thunder Dragon Kings"". During the Bhutanese mock election in 2007, all four mock parties were"
"Kazakhstan Kazakhstan (, ; ), officially the Republic of Kazakhstan (; ), is the world's largest landlocked country, and the ninth largest in the world, with an area of . It is a transcontinental country largely located in Asia; the most western parts are located in Europe. Kazakhstan is the dominant nation of Central Asia economically, generating 60% of the region's GDP, primarily through its oil/gas industry. It also has vast mineral resources. Kazakhstan is officially a democratic, secular, unitary, constitutional republic with a diverse cultural heritage. Kazakhstan shares borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, and also adjoins"
"Dragon's Tail (peninsula) The Dragon's Tail is a modern name for the phantom peninsula in southeast Asia which appeared in medieval Arabian and Renaissance European world maps. It formed the eastern shore of the Great Gulf (Gulf of Thailand) east of the Golden Chersonese (Malaysia), replacing the ""unknown lands"" which Ptolemy and others had thought surrounded the ""Indian Sea"". The peninsula known to modern cartographers as the ""Dragon's Tail"" or ""Tiger's Tail"" appeared under various names on different maps. The peninsula does not appear in any surviving manuscript of Ptolemy's ""Geography"" or other Greek geographers. Instead, it is first attested"
"Bhutan Bhutan (; '), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan ( '), is a landlocked country in South Asia. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it is bordered by Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north, the Sikkim state of India and the Chumbi Valley of Tibet in the west, the Arunachal Pradesh state of India in the east, and the states of Assam and West Bengal in the south. Bhutan is geopolitically in South Asia and is the region's second least populous nation after the Maldives. Thimphu is its capital and largest city, while Phuntsholing is its financial center. The"
"to polo, played by horsemen in two teams, each trying to grab and hold a goat carcass. The Afghan Hound (a type of running dog) originated in Afghanistan and was originally used in hunting. Books Articles Afghanistan Afghanistan (; Pashto/Dari: , Pashto: ""Afġānistān"" , Dari: ""Afġānestān"" ), officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located within South-Central Asia. Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east; Iran in the west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in the north; and in the far northeast, China. Its territory covers and much of it is covered by the Hindu"
"or Zhuolong, although Hawkes (1985:234) translates it according to its usual form: ""In the north are the Frozen Mountain, and the Torch Dragon, glaring red."" The ""Huainanzi"" (2nd century BCE) has a section called the ""Treatise on Topography"" (4) that refers to Zhulong: The Torch Dragon dwells north of Wild Goose Gate. He hides himself in Abandoned Wings Mountain and never sees the sun. This god has a human face and a dragon body, but no feet. (tr. Major 1993:196) Gao You (CE) composed a commentary on the ""Huainanzi"" that explains (tr. Major 1993:163) """"Weiyu"" is the name of a"
"on military or government projects and one night for sentry duty. The Rohingya have also lost a lot of arable land, which has been confiscated by the military to give to Buddhist settlers from elsewhere in Myanmar. Myanmar, also known as ""Burma"", is a country in Southeast Asia, bounded by the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh and India to the west, and China, Laos and Thailand to the east. Democracy only recently emerged in Myanmar by arrangement with the military, who permitted a free election on 8 November 2015, which elevated Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to power"
"Druk The Druk (, ) is the ""Thunder Dragon"" of Tibetan and Bhutanese mythology and a Bhutanese national symbol. A druk appears on the flag of Bhutan, holding jewels to represent wealth. In Dzongkha, Bhutan is called ""Druk Yul"" ""Land of Druk"", and Bhutanese leaders are called Druk Gyalpo, ""Thunder Dragon Kings"". During the Bhutanese mock election in 2007, all four mock parties were called the ""Druk [colour] Party"". The national anthem of Bhutan, Druk tsendhen, translates into English as ""Kingdom of Druk"". The druk (also known as a ""duk"" or ""dug"") was adopted as an emblem by the Drukpa"
"Chess Champion in 2004. Other popular sports in Uzbekistan include basketball, judo, team handball, baseball, taekwondo, and futsal. General information Media Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, , , , ), officially also the Republic of Uzbekistan () (), is a landlocked country—the only doubly landlocked one (i.e. surrounded solely by other landlocked countries)—in Central Asia and one of only two anywhere in the world. The sovereign state is a secular, unitary constitutional republic, comprising 12 provinces, one autonomous republic, and a capital city. Uzbekistan is bordered by five landlocked countries: Kazakhstan to the north; Kyrgyzstan to the northeast; Tajikistan to the southeast;"
"Tajikistan Tajikistan (, ; ), officially the Republic of Tajikistan (, Jumhuriyi Tojikiston), is a mountainous, landlocked country in Central Asia with an area of and an estimated population of /1e6 round 1 million people as of . It is bordered by Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east. The traditional homelands of the Tajik people include present-day Tajikistan as well as parts of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. The territory that now constitutes Tajikistan was previously home to several ancient cultures, including the city of Sarazm of the Neolithic and the"
"Druk Gyalpo The Druk Gyalpo (; lit. ""Dragon King"" or the King of Bhutan) is the head of state of the Kingdom of Bhutan. In the Dzongkha language, Bhutan is known as ""Drukyul"" which translates as ""The Land of the Thunder Dragon"". Thus, while Kings of Bhutan are known as ""Druk Gyalpo"" (""Dragon King""), the Bhutanese people call themselves the ""Drukpa"", meaning ""Dragon people"". The current ruler of Bhutan is Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the 5th ""Druk Gyalpo"". He wears the Raven Crown which is the official crown worn by the kings of Bhutan. He is correctly styled """"Mi'wang 'Ngada"
"location of highest altitude where bandy has been played. Tajikistan has also one ski resort, called Safed Dara (formerly ""Takob""), near the town of Varzob. Tajikistan Tajikistan (, ; ), officially the Republic of Tajikistan (, Jumhuriyi Tojikiston), is a mountainous, landlocked country in Central Asia with an area of and an estimated population of /1e6 round 1 million people as of . It is bordered by Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east. The traditional homelands of the Tajik people include present-day Tajikistan as well as parts of Afghanistan"
"Nepal Nepal (; ), officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is located mainly in the Himalayas but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. With an estimated population of 26.4 million, it is 48th largest country by population and 93rd largest country by area. It borders China in the north and India in the south, east, and west while Bangladesh is located within only 27 km (17 mi) of its southeastern tip and Bhutan is separated from it by the Indian state of Sikkim. Nepal has a diverse geography,"
"northwest, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan to the southwest, Tajikistan to the southeast, and Kyrgyzstan to the northeast, Uzbekistan is one of the largest Central Asian states and the only Central Asian state to border all the other four. Uzbekistan also shares a short border (less than ) with Afghanistan to the south. Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country. It is one of two doubly landlocked countries in the world (that is, a country completely surrounded by landlocked countries), the other being Liechtenstein. In addition, due to its location within a series of endorheic basins, none of its rivers lead to the"
"the Land of the Thunder Dragon, a reference to the country's dominant Buddhist sect) and Bhutan only appears in English-language official correspondence. Names similar to Bhutan — including Bohtan, Buhtan, Bottanthis, Bottan and Bottanter — began to appear in Europe around the 1580s. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier's 1676 ""Six Voyages"" is the first to record the name ""Boutan"". However, in every case, these seem to have been describing not modern Bhutan but the Kingdom of Tibet. The modern distinction between the two did not begin until well into the Scottish explorer George Bogle's 1774 expedition — realizing the differences between the two"
"Heilongdawang Temple The Heilongdawang Temple (literally Temple of the Great Black Dragon King) is a prominent Chinese folk religion/Shenist temple located in Shanbei, Shaanxi province, in China. The temple enshrines the Black Dragon King with the imperially conferred title of Marquis of the Efficacious Response (灵应侯, ""Lingyinghou""). Dragon kings (龙王, ""longwang"") are water deities popular in droughty Northern China. The temple was completely destroyed during the anti-religious campaigns of the Cultural Revolution, but rebuilt from scratch in 1982, and since then has enjoyed growing popularity in Shanbei, becoming a case study of the revival of Chinese folk religion in sociological"
"research. The temple is located in an area known as the Dragon King Valley (""Longwanggou""). Heilongdawang Temple The Heilongdawang Temple (literally Temple of the Great Black Dragon King) is a prominent Chinese folk religion/Shenist temple located in Shanbei, Shaanxi province, in China. The temple enshrines the Black Dragon King with the imperially conferred title of Marquis of the Efficacious Response (灵应侯, ""Lingyinghou""). Dragon kings (龙王, ""longwang"") are water deities popular in droughty Northern China. The temple was completely destroyed during the anti-religious campaigns of the Cultural Revolution, but rebuilt from scratch in 1982, and since then has enjoyed growing popularity"
"Taiwan Taiwan (, ), officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a state in East Asia. Its neighbors include the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the west, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south. It is the most populous state and largest economy that is not a member of the United Nations. The island of Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa, was inhabited by aborigines before the 17th century, when Dutch and Spanish colonies opened the island to mass Han immigration. After a brief rule by the Kingdom of Tungning, the island was annexed in 1683 by"
"Afghanistan Afghanistan (; Pashto/Dari: , Pashto: ""Afġānistān"" , Dari: ""Afġānestān"" ), officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located within South-Central Asia. Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east; Iran in the west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in the north; and in the far northeast, China. Its territory covers and much of it is covered by the Hindu Kush mountain range, which experience very cold winters. The north consists of fertile plains, whilst the south-west consists of deserts where temperatures can get very hot in summers. Kabul serves as the capital and its largest"
"Kumtag Desert The Kumtag Desert (, ""kum-tag"" meaning ""sand-mountain"" in a number of Turkic languages), is an arid landform in northwestern China, which was proclaimed as a national park in the year 2002. The oval Tarim Basin with its central Taklamakan Desert is bounded on the north, west and south by mountains. On the east side the Kumtag is an unbroken plain about 100 miles from north to south that runs from the Taklamakan to Gansu and Mongolia. Many modern maps do not show a Kumtag in this sense which implies that the usage may be out of date. The"
"2 December 2015, Laos celebrated its 40th anniversary of the establishment of the republic. Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, and it lies mostly between latitudes 14° and 23°N (a small area is south of 14°), and longitudes 100° and 108°E. Its thickly forested landscape consists mostly of rugged mountains, the highest of which is Phou Bia at , with some plains and plateaus. The Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand, whereas the mountains of the Annamite Range form most of the eastern border with Vietnam and the Luang Prabang Range"
"Postage stamps and postal history of Laos This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Laos. Laos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and People's Republic of China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west. Laos traces its history to the Kingdom of Lan Xang or ""Land of a Million Elephants"", which existed from the 14th to the 18th century. After a period as a French protectorate, Laos gained independence in 1953. A long civil war ended officially when the Communist Pathet Lao"
"a public campaign calling to protect pangolins which are considered ""threatened treasure"" in Brunei. Government General information Travel Brunei Brunei ( ), officially the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace (, Jawi: ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, the sovereign state is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is separated into two parts by the Sarawak district of Limbang. Brunei is the only sovereign state completely on the island of Borneo; the remainder of the island's"
"the Xianling Temple was temporarily closed down. Malongkeng Malongkeng (马龙坑; also Malukeng 马陆坑, 马鹿坑) is a religious site located south of Yuanjia'ao, China, dedicated to the Zhouji Dragon King. The site is revered by villagers of the surrounding hills and the greater Fenghua area for its spring waters. Donations are periodically made to Xianling Temple (显灵庙), which guards the site. According to tradition, the Dragon King went to the aid of imperial troops in the Ming Dynasty and was honoured by the Jiajing Emperor by edict. From that time onwards pilgrims from around Fenghua have made their way to Malongkeng"
"southern extremity of Myanmar. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest. Although nominally a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, the most recent coup in 2014 established a ""de facto"" military dictatorship. Tai peoples migrated from southwestern China to mainland Southeast Asia from the 11th century; the oldest known mention of their presence in the region by the exonym ""Siamese"" dates to the 12th century. Various Indianised kingdoms such as the Mon, the Khmer Empire and Malay states ruled the region, competing with Thai"
"Azure Dragon The Azure Dragon (青龍 ""Qīnglóng""), also known as ""Bluegreen Dragon"", ""Green Dragon"", or also called the ""Blue Dragon"" (蒼龍 Cānglóng), is one of the Dragon Gods who represent the mount or chthonic forces of the Five Forms of the Highest Deity (五方上帝 ""Wǔfāng Shàngdì""). He is also one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations, which are the astral representations of the Wufang Shangdi. The Bluegreen Dragon represents the east and the spring season. It is also known as Seiryu in Japanese, Cheong-nyong in Korean and Thanh Long in Vietnamese. The Dragon is frequently referred to in"
"of China and Russia. Heilongjiang contains China's northernmost point (in Mohe City along the Amur) and easternmost point (at the junction of the Amur and Ussuri rivers). Heilongjiang is China's largest agricultural base, as well as an important industrial area mainly based on oil, timber, coal and machinery manufacturing. ""Heilongjiang"" literally means Black Dragon River, which is the Chinese name for the more well know western name, Amur. The one-character abbreviation is 黑 (pinyin: Hēi). The Manchu name of the region is ""Sahaliyan ula"" (literally, ""Black River""), from which the name of Sakhalin is derived, and the Mongolian name with"