Bhutan is known as Menjong Gyalkhab meaning the land of medicinal plants. Above the Indian plains, the country gradually rises from the luxurious jungle of the foothills, about 150 meters above sea level to the solitude of the snow-capped peaks culminating at more than 7500 meters above sea level.
The small Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is situated between India and China and is totally landlocked. The country has a forest cover of over 72% attributing to the presence of a rich biological diversity.
 

These forests are home to several endangered species of flora and fauna harbouring over 7000 species of plant, 165 species of mammals and 700 species of birds. Apart from its rich biodiversity and natural resources, Bhutan has a rich cultural heritage which is still characterised by a certain amount of traditional featureslike traditional medicine.

This difference in altitude, bringing almost tropical vegetation right to the vase of glaciers, has made it possible for plants of extremely different climatic and environmental conditions to grow in the same country. Tropical and subtropical forests are found in the South. Temperate and even Mediterranean plants flourish in the valleys, and very rare specimens grow up to 5000 meters. To date, more than 600 medicinal plants have been identified in Bhutan, and at least 300 of these are commonly used by practitioners in the country for preparing medicines.