Southern Bhutan : The Foothills
Southern Bhutan is made up of Dagana at 1,520m, Samtse at 420m, Sarpang at 325m, Tsirang, at 1,560m. The people from south are known as Lhotsampas who follow the Hindu religion and speak Nepali.
The proximity to markets in India have contributed to the development of these areas which has encouraged small trading towns to come into existence. There are also a number of manufacturing industries such as liquor, bricks, processed fruit juices and cement plants. Apart from rice grown for local consumption, other crops, including oranges and cardamom are grown for export.
DAGANA
ALTITUDE 1,520M
Dagana is one of the remotest Dzongkhags in the country. It falls within the temperate Zone in the north and sub-tropical in the south and has hot and wet summers and cool and dry winters. About 79 percent of the total area in the Dzongkhag are under forest cover with trees like Champ, Arguray, Chirpine and Sal.
Dagana has a total area 1,7119.13 sqkm with altitude ranging from 200m to 4,720m. the Dzongkhag has 14 Gewogs which includes Deorali, Dorona, Drujeygang, Gesarling, Goshi, Kana, Khebisa, Lajab, Lhamoyzingkhag/ Kalikhola, Nichula, Trashiding, Tsendagang, Tseza and Tshangkha.
People in Dagana are simple and derive their daily sustenance from farming. Settlements in the Dzongkhag are fairly dispersed and remote.
Places of interest in Dagana
Daga Dzong was traditionally the stronghold of the powerful Daga Penlop. Today, it houses the clergy and the headquarters of the district administration of Dagana. Situated on a ridge overlooking an expansive valley, Daga Dzong was built in the 16th century by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It was renovated in 1897 and houses many sacred Lhakhangs.
Dagana
Gewogs: 14
Population: 19,222
BHU: 9
Orcs: 16
Traditional Unit: 1
Schools: 20
SAMTSE
ALTITUDE 420M
Historically, Samtse was sparely populated as the mountain-dwelling Bhutanese considered the low-lying Dzongkhag to be prone to tropical diseases. Samtse has a total area of 1,301.79 with altitude ranging from 180m to 4,200m. The Dzongkhag has two Dungkhags and 15 Gewogs which includes Bara, Biru, Charghrey, Chengmari, Denchukha/ Yoesheltse, Lahireni, Nainital/ Ugyentse, Pugli, Samtse, Sipsu, Tading and Tendu.
Majority of the Gewogs are located at the foothills bordering the Indian states of West Bengal and Sikkim. Proximity to markets in India offer excellent opportunity for horticultural development on a commercial scale. Mandarin, cardamom, ginger and areca nut are grown widely for cash income. Favourable terrain and fertile agricultural land makes significant contribution to farm productivity. Samtse also has abundant natural deposits of talc, dolomite and other resources which are exported on a regular basis. There are several major mining and mineral based industries in the Dzongkhag.
Samtse
Gewogs: 15, Dungkhag: 2, population: 70,100, Hospitals: 3, BHU: 9, ORCs: 18 Traditional Unit: 2, Schools: 17
SARPANG
ALTITUDE 325M
SARPANG Dzongkhag is situated in the central southern foothills bordering India. The area of the Dzongkhag stretches from Lhamoizhingkha in the west to Manas National park in the east. It is one of the oldest towns in the country with access to motorable roads as early 1950s. due to ots close proximity to the Indian markets, Sarpang has been the commercial center for the central Dzongkhags.
Sarpang has a total area of 1,651.71 sq.km with altitude ranging from 160m to 4,200m. The Dzongkhag is administratively divided into two Dungkhags which comprise Gelephu and Lhamoizhingkha, and has 12 Gewogs which includes Bhur, Chuzagang, Dekiling, Dovan, Gelephu, Hilley, Jigmechoeling, Sarpangtar, Sershong, Singhi, Taklai and Umling.
About 12 percent of the total area is under agriculture. Paddy, maize, wheat and millet are some of the major crops. Cash crops such is Orange, areca nut, cardamom, ginger, guava, lemon, banana and mango are grown extensively.
Favourable terrain and climatic conditions combined with fertile agriculture land offer tremendous opportunity for farm mechanization and commercial horticultural development.
Places of interest in Sarpang
Gelephu Tshachu is about 15km from Gelephu town. The hot spring is known for curing all types of aliments and attracts people from all parts of the country during winter.
Sarpang
Gewogs: 12
Dungkhag: 2
Population: 41,549
Hospitals: 2
BHU: 8
ORCs: 11
Traditional Unit: 1
Schools: 18
TSIRANG
ALTITUDE 1,560M
Located in the south-central part of the country, Tsirang is noted for its gentle slopes, mild climates and rich biodiversity. Favourable as well as diverse agro-ecological features provides the Dzongkhag with a high potential for the cultivation of different types of cereal grains as well as horticultural crops. Most of the Gewogs in the Dzongkhag have good transportation links and benefits from market access to major towns like Gelephu and Thimphu.
Tsirang has a total area of 636.47 sq.km with elevation ranging from 240m to 4190m. the Dzongkhag has 12 Gewogs which includes Barshong, Beteni, Dunglagang, Gosarling, Kikhorthang, Mendrelgang, Patala, Phuentenchu, Rangthangling, Semzong, Tsholingkhar, Tsirangtoe, Damphu, located in Kikhorthang Gewogs, is the main town and the administration center.
Approximately 58 percent of the land area is under forest cover comprising mainly broadleaf and chirpine forests while 42 percent is under agricultural cultivation. Paddy, maize and millet are the major cereals grown while orange, cardamom and vegetables are the principal cash crops. The sale of mandarin and cardamom constitute an important source of income for most of the farmers. Livestock rearing is also an important economic activity contributing to both subsistence consumption and to the income of farm of farm households.
Places of interest in Tsirang
Namgay Choling Dratshang
Spanning over an area of 9.37 acres, Namgay Choling Dratshang was established in 1984. It houses three lhakhangs and sacred religious treasures.
Tsirang
Gewogs: 12
Population: 19,667
Hospitals: 1
BHU: 4
ORCs: 13
Traditional Unit: 1
Schools: 11
