Paro District
749203
208207818
2008-04-25T22:17:25Z
Sardanaphalus
427947
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[[Image:BhutanParo.png|thumb|300px|Location of Paro dzongkhag within Bhutan.]]
[[Image:Paro.jpg |right|thumb|300px|Town of Paro and Paro Dzong, September, 2006]]
'''Paro'''སྤ་རོ་རྫོང་ཁག་ is the name of a district (''[[dzongkhag]]''), valley, river and town (population 20,000) in the [[monarchy|Kingdom]] of [[Bhutan]]. It is one of the most historic valleys in Bhutan. Both trade goods and invading [[Tibet]]ans came over the pass at the head of the valley, giving Paro the closest cultural connection with Tibet of any Bhutanese district. Important cultural sites include:
[[Image:Paro Airport.jpg|thumb|left|350px|[[Paro Airport]]]]
[[Image:Dance of the Black Hats with Drums, Paro Tsechu 5.jpg|right|300px]]
*[[Taktshang]], or ''Tiger's Nest'', the most famous monastery in Bhutan
*[[Kyichu Lhakhang]], which along with [[Jambay Lhakhang]] in central Bhutan is the oldest temple in Bhutan, dating to the [[7th century]]
*[[Drukgyel Dzong]], at the upper end of the valley, built to protect against invading Tibetans, but in ruins since a fire in the 1950s.
*'''Paro Town''', the single market town in the dzonghag which is booming (by Bhutanese standards) due to an influx of tourist dollars.
*[[Rinpung Dzong]], also known as '''Paro Dzong''', the massive fortress/monastery which is also the administrative center of the dzonkhag. Scenes from the movie ''[[Little Buddha]]'' were filmed in and around this dzong.
*The [[National Museum of Bhutan]], where visitors can learn about the culture of Bhutan.
Paro contains the only active international [[airport]] in Bhutan, the [[Paro Airport]], a beautiful small green-roofed facility in a [[valley]], served only by [[Druk Air]] (Bhutan's National Airline) from [[India]] and other countries in [[Southeast Asia]].
Paro is bordered by [[Haa]] dzongkhag to the west, Tibet to the north, [[Thimphu]] to the east, and [[Chukha]] dzongkhag to the south. Paro comprises ten ''[[gewog]]s'' or counties:
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Doga.pdf Doga Gewog]
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Dopshari.pdf Dopshari Gewog]
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Doteng.pdf Doteng Gewog]
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Hungrel.pdf Hungrel Gewog]
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Lamgong.pdf Lamgong Gewog]
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Lungnyi.pdf Lungnyi Gewog]
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Naja.pdf Naja Gewog]
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Shapa.pdf Shapa Gewog]
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Tsento.pdf Tsento Gewog]
*[http://www.dop.gov.bt/fyp/09/pr_Wangchang.pdf Wangchang Gewog]
Paro was featured on the [[NBC]] [[Today (NBC program)|Today Show]] segment [[Where_in_the_World_is_Matt_Lauer%3F|Where In The World Is Matt Lauer?]] on [[2 May]] [[2007]].
''See also:'' [[Districts of Bhutan]]
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[[Category:Districts of Bhutan]]
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