Bhutan's topography is fiercely rugged and mountainous, creating a natural fortress that has historically protected the nation from invasion.
- **Highest Point:** Gangkhar Puensum, standing at 7,570 meters (24,836 ft). Due to spiritual beliefs and respect for local deities, mountaineering on peaks above 6,000 meters is prohibited, making Gangkhar Puensum the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. - **Lowest Point:** Drangme Chhu, a river valley in the south, at an elevation of 97 meters (318 ft). - **Terrain:** The landscape features high-altitude plateaus in the north, deeply incised river valleys in the central region, and foothills that drop sharply into the subtropical plains of the south. This extreme variation in elevation occurs within a lateral distance of just 150 kilometers.