Example of the one major road in Bhutan

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked nation in the Himalaya Mountains, sandwiched between India and China in South Asia. Bhutan is one of the most isolated and least developed nations in the world. Despite that, it has been described as “the happiest, least-developed country on earth.” Foreign influences and tourism are heavily regulated by the government to preserve the country's traditional culture and national identity. To underscore just how isolated and underdeveloped is this Himalayan Kingdom, there is only one major road… which stretches 500 miles across Bhutan.

“LATICRETE products are sold in Bhutan from our Indian subsidiary,” stated David A. Rothberg, Chairman/CEO of LATICRETE International, Inc. “They are used in the new hotels being built to support high-end, low volume eco-tourism.”

Rothberg became interested in Bhutan when he learned that the country, under its benevolent king, measures success not in terms of gross domestic product as do other nations. But rather, by “gross domestic happiness.” As a result, he set off to experience the country firsthand. This autumn, in a span of 11 continuous days, he biked more than 500 miles over 50,000 feet of vertical gain. This feat, rarely ever done by bicycle, was both educational and inspirational for LATICRETE’s top exec. “As international industries, the tile and stone sectors acquaint us with different countries and cultures worldwide,” Rothberg declared. “As Americans, sometimes we can’t equate underdeveloped nations as being content, happy locations. We need to learn from other countries such as Bhutan, that happiness can indeed be attained whether one lives in a world power nation… or a remote, tiny third-world venue.”

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