Country code: 975. The telephone service is reasonable though getting a line can be slow at times.

Coverage is extensive but since the mobile network is now superseding the landline service, oversubscription can lead to problems.

Access is growing. There are Internet cafes in large towns and access in major hotels across the country.

Mail from Bhutan is liable to disruption because of the high value of Bhutanese stamps; they may be steamed off the envelopes en route.

Post Office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat 0900-1200 (summer); Mon-Fri 0900-1600, Sat 0900-1200 (winter).

Fears of outside influences undermining the country's monarchy, freedom and culture meant that for years Bhutan had a deliberate policy of isolation, including a ban on television. The state-run Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) launched the first TV service as part of celebrations surrounding King Jigme Singye Wangchuk's silver jubilee in 1999. Radio broadcasting began in 1973 and the first Internet service was introduced in 1999. There are no private broadcasters, but cable television is thriving though ‘undesirable and irrelevant channels' have been filtered out.

• Kuensel is the autonomous weekly. The Bhutan Times and Bhutan Observer are privately-owned.

• Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) is state owned.
• Commercial channels are Cable Sat Club and Tshela Cable.

• Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) is the state-run radio station.