Gasa lies in the extreme northwest of the country. It is bordered by Punakha dzonkghag in the southeast, Thimphu in the southwest, Wangdue in the east and the Tibetan region of China on the extreme north. The Dzongkhag has an area of 4,409.30 Sq. Km., which is 11% of total area of the whole country. The country’s two major rivers Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu, pass through the Dzongkhag.
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The altitude ranges from 1,500 meters to 4,500 meters above sea level. The climate of Gasa ranges from temperate to alpine with extremly cold winters and short and pleasant summer. Rainfall is scanty and virtually no rain in winter in the upper region. However, there is heavy snowfall in the upper region. The average rainfall is about 2,000 mm annually.
About 35% of the total areas are under scrub forest, 27% under Fir forest, 15% under Mix conifer, 4 % under Broad leafed. Tsamdro covers an area of 19% of the total area of the Dzongkhag, which gives great potential for livestock rearing. The soil is sandy and supports dry cultivation.
The main source of cash income for the people is porterage to local as well as the tourist. Sale / bartering of livestock products is another source of income to the people of Laya and Lunana Gewogs. Other cereals and vegetables are grown to limited area due to marketing constraints and depredation by wild animals.
The people of Gasa generally speak Dzongkha with a distinctive accent. However, Layaps and Lunaps have their own local dialect in addition to Dzongkha. Layaps and Lunaps mostly lead a pastoral life where, half of the family of each household spend life rearing yaks and sheep at the mountain top during summer and move with the herd towards their settlement in winter. Laya women have distinctive feature with their hand woven hat embroidered with colorful beds. The home/hand woven clothing act as a good barrier against rain and cold climate.
Gasa is famous for Tshachu (Hot Spring) which is two days walk from the nearest motorable road (Trashithang). There are several places of hot springs having different medicinal values as the local community describes. This may be one of the reasons the people of Gasa has less morbidity rate compared to others. Hot springs at Laya and Lunana are also famous, but due to remoteness, only the local community utilizes it. The Dzongkhag has around 13 lhakhangs and chortens Zabsel and Phulakha under Goenkhatoe Gewog, Chorten and Sebgi Goenpa lhakhang at Goenkhamae Gewog, Tashilhakhang, Throe lhakhang, Dung Goenpa lhakhang, Drophel Choling lhakhang, Yonzho lhakhang and Jangchuk Choling lhakhang at Laya Gewog and Bumpa lhakhang, Tshodzong lhakhang and Dzongridra lhakhang at Lunana Gewog.
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