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| Bhutan | Introduction | Back to Top |
Bhutan, monarchy, southern Central Asia, in the eastern Himalaya, bounded on the north and north-west by Tibet and on the east, south, and south-west by India. It has a total area of 47,000 sq km (18,147 sq mi). The capital of Bhutan is Thimphu.
Official Name- Kingdom of Bhutan| Bhutan | Provinces | Back to Top |
18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
| Bhutan | People | Back to Top |
Population growth is increasing the demand for fuelwood and causing pressure on the small amount of land that can be used for farming or pasture. The more accessible forests have been depleted through overcutting, poor management, and soil erosion. Poor access to potable water and sanitation are also serious problems in Bhutan. Nevertheless, preservation of the environment is part of the country’s tradition and government policy, and 21.2 percent (1997) of the land is protected.
There are three major ethnic groups in Bhutan: the Bhutia, Nepalese, and Sharchops. The Bhutia, who are also called Ngalops, are the largest ethnic group and make up as much as 60 percent of the population. They are the descendants of Tibetan immigrants who came southward to Bhutan from about the 9th century onward. The Bhutia are dominant in northern, central, and western Bhutan. They speak a variety of Tibetan dialects, and the most common of these, Dzongkha, is Bhutan's official language. The Bhutia's written language is identical with Tibetan, and they adhere to the Drukpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. They dominate Bhutan's political life.
| Bhutan | History | Back to Top |
Archaeological evidence suggests that people may have lived in the area as early as 2000 bc. The state of Monyul is thought to have existed here between 500 bc and 600 ad. The people of Monyul practiced a shamanistic religion that emphasized the worship of nature and the existence of good and evil spirits. Buddhism was introduced into the area in the 7th century, and Buddhist chronicles provide a recorded history of Bhutan. Buddhist temples were built in Bumtang and Paro valleys. At this time there was no central government in the country; separate valleys were ruled by feudal lords. As Buddhism matured within Bhutan, it became a unifying element for the country.
Bhutan's rugged mountains and dense forests long rendered it almost inaccessible to the outside world, and the country's rulers reinforced this isolation by banning foreigners until well into the 20th century. Then, under pressure of neighbouring countries with strategic interests in Bhutan, a slow change began, and the lack of outside contacts became a hindrance to modernization. Bhutan's government is now committed to the twin policies of modernization and economic development.
1774 the deb raja signed a treaty of peace with the English East India Company. In the 1870s and 1880s regional rivalry between the pro-British governor of Tongsa and the anti-British governor of Paro resulted in the rise of Ugyen Wangchuck, the governor of Tongsa. Ugyen Wangchuck defeated his rivals and united the country under his leadership. After the dharma raja died in 1903 and no suitable replacement (who must be determined to be the reincarnation of the dharma raja) was found until 1906, the dual system of government was abolished. In 1907 Ugyen Wangchuck was installed as the first hereditary druk gyalpo of Bhutan. He reigned between 1907 and 1926. He was succeeded by his son Jigme Wangchuck, who reigned from 1926 to 1952.
| Bhutan | Culture | Back to Top |
Bhutia houses are built of timber and stone and have thick, pounded mud walls to keep out the cold. Most such houses have two stories: livestock are kept on the ground floor, while the family lives above. Inside the house a family will usually have a shrine consisting of a small Buddhist image in a corner. While the Bhutia family system is basically patriarchal, family estates are divided equally between sons and daughters. Both men and women are free to choose whom to marry, and members of both sexes can initiate a divorce. Ordinary Bhutia villagers may not be able to afford meat in their daily meals and often must rely on a dish of rice, potatoes, and chilies. Besides meat, the yak also supplies milk, from which butter is made for use in lamps on the shrine altar.
Trade and other services, including tourism, employ 5 percent of the workforce. While tourism is Bhutan’s largest source of foreign exchange, the country has restricted the number of visitors to minimize the negative impact on Bhutan’s traditions, culture, and natural environment. Only 1 percent of the labor force is employed in manufacturing, construction, and mining. Processed food, cement, and wood products are the most important manufactures.
The Nepalese are predominantly Hindus and have caste and family ties to Nepal and India. Because they live in the warmer climate of southern Bhutan, their houses are made of bamboo and thatch. The Nepalese do not eat beef, and some of them abstain from meat altogether. Instead, they eat the rice and curry dishes common to the Hindus of Nepal and India. Their caste system separates different social levels and influences the choice of marriage partners and other social relationships. The Nepalese in Bhutan lack the same loyalty to the monarchy that is predominant among the Bhutia and Sharchops. In response, the government has tried to integrate the Nepalese into the national life. For example, a government order has made the Dzongkha language compulsory for all Nepali-speaking Bhutanese.
| Bhutan | Life | Back to Top |
Bhutan’s population at 2,049,412 in 2001. However, the official 1990 estimate by the Bhutanese government gave the country’s population as about 600,000. The discrepancy is due to the fact that, beginning in 1990, the official census has excluded people of Nepali origin. Using either estimate, Bhutan’s population density is low. Based on the 2001 estimate, the country has 44 persons per sq km (113 per sq mi). The annual growth rate is estimated at 2.2 percent. The population is dispersed widely. Large tracts are virtually empty; others are relatively crowded. The Middle Himalayan valleys contain nearly half of the nation’s population, concentrated in the middle portion of the Wong, Sankosh, and Manas river valleys and in the valleys of their tributaries. The southern zone, close to the Indian border.
| Bhutan | Land | Back to Top |
The northern part of Bhutan lies within the Great Himalayas; the snowcapped peaks in this region attain a height of more than 24,000 feet (7,300 metres). High valleys occur at elevations of 12,000 to 18,000 feet, running down from the great northern glaciers. The Alpine pastures on the high ranges are used for grazing yaks in the summer months. North of the Great Himalayas are several “marginal” mountains of the Plateau of Tibet that form the principal watershed between the rivers respectively running southward and northward. A dry climate is characteristic of the Great Himalayan region.
| Bhutan | Plants and Animal | Back to Top |
the valleys are hot and humid and the forested foothills are wet and misty. The southern section of the Duars, once covered with dense savanna and bamboo jungle, has been largely cleared for rice cultivation. The northern part of the Duars, including the foothills, is rugged, irregular land that is covered with dense vegetation; deer, tigers, and other wild animals roam this area. Bhutan’s main rivers, from west to east, are the Torsa, Raidak, Sankosh, and Manas. Rising in the Great Himalayas, these rivers flow south through Bhutan to India.
| Bhutan | Economy | Back to Top |
The United Nations (UN) classifies Bhutan as one of the world’s least developed nations. The country is predominantly agricultural with limited industrial activity and services. Agriculture, animal husbandry, and forestry employ 94 percent of the workforce and contribute 38 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). GDP was $440 million in 1999.
Bhutan itself has been able to finance less than 10 percent of its total development expenditures. For the other 90 percent, it has depended on external assistance from India, the World Bank, the United Nations, and the Asian Development Bank. The success of the five-year plans has depended largely on the regular flow of funds from India and upon the availability of Indian technical personnel. The Chhukha Hydel project, which harnesses the waters of the Raidak River, is the largest single investment undertaken in Bhutan and represents a major step toward exploiting the nation's huge hydroelectric potential. The surplus energy from the Chhukha project is sold to India, which has financed the entire venture.
The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. The Bhutanese Government has made some progress in expanding the nation's productive base and improving social welfare. Model education, social, and environment programs in Bhutan are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.
| Bhutan | Communications | Back to Top |
general assessment: NA domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few telephones in use international: international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)
| Bhutan | Languages | Back to Top |
the development process has gained considerable momentum in recent years, Bhutan is still grouped by the United Nations (UN) among the least developed countries of the world. The name Bhutan means “Land of the Thunder Dragon” in Dzongkha, the country’s official language. The capital of Bhutan is Thimphu.
| Bhutan | Politics | Back to Top |
no legal parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled)
| Bhutan | Government | Back to Top |
Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy whose sovereign is styled the druk gyalpo (“dragon king”). The present king, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, is the fourth in a royal line that was established in 1907. The government of Bhutan was traditionally autocratic, with no law codes, courts, or any of the features of modern public administration. In the 1950s and '60s, however, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk took the initiative in adapting the country's system of government to the modern era and began to share administrative responsibility, which was formerly his alone. In 1953 a national assembly known as the Tshogdu was established in Bhutan through the king's initiative. It has 151 members who are elected by village headmen or are chosen by the king and the country's official Buddhist monastic order. The Tshogdu meets twice a year and passes legislation enacted by the king. A Royal Advisory Council was established in 1965 to advise the king and his ministers on important questions and to supervise the implementation of government programs and policies.
| Bhutan | Legal | Back to Top |
Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections Executive branch: chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Sangay NGEDUP (since NA 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 give the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: NA Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch)
| Bhutan | organization | Back to Top |
AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO (observer)
| Bhutan | Education | Back to Top |
The adult literacy rate was estimated at 47 percent in 2000. Until the early 1960s no formal schools existed in Bhutan except for religious ones. Since that time the country has developed free and noncompulsory schooling that provides both primary and secondary education. Due in part to a lack of access to facilities, the attendance rate at Bhutan’s schools is relatively low. In 1988 it was estimated that 25 percent of the country’s children attended primary school and 5 percent attended secondary school. A greater percentage of boys attend school than girls.
| Bhutan | Defence | Back to Top |
Military branches: Royal Bhutan Army, National Militia, Royal Bhutan Police, Royal Body Guards, Forest Guards (paramilitary)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 504,342 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 269,251 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 21,167 (2001 est.)
| Bhutan | International Disputes | Back to Top |
refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately 98,700 Bhutanese refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps