Know About Your Bhutan
Kingdom
of Bhutan
·
འབྲུག་རྒྱལ་ཁབ་ (Dzongkha)
·
Druk Gyal Khap
|
|
Flag
Emblem
|
|
Anthem: Druk tsendhen
"The Thunder Dragon Kingdom" |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital
and
largest city
|
Thimphu
27°28.0′N 89°38.5′E |
Official languages
|
Dzongkha
|
Religion
|
77.4% Vajrayana
Buddhism (official religion)
22.6% Hinduism |
Demonym(s)
|
Bhutanese
|
Government
|
Unitary parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
|
• King
|
Jigme
Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
|
• Prime
Minister
|
Lotay
Tshering
|
Legislature
|
Parliament
|
• Upper
house
|
National
Council
|
• Lower
house
|
National
Assembly
|
Formation
|
|
• Unification
of Bhutan
|
1616–1634
|
• House
of Wangchuck
|
17
December 1907
|
• Indo-Bhutan
Treaty
|
8
August 1949
|
• UN
membership
|
21
September 1971
|
• Democratic
Constitutional monarchy
|
18 July
2008
|
Area
|
|
• Total
|
38,394 km2 (14,824 sq mi)[1][2] (133rd)
|
• Water (%)
|
1.1
|
Population
|
|
• 2019
estimate
|
741,700[3] (165th)
|
• 2017a census
|
727,145[4]
|
• Density
|
19.3/km2 (50.0/sq mi) (196th)
|
GDP (PPP)
|
2018 estimate
|
• Total
|
$7.701
billion[5]
|
• Per
capita
|
$9,426[5] (115th)
|
GDP (nominal)
|
2018 estimate
|
• Total
|
$2.547
billion[5]
|
• Per
capita
|
$3,117[5] (130th)
|
Gini (2017)
|
37.4[6]
medium |
HDI (2017)
|
0.612[7]
medium · 134th |
Currency
|
Ngultrum (BTN)
|
Time zone
|
UTC+06:00 (BTT)
|
Driving side
|
left
|
Calling code
|
+975
|
ISO 3166 code
|
BT
|
Internet TLD
|
.bt
|
a.
The
population of Bhutan had been estimated based on the reported figure of about
1 million in the 1970s when the country had joined the United Nations and
precise statistics were lacking.[8] Thus, using the annual
increase rate of 2–3%, the most population estimates were around 2 million in
the year 2000. A national census was carried out in 2005 and it turned out
that the population was 672,425. Consequently, United Nations Population
Division reduced its estimation of the country's population in the 2006
revision[9] for the whole period from 1950 to 2050.
|
|
This article
contains Tibetan script. Without proper rendering support, you may see very small
fonts, misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Tibetan
characters.
|
Bhutan (/buːˈtɑːn/ (); Dzongkha: འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, romanized: Druk Yul [ʈuk̚˩.yː˩]),
officially the Kingdom of Bhutan (Dzongkha: འབྲུག་རྒྱལ་ཁབ་, romanized: Druk Gyal
Khap),[10] is a landlocked country in South Asia. Located in
the Eastern Himalayas, it is bordered by the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in
the north, the Sikkim state of India and the Chumbi
Valley of Tibet in the west, the Arunachal Pradesh state
of India in the east, and the Indian states of Assam and West
Bengal in the south. Bhutan is geopolitically in South Asia and
is the region's second least populous nation after the Maldives. Thimphu is
its capital and largest city, while Phuntsholing is its financial
center.
Bhutan's independence has
endured for centuries. It has never been colonized in its history.
Situated on the ancient Silk Road between Tibet, the Indian
subcontinent and Southeast Asia, the Bhutanese state developed a
distinct national identity based on Buddhism. Headed by a
spiritual leader known as the Zhabdrung Rinpoche, the territory comprised
many fiefdoms and was governed as a Buddhist theocracy. Following a
civil war in the 19th century, the House of Wangchuck reunited the
country and established relations with the British Empire. Bhutan fostered
a strategic partnership with India during the rise of Chinese communism and has
a disputed border with China. In 2008 Bhutan transitioned from an absolute
monarchy to a constitutional monarchy and held the first
election to the National Assembly of Bhutan. The National Assembly is part
of the bicameral parliament of the Bhutanese democracy.[11]
The country's landscape ranges
from lush subtropical plains in the south to the sub-alpine Himalayan mountains
in the north, where there are peaks higher than 7,000 metres
(23,000 ft). Gangkhar Puensum is Bhutan's highest peak and may
also be the highest unclimbed mountain in the world.[12] The wildlife
of Bhutan is notable for its diversity.
In South Asia, Bhutan ranks
first in economic freedom, ease of doing business, and peace,
and is the least corrupt country in the region as of 2016. It
continues to be a least developed country, but expects to graduate from
this status by 2023. Hydroelectricity accounts for most of its exports.[13] The
government is a parliamentary democracy; the head of state is the King
of Bhutan, known as the "Dragon King." Bhutan maintains diplomatic
relations with 52 countries and the European Union, but does not have
formal ties with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security
Council. It is a member of the United Nations, SAARC, BIMSTEC and
the Non-Aligned Movement. The Royal Bhutan Army maintains a
close relationship with the Indian Armed Forces.
Bhutan is also notable for
pioneering the concept of gross national happiness.[14]
Contents
·
1Etymology
·
2History
o 2.1Political
reform and modernization
·
3Geography
o 3.1Climate
·
4Biodiversity
o
4.1Animals
o
4.2Plants
o
4.3Conservation
o
4.4Environmental issues
·
5Government and politics
o
5.1Political culture
o
5.2Women in government
o
5.3Foreign relations
o
5.4Military
o
5.5Human rights
§ 5.5.1Ethnic
conflict
o 5.6Political
divisions
·
6Economy
o
6.1Agriculture
o
6.2Industry
o
6.3Mining
o
6.4Energy
o
6.5Financial sector
o
6.6Tourism
·
7Transport
o
7.1Air
o
7.2Road
o
7.3Rail
·
8Demographics
o
8.1Ethnic groups
o
8.2Cities and towns
o
8.3Religion
o
8.4Languages
o
8.5Health
o
8.6Education
·
9Culture
o
9.1Dress
o
9.2Architecture
o
9.3Public holidays
o
9.4Film industry
o
9.5Music and dance
o
9.6Family structure
o
9.7Cuisine
o
9.8Sports
o
9.9Women in the workforce
o
9.10Women in the household
o
9.11Women’s health
EtymologyThe precise etymology of "Bhutan" is unknown, although it is
likely to derive from the Tibetan endonym "Böd"
for Tibet. Traditionally, it is taken to be a transcription of the Sanskrit Bhoṭa-anta "end
of Tibet", a reference to Bhutan's position as the southern extremity
of the Tibetan plateau and culture.[15][16][17]
Since the 17th century
Bhutan's official name has been Druk yul (country of the Drukpa
Lineage, the Dragon People, or the Land of the Thunder Dragon, a reference to
the country's dominant Buddhist sect); "Bhutan" appears only in
English-language official correspondence.[17]
Names similar to
Bhutan—including Bohtan, Buhtan, Bottanthis, Bottan and Bottanter—began to
appear in Europe around the 1580s. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier's 1676 Six
Voyages is the first to record the name Boutan. But these
names seem to have referred not to modern Bhutan but to the Kingdom of
Tibet. The modern distinction between the two did not begin until well into the
Scottish explorer George Bogle's 1774 expedition. Realizing the
differences between the two regions, cultures and states, his final report to
the East India Company formally proposed calling the Druk Desi's
kingdom "Boutan" and the Panchen Lama's "Tibet". The
EIC's surveyor general James Rennell first anglicized the French name
as Bootan and then popularized the distinction between it and greater Tibet.[18]
Locally, Bhutan has been known
by many names. One of the earliest Western records of Bhutan, the 1627 Relação of
the Portuguese Jesuits Estêvão Cacella and João Cabral,
records its name variously as Cambirasi (among the Koch
Biharis[19]), Potente, and Mon (an endonym for southern
Tibet).[18] The first time a separate Kingdom of Bhutan appeared on a western
map, it did so under its local name "Broukpa".[18] Others
include Lho Mon ("Dark Southland"), Lho
Tsendenjong ("Southland of the Cypress"), Lhomen
Khazhi ("Southland of the Four Approaches") and Lho
Menjong ("Southland of the Herbs").[20][21]
History
Main
articles: History of Bhutan and Timeline of Bhutanese history
1777
1786
Two of Rennell's EIC maps,
showing the division of "Thibet or Bootan" into separate regions.
Stone tools, weapons,
elephants, and remnants of large stone structures provide evidence that Bhutan
was inhabited as early as 2000 BC, although there are no existing records from
that time. Historians have theorized that the state of Lhomon (literally,
"southern darkness"), or Monyul ("Dark
Land", a reference to the Monpa, the aboriginal peoples of
Bhutan) may have existed between 500 BC and AD 600. The names Lhomon
Tsendenjong (Sandalwood Country), and Lhomon Khashi,
or Southern Mon (country of four approaches), have been found in ancient
Bhutanese and Tibetan chronicles.[22][23]
The dzong in
the Paro valley, built in 1646.
Buddhism was first
introduced to Bhutan in the 7th century AD. Tibetan king Songtsän Gampo[24] (reigned
627–649), a convert to Buddhism, who actually had extended the Tibetan Empire
into Sikkim and Bhutan,[25] ordered
the construction of two Buddhist temples, at Bumthang in central
Bhutan and at Kyichu (near Paro) in the Paro Valley.[26] Buddhism
was propagated in earnest[24] in 746[27] under
King Sindhu Rāja (also Künjom;[28] Sendha
Gyab; Chakhar Gyalpo), an exiled Indian king who had established a
government in Bumthang at Chakhar Gutho Palace.[29]:35 [30]:13
Trashigang
Dzong, built in 1659.
Much of early Bhutanese
history is unclear because most of the records were destroyed when fire ravaged
the ancient capital, Punakha, in 1827. By the 10th century, Bhutan's
political development was heavily influenced by its religious history. Various
subsects of Buddhism emerged that were patronized by the various Mongol warlords.
Bhutan may have been
influenced by the Yuan dynasty with which it shares various cultural and
religious similarities.
After the decline of the Yuan
dynasty in the 14th century, these subsects vied with each other for
supremacy in the political and religious landscape, eventually leading to the
ascendancy of the Drukpa Lineage by the 16th century.[26][31]
A thrikhep (throne
cover) from the 19th century. Throne covers were placed atop the temple
cushions used by high lamas. The central circular swirling quadrune is
the gankyil in its mode as the "Four Joys".
Until the early 17th century,
Bhutan existed as a patchwork of minor warring fiefdoms, when the area was
unified by the Tibetan lama and military leader Ngawang Namgyal, who had fled
religious persecution in Tibet. To defend the country against intermittent
Tibetan forays, Namgyal built a network of impregnable dzongs or
fortresses, and promulgated the Tsa Yig, a code of law that
helped to bring local lords under centralized control. Many such dzong still
exist and are active centers of religion and district administration. Portuguese Jesuits Estêvão
Cacella and João Cabral were the first recorded Europeans to
visit Bhutan in 1627,[32] on
their way to Tibet. They met Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, presented him with
firearms, gunpowder and a telescope, and offered him their services in the war
against Tibet, but the Zhabdrung declined the offer. After a stay of nearly
eight months Cacella wrote a long letter from the Chagri Monastery reporting
on his travels. This is a rare extant report of the Zhabdrung.[33][34]
When Ngawang Namgyal died in
1651, his passing was kept secret for 54 years. After a period of
consolidation, Bhutan lapsed into internal conflict. In the year 1711 Bhutan
went to war against the Raja of the kingdom of Koch Bihar in
the south. During the chaos that followed, the Tibetans unsuccessfully attacked
Bhutan in 1714.[35]
In the 18th century, the
Bhutanese invaded and occupied the kingdom of Koch Bihar. In 1772, the Maharaja of
Koch Bihar appealed to the British East India Company which assisted
by ousting the Bhutanese and later in attacking Bhutan itself in 1774. A peace
treaty was signed in which Bhutan agreed to retreat to its pre-1730 borders.
However, the peace was tenuous, and border skirmishes with the British were
to continue for the next hundred years. The skirmishes eventually led to
the Duar War (1864–65), a confrontation for control of the Bengal Duars.
After Bhutan lost the war, the Treaty of Sinchula was signed
between British India and Bhutan. As part of the war reparations,
the Duars were ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for a rent of
Rs. 50,000. The treaty ended all hostilities between British India and Bhutan.
During the 1870s, power
struggles between the rival valleys of Paro and Tongsa led
to civil war in Bhutan, eventually leading to the ascendancy of Ugyen
Wangchuck, the poenlop (governor) of Tongsa. From his power
base in central Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck defeated his political enemies and
united the country following several civil wars and rebellions during 1882–85.[36]
In 1907, an epochal year for
the country, Ugyen Wangchuck was unanimously chosen as the hereditary king of
the country by the Lhengye Tshog of leading Buddhist monks, government
officials, and heads of important families, with the firm petition made by Gongzim
Ugyen Dorji. John Claude White, British Political Agent in Bhutan, took
photographs of the ceremony.[37] The
British government promptly recognized the new monarchy, and in 1910 Bhutan
signed the Treaty of Punakha, a subsidiary alliance which gave
the British control of Bhutan's foreign affairs and meant that Bhutan was
treated as an Indian princely state. This had little real effect, given
Bhutan's historical reticence, and also did not appear to affect Bhutan's
traditional relations with Tibet. After the new Union of India gained independence from
the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947, Bhutan became one of the first countries
to recognize India's independence. On 8 August 1949, a treaty similar to that
of 1910, in which Britain had gained power over Bhutan's foreign relations, was
signed with the newly independent India.[22]
In 1953, King Jigme Dorji
Wangchuck established the country's legislature – a 130-member National
Assembly – to promote a more democratic form of governance. In 1965, he
set up a Royal Advisory Council, and in 1968 he formed a Cabinet. In 1971,
Bhutan was admitted to the United Nations, having held observer status for
three years. In July 1972, Jigme Singye Wangchuck ascended to the throne at the
age of sixteen after the death of his father, Dorji Wangchuck.
Political reform and modernization
Further
information: Law of Bhutan and Constitution of Bhutan
Bhutan's political system has
recently changed from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional
monarchy. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck transferred most of his
administrative powers to the Council of Cabinet Ministers and allowed for impeachment of
the King by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly.[38]
In 1999, the government lifted
a ban on television and the Internet, making Bhutan one of the last countries
to introduce television. In his speech, the King said that television was a
critical step to the modernization of Bhutan as well as a major contributor to
the country's gross national happiness,[39] but
warned that the "misuse" of this new technology could erode
traditional Bhutanese values.[40]
A new constitution was
presented in early 2005. In December 2005, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck
announced that he would abdicate the throne in his son's favour in 2008. On 14
December 2006, he announced that he would be abdicating immediately. This was
followed by the first national parliamentary elections in December
2007 and March 2008.
On 6 November 2008,
28-year-old Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, eldest son of King Jigme
Singye Wangchuck, was crowned King.[41]
Geography
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Main
article: Geography of Bhutan
A
topographic map of Bhutan.
Bhutan is on the southern
slopes of the eastern Himalayas, landlocked between the Tibet
Autonomous Region to the north and the Indian states of Sikkim, West
Bengal, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh to the west and south. It
lies between latitudes 26°N and 29°N, and longitudes 88°E and 93°E.
The land consists mostly of steep and high mountains crisscrossed by
a network of swift rivers that form deep valleys before draining into the
Indian plains. Elevation rises from 200 m (660 ft) in the southern
foothills to more than 7,000 m (23,000 ft). This great geographical
diversity combined with equally diverse climate conditions contributes to
Bhutan's outstanding range of biodiversity and ecosystems.[2]
Bhutan's northern region
consists of an arc of Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows reaching
up to glaciated mountain peaks with an extremely cold climate at the highest
elevations. Most peaks in the north are over 7,000 m (23,000 ft)
above sea level; the highest point is Gangkhar Puensum, at 7,570 metres
(24,840 ft), which has the distinction of being the highest unclimbed
mountain in the world.[42] The
lowest point, at 98 m (322 ft), is in the valley of Drangme Chhu,
where the river crosses the border with India.[42] Watered
by snow-fed rivers, alpine valleys in this region provide pasture for
livestock, tended by a sparse population of migratory shepherds.
The Black Mountains in
Bhutan's central region form a watershed between two major river systems:
the Mo Chhu and the Drangme Chhu. Peaks in the Black Mountains range
between 1,500 and 4,925 m (4,921 and 16,158 ft) above sea level, and
fast-flowing rivers have carved out deep gorges in the lower mountain areas.
The forests of the central Bhutan mountains consist of Eastern Himalayan
subalpine conifer forests in higher elevations and Eastern Himalayan
broadleaf forests in lower elevations. Woodlands of the central region
provide most of Bhutan's forest production. The Torsa, Raidak, Sankosh,
and Manas are Bhutan's main rivers, flowing through this region. Most
of the population lives in the central highlands.
In the south, the Shiwalik
Hills are covered with dense Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests,
alluvial lowland river valleys, and mountains up to around 1,500 m
(4,900 ft) above sea level. The foothills descend into the
subtropical Duars Plain. Most of the Duars is in India, but a 10 to
15 km (6.2 to 9.3 mi)-wide strip extends into Bhutan. The Bhutan
Duars is divided into two parts, the northern and southern Duars.
The northern Duars, which abut
the Himalayan foothills, have rugged, sloping terrain and dry, porous soil with
dense vegetation and abundant wildlife. The southern Duars has moderately
fertile soil, heavy savanna grass, dense, mixed jungle, and
freshwater springs. Mountain rivers, fed by melting snow or monsoon rains,
empty into the Brahmaputra River in India. Data released by the
Ministry of Agriculture showed that the country had a forest cover of 64% as of
October 2005.
·
Landscape
of Bhutan
· Gangkar Puensum, the highest mountain in Bhutan
· Sub-alpine Himalayan landscape
· A Himalayan peak from Bumthang
· Jigme Dorji National Park
· The Haa Valley in Western Bhutan
Climate
See
also: Thimphu § Geography and climate
Bhutan's climate varies with
elevation, from subtropical in the south to temperate in the
highlands and polar-type climate with year-round snow in the north.
Bhutan experiences five distinct seasons: summer, monsoon, autumn, winter
and spring. Western Bhutan has the heavier monsoon rains; southern Bhutan has
hot humid summers and cool winters; central and eastern Bhutan are temperate
and drier than the west with warm summers and cool winters.
Biodiversity
See
also: List of mammals of Bhutan and Wildlife of Bhutan
The takin is
Bhutan's national animal.
Bhutan signed the Rio Convention
on Biological Diversity on 11 June 1992, and became a party to the
convention on 25 August 1995.[43] It has
subsequently produced a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan,
with two revisions, the most recent of which was received by the convention on
4 February 2010.[44]
Animals
Himalayan
Marmot at Tshophu Lake, Bhutan
Bhutan has a rich primate
life, with rare species such as the golden langur.[45][46] A
variant Assamese macaque has also been recorded, which is regarded by some
authorities as a new species, Macaca munzala.[47]
The Bengal tiger, clouded
leopard, hispid hare and the sloth bear live in the
tropical lowland and hardwood forests in the south. In the temperate
zone, grey langur, tiger, goral and serow are found in
mixed conifer, broadleaf and pine forests. Fruit-bearing trees and bamboo
provide habitat for the Himalayan black bear, red panda, squirrel, sambar, wild
pig and barking deer. The alpine habitats of the great Himalayan
range in the north are home to the snow leopard, blue sheep, marmot, Tibetan
wolf, antelope, Himalayan musk deer and the takin,
Bhutan's national animal. The endangered wild water buffalo occurs in
southern Bhutan, although in small numbers.[48]
More than 770 species of bird
have been recorded in Bhutan. The globally endangered white-winged duck has
been added recently[when?] to
Bhutan's bird list.[49]
Plants
More than 5,400 species of
plants are found in Bhutan.[50] Fungi
form a key part of Bhutanese ecosystems, with mycorrhizal species
providing forest trees with mineral nutrients necessary for growth, and with
wood decay and litter decomposing species playing an important role in natural
recycling.
Conservation
Main
article: List of protected areas of Bhutan
JDNP
Motithang
WCNP
BWS
PNP
JWS
JKSNR
JSWNP
PWS
RMNP
SWS
Protected areas of Bhutan in
lavender; biological corridors in green.
The Eastern Himalayas have
been identified as a global biodiversity hotspot and counted among
the 234 globally outstanding ecoregions of the world in a
comprehensive analysis of global biodiversity undertaken by WWF between
1995 and 1997.
According to the
Swiss-based International Union for Conservation of Nature, Bhutan is
viewed as a model for proactive conservation initiatives. The Kingdom
has received international acclaim for its commitment to the maintenance of its
biodiversity.[51] This is reflected in the decision to maintain at least sixty
percent of the land area under forest cover, to designate more than
40%[52][53] of its territory as national parks,
reserves and other protected areas, and most recently to identify a further
nine percent of land area as biodiversity corridors linking the protected
areas. All of Bhutan's protected land is connected to one another through a
vast network of biological corridors, allowing animals to migrate freely
throughout the country.[54] Environmental
conservation has been placed at the core of the nation's development strategy,
the middle path. It is not treated as a sector but rather as a set of concerns
that must be mainstreamed in Bhutan's overall approach to development planning
and to be buttressed by the force of law. The country's constitution mentions
environment standards in multiple sections.[55]
Environmental issues
Further
information: Environmental issues in Bhutan
Himalayan
black bear
Although Bhutan's natural
heritage is still largely intact, the government has said that it cannot be
taken for granted and that conservation of the natural environment must be
considered one of the challenges that will need to be addressed in the years
ahead.[56] Nearly 56.3% of all Bhutanese are involved with agriculture,
forestry or conservation.[55] The
government aims to promote conservation as part of its plan to target Gross
National Happiness. It currently has net zero greenhouse gas emissions because
the small amount of pollution it creates is absorbed by the forests that cover
most of the country.[57] While
the entire country collectively produces 2.2 million tons of carbon dioxide a
year, the immense forest covering 72% of the country acts as a carbon sink,
absorbing more than four million tons of carbon dioxide every year.[54]
Bhutan has a number of
progressive environmental policies that have caused the head of the UNFCCC to
call it an "inspiration and role model for the world on how economies and
different countries can address climate change while at the same time improving
the life of the citizen." [58] For
example, electric cars have been pushed in the country and as of 2014 make
up a tenth of all cars. Because the country gets most of its energy from hydroelectric
power, it does not emit significant greenhouse gases for energy production.[57]
Pressures on the natural
environment are already evident and will be fuelled by a complex array of
forces. They include population pressures, agricultural modernization,
poaching, hydro-power development, mineral extraction, industrialization,
urbanization, sewage and waste disposal, tourism, competition for available
land, road construction and the provision of other physical infrastructure
associated with social and economic development.[59]
In practice, the overlap of
these extensive protected lands with populated areas has led to mutual habitat
encroachment. Protected wildlife has entered agricultural areas, trampling
crops and killing livestock. In response, Bhutan has implemented an insurance
scheme, begun constructing solar powered alarm fences, watch towers, and search
lights, and has provided fodder and salt licks outside human settlement areas
to encourage animals to stay away.[60]
The huge market value of
the Ophiocordyceps sinensis fungus crop collected from the
wild has also resulted in unsustainable exploitation which is proving very
difficult to regulate.[61]
Government and politics
Main
article: Politics of Bhutan
The Tashichho
Dzong in Thimphu has been the seat of the Bhutanese government
since 1952.
Jigme Khesar
Namgyel Wangchuck has been the king and head of state since 2006, but
crowned in 2008
Bhutan is a constitutional
monarchy with a parliamentary form of government. The reigning monarch
is Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. The current Prime Minister of
Bhutan is Lotay Tshering, leader of the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa Party.
The Druk Gyalpo (Dragon
King) is the head of state.[62] The
political system grants universal suffrage. It consists of the National
Council, an upper house with 25 elected members; and the National Assembly with
47 elected lawmakers from political parties.
Executive power is exercised
by the Council of Ministers led by the prime minister. Legislative
power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. Judicial
power is vested in the courts. The legal system originates from the semi-theocratic Tsa
Yig code and was influenced by English common law during the
20th century. The chief justice is the administrative head of the
judiciary.
Political culture
The first general
elections for the National Assembly were held on 24 March 2008.
The chief contestants were the Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (DPT)
led by Jigme Thinley and the People's Democratic Party (PDP)
led by Sangay Ngedup. The DPT won the elections, taking 45 out of 47
seats.[63] Jigme Thinley served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013.
The People's Democratic
Party came to power in the 2013 elections. It won 32 seats and 54.88%
of the vote. PDP leader Tshering Tobgay served as Prime Minister from
2013 to 2018.
Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa won
largest number of seats in the 2018 National Assembly Election,
bringing Lotay Tshering to priemiership and Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa into
government for the first time.[64]
Women in government
Women in Bhutan tend to be
less active in politics than men due to customs and aspects of Bhutan's culture
that dictate a woman's role in the household.[65] These
customs roll over to a woman's public life and can cause them to be timid and
not confident in making their voice heard.[65] This
leads to a limitation of their voices in government. Bhutan has made steps
toward gender equality by enrolling more girls in school as well as creating
the National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC) in 2004.[66] This
program was created to promote and protect women's and children's rights.
Bhutan also elected its first female Dzongda, equivalent to a
District Attorney, in 2012, and its first female minister in 2013.[66] Minister
Dorji Choden is the chair for the National Bhutan Commission for Women and
children and believes that this programme can be used to “promote women into
more leadership roles” which can then lead women to take on more active roles
in their society.[65] Overall there has also
been a gradual increase in women in power with a 68% increase in women representation
from 2011 to 2016.[66]
Foreign relations
Main
article: Foreign relations of Bhutan
The
permanent mission of Bhutan to the United Nations in New York City
Prime
Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay with U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry in 2015.[67]
In the early 20th century,
Bhutan's principal foreign relations were with British India and Tibet.
The government of British India managed relations with the kingdom
from the Bhutan House in Kalimpong. Fearful of Chinese communist
expansion, Bhutan signed a friendship treaty with the newly independent
Republic of India in 1949. Its concerns were exacerbated after the Chinese
takeover of Tibet in 1959.[68] Relations
with Nepal remained strained due to Bhutanese refugees. Bhutan
joined the United Nations in 1971. It was the first country to recognize
Bangladesh's independence in 1971. It became a founding member of
the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1985.
The country is a member of 150 international organizations,[68] including
the Bay of Bengal Initiative, BBIN, World Bank, the International
Monetary Fund and the Group of 77.
Bhutan maintains strong
economic, strategic, and military relations with India.[69][70] In
2007 Bhutan and India revised their friendship treaty, which clarified Bhutan's
full control of its foreign relations, including its border with Tibet. Bhutan
has very warm relations with Japan, which provides significant development
assistance. The Bhutanese royals were hosted by the Japanese imperial family
during a state visit in 2011. Japan is also helping Bhutan cope with
glacial floods through developing an early warning system.
Bhutan enjoys strong political
and diplomatic relations with Bangladesh. The Bhutanese king was the guest of
honour during celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh's
independence.[71] A 2014 joint statement by the prime ministers of both countries
announced cooperation in areas of hydropower, river management and climate
change mitigation.[72]
Bhutan has diplomatic
relations with 52 countries and the European Union and has missions in India,
Bangladesh, Thailand, Kuwait and Belgium. It has two UN missions, one in New
York and one in Geneva. Only India, Bangladesh and Kuwait have residential
embassies in Bhutan. Other countries maintain informal diplomatic contact via
their embassies in New Delhi and Dhaka. Bhutan maintains
formal diplomatic relations with several Asian and European nations,
Canada, and Brazil. Other countries, such as the United States and the United
Kingdom, have no formal diplomatic relations with Bhutan but maintain informal
contact through their respective embassies in New Delhi and the
Bhutanese honorary consulate in Washington, DC. The United Kingdom has an
honorary consul resident in Thimphu.[73][74][75]
A map of
Bhutan showing its borders with China and India as of 2015.
By a long-standing agreement,
Indian and Bhutanese citizens may travel to each other's countries without
a passport or visa, but must still have their national identity
cards. Bhutanese citizens may also work in India without legal restriction.
Bhutan does not have formal diplomatic ties with China, but exchanges of visits
at various levels between them have significantly increased in recent times.
The first bilateral agreement between China and Bhutan was signed in 1998 and
Bhutan has also set up honorary consulates in the Special Administrative
Regions of Hong Kong and Macau.[76] Bhutan's
border with China is largely not demarcated and thus disputed in some places.
Approximately 269 square kilometres remain under discussion between China and
Bhutan.[77]
On 13 November 2005, Chinese
soldiers crossed into the disputed territories between China and Bhutan and
began building roads and bridges.[78] Bhutanese
Foreign Minister Khandu Wangchuk took up the matter with Chinese
authorities after the issue was raised in the Bhutanese parliament. In
response, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang of the People's Republic of China
said that the border remains in dispute and that the two sides are continuing
to work for a peaceful and cordial resolution of the dispute, denying that the
presence of soldiers in the area was an attempt to forcibly occupy it.[79] An
Indian intelligence officer said that a Chinese delegation in Bhutan told the
Bhutanese they were "overreacting". The Bhutanese newspaper Kuensel said
that China might use the roads to further Chinese claims along the border.[78]
In February 2007 the
Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty was substantially revised. Whereas the Treaty of
1949, Article 2 stated: "The Government of India undertakes to exercise no
interference in the internal administration of Bhutan. On its part the
Government of Bhutan agrees to be guided by the advice of the Government of
India in regard to its external relations," the revised treaty now states
"In keeping with the abiding ties of close friendship and cooperation
between Bhutan and India, the Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan and the
Government of the Republic of India shall cooperate closely with each other on
issues relating to their national interests. Neither government shall allow the
use of its territory for activities harmful to the national security and
interest of the other." The revised treaty also includes this preamble:
"Reaffirming their respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and
territorial integrity", an element absent in the earlier version. The
Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty of 2007 clarifies Bhutan's status as an
independent and sovereign nation.
Military
Further
information: Military of Bhutan
The Royal Bhutan Army is
Bhutan's military service. It includes the royal bodyguard and
the Royal Bhutan Police. Membership is voluntary and the minimum age for
recruitment is 18. The standing army numbers about 16,000 and is trained by
the Indian Army.[80] It has
an annual budget of about US$13.7 million (1.8 percent of GDP). As a landlocked
country, Bhutan has no navy. It also has no air force or army aviation corps.
The Army relies on the Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force for
air assistance.
Human rights
Main
article: Human rights in Bhutan
See
also: LGBT rights in Bhutan
Homosexual acts are illegal in
Bhutan. The Penal Code (Articles 213 & 214) states that same-sex sexual
acts (regardless of whether they were consensual or private) are punishable by
a prison sentence of between one month to less than one year.[81] Some
members of the Parliament of Bhutan have publicly called for the
anti-gay laws to be repealed, as majority of Bhutanese oppose them.[82]
Ethnic conflict
Ethnic Lhotshampas, Bhutanese
refugees left Bhutan, arrived in Nepal in the early 1990s.
In the 1990s, Bhutan expelled
or forced to leave most of its ethnic Lhotshampa population,
one-fifth of the country's population, demanding conformity in religion, dress,
and language.[83][84][85] Lhotshampas were
arrested and expelled from the country and their property was expropriated.[86]
A harassment campaign
escalating in the early 1990s ensued, and afterwards Bhutanese security forces
began expelling people. According to the UNHCR, more than 107,000 Bhutanese
refugees living in seven camps in eastern Nepal have been documented as of
2008.[85] After many years in refugee camps, many inhabitants are now moving
to other host nations such as Canada, Norway, the UK, Australia, and the US as
refugees. The US admitted 60,773 refugees from fiscal years 2008 to 2012.[87]
The Nepalese government does
not permit citizenship for Bhutanese refugees, so most of them have become
stateless.[88] Careful scrutiny has been used to prevent their relatives from
getting ID cards and voting rights.[88] Bhutan
considers political parties associated with these refugees to be illegal and
terrorist.[88] Human rights groups initially claimed the government
interfered with individual rights by requiring all citizens, including ethnic
minority members, to wear the traditional dress of the ethnic majority in
public places. The government strictly enforced this law in Buddhist religious
buildings, government offices, schools, official functions, and public
ceremonies.[88]
Political divisions
Main
articles: Districts of Bhutan, Gewogs of Bhutan, and Local
Government Act of Bhutan 2009
Bhutan is divided into
twenty Dzongkhag (districts), administered by a body called
the Dzongkhag Tshogdu. In certain thromdes (urban
municipalities), a further municipal administration is directly subordinate to
the Dzongkhag administration. In the vast majority of constituencies,
rural geog (village blocks) are administered by bodies called
the Geog Tshogde.[89]
Thromdes (municipalities)
elect Thrompons to lead administration, who in turn represent the Thromde in
the Dzongkhag Tshogdu. Likewise, geog elect headmen
called gups, vice-headmen called mangmis, who also sit
on the Dzongkhag Tshogdu, as well as other members of the Geog Tshogde. The
basis of electoral constituencies in Bhutan is the chiwog, a
subdivision of gewogs delineated by the Election Commission.[89]
Bumthang
Chukha
Dagana
Gasa
Haa
Lhuntse
Mongar
Paro
Pema-
gatshel
gatshel
Punakha
Samdrup Jongkhar
Samtse
Sarpang
Thimphu
Trashigang
Trashiyangtse
Trongsa
Tsirang
Wangdue
Phodrang
Phodrang
Zhemgang
Districts of
Bhutan[90]
Dzongkhags of
the Kingdom of Bhutan
|
|||
District
|
Dzongkha name
|
District
|
Dzongkha name
|
1. Bumthang
|
བུམ་ཐང་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
11. Samdrup
Jongkhar
|
བསམ་གྲུབ་ལྗོངས་མཁར་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
2. Chukha
|
ཆུ་ཁ་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
12. Samtse
|
བསམ་རྩེ་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
3. Dagana
|
དར་དཀར་ན་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
13. Sarpang
|
གསར་སྤང་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
4. Gasa
|
མགར་ས་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
14. Thimphu
|
ཐིམ་ཕུ་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
5. Haa
|
ཧཱ་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
15. Trashigang
|
བཀྲ་ཤིས་སྒང་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
6. Lhuntse
|
ལྷུན་རྩེ་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
16. Trashiyangtse
|
བཀྲ་ཤིས་གཡང་རྩེ་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
7. Mongar
|
མོང་སྒར་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
17. Trongsa
|
ཀྲོང་གསར་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
8. Paro
|
སྤ་རོ་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
18. Tsirang
|
རྩི་རང་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
9. Pemagatshel
|
པད་མ་དགའ་ཚལ་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
19. Wangdue
Phodrang
|
དབང་འདུས་ཕོ་བྲང་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
10. Punakha
|
སྤུ་ན་ཁ་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
20. Zhemgang
|
གཞམས་སྒང་རྫོང་ཁག་
|
Economy
A
proportional representation of Bhutan's exports.
The Bhutan
Power Corporation headquarters in Thimphu. Bhutan's principal export
is hydroelectricity.
Main
article: Economy of Bhutan
Bhutan's currency is the ngultrum,
whose value is fixed to the Indian rupee. The rupee is also
accepted as legal tender in the country. Though Bhutan's economy is
one of the world's smallest,[91] it has
grown rapidly in recent years, by eight percent in 2005 and 14 percent in 2006.
In 2007, Bhutan had the second-fastest-growing economy in the world, with an
annual economic growth rate of 22.4 percent. This was mainly due to the
commissioning of the gigantic Tala Hydroelectric Power Station. As of
2012, Bhutan's per capita income was US$2,420.[92]
Bhutan's economy is based on
agriculture, forestry, tourism and the sale of hydroelectric power to
India. Agriculture provides the main livelihood for 55.4 percent of the
population.[93] Agrarian practices consist largely of subsistence farming and animal
husbandry. Handicrafts, particularly weaving and the manufacture of religious
art for home altars, are a small cottage industry. A landscape that varies
from hilly to ruggedly mountainous has made the building of roads and other
infrastructure difficult and expensive.
This, and a lack of access to
the sea, has meant that Bhutan has not been able to benefit from significant
trading of its produce. Bhutan has no railways, though Indian
Railways plans to link southern Bhutan to its vast network under an
agreement signed in January 2005.[94] Bhutan
and India signed a 'free trade' accord in 2008, which additionally allowed
Bhutanese imports and exports from third markets to transit India without
tariffs.[95] Bhutan had trade relations with the Tibet region until
1960, when it closed its border with China after an influx of refugees.[96]
The industrial sector is in a
nascent stage, and though most production comes from cottage industry, larger
industries are being encouraged and some industries such as cement, steel,
and ferroalloy have been set up. Most development projects, such as
road construction, rely on Indian contract labour. Agricultural produce
includes rice, chilies, dairy (some yak, mostly cow) products, buckwheat,
barley, root crops, apples, and citrus and maize at lower elevations.
Industries include cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages
and calcium carbide.
Bhutan has seen recent growth
in the technology sector, in areas such as green tech and consumer
Internet/e-commerce.[97] In May
2012, Thimphu TechPark launched in the capital and incubates start-ups via the
Bhutan Innovation and Technology Centre (BITC).[98]
Incomes of over Nu 100,000 per
annum are taxed, but very few wage and salary earners qualify. Bhutan's
inflation rate was estimated at about three percent in 2003. Bhutan has a Gross
Domestic Product of around US$5.855 billion (adjusted to purchasing
power parity), making it the 158th-largest economy in the world. Per capita
income (PPP) is around $7,641,[42] ranked
144th. Government revenues total $407.1 million, though expenditures amount to
$614 million. 25 percent of the budget expenditure, however, is financed by
India's Ministry of External Affairs.[note 1][99]
Bhutan's exports, principally
electricity, cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit,
precious stones and spices, total €128 million (2000 est.). Imports, however,
amount to €164 million, leading to a trade deficit. Main items imported
include fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery, vehicles, fabrics and rice.
Bhutan's main export partner is India, accounting for 58.6 percent of its
export goods. Hong Kong (30.1 percent) and Bangladesh (7.3 percent) are the
other two top export partners.[42] As its
border with Tibet is closed, trade between Bhutan and China is now almost
non-existent. Bhutan's import partners include India (74.5 percent), Japan (7.4
percent) and Sweden (3.2 percent).
Agriculture
Main
article: Agriculture in Bhutan
Rice
planting near Paro
The share of the agricultural
sector in GDP declined from approximately 55% in 1985 to 33% in 2003. In 2013
the government announced the aspiration that Bhutan will become the first
country in the world with 100 percent organic farming.[100][101] Bhutanese
red rice is the country's most widely known agricultural export, enjoying
a market in North America and Europe. Bangladesh is the largest market of
Bhutanese apples and oranges.[102]
Fishing in Bhutan is
mainly centered on trout and carp.
Industry
The industrial sector accounts
of 22% of the economy. The key manufacturing sectors in Bhutan include
production of ferroalloy, cement, metal poles, iron and nonalloy steel
products, processed graphite, copper conductors, alcoholic and
carbonated beverages, processed fruits, carpets, wood products and
furniture.[103]
Mining
Main
article: Mining in Bhutan
Bhutan has deposits of
numerous minerals. Commercial production includes coal, dolomite, gypsum,
and limestone. The country has proven reserves of beryl, copper,
graphite, lead, mica, pyrite, tin, tungsten, and zinc.
However, the country remains as an environmental frontier as it prefers to
conserve the environment, rather than to exploit and destroy it for money.[citation
needed]
Energy
Main
article: Energy in Bhutan
Bhutan's largest export is
hydroelectricity. As of 2015, it generates about 2,000 MW of
hydropower from Himalayan river valleys.[104] The
country has a potential to generate 30,000 MW of hydropower.[104] Power
is supplied to various states in India. Future projects are being planned with
Bangladesh.[104] Hydropower has been the primary focus for
the country's five-year plans. As of 2015, the Tala Hydroelectric
Power Station is its largest power plant, with an installed capacity of
1,020 MW. It has received assistance from India, Austria and the Asian
Development Bank in developing hydroelectric projects. Besides Hydropower,
it is also endowed with significant renewable energy resources such as solar,
wind and bioenergy. Technically viable solar energy generation capacity is
around 12000 MW and wind around 760 MW. More than 70% of its land is under
forest cover, which is an immense source of bioenergy in the country.[citation
needed]
Financial sector
The Le
Méridien Thimphu is part of Bhutan's burgeoning tourism industry.
See
also: Banking in Bhutan
There are Five Commercial
Banks in the country and two largest banks are the Bank of Bhutan and the
Bhutan National Bank which are based in Thimphu. Other commercial banks are
Bhutan Development Bank, T-Bank and Druk Punjab National Bank. The country's
financial sector is also supported by other non-banking Financial Institutions.
They are Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan (RICB), National Pension and
Provident Fund (NPPF), Bhutan Insurance Limited(BIL). The central bank of the
country is the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (RMA).The Royal Securities
Exchange of Bhutan ]] is the main stock exchange. B The SAARC Development
Fund is based in Thimphu.[105]
Tourism
Main
article: Tourism in Bhutan
In 2014, Bhutan welcomed
133,480 foreign visitors.[106] Seeking
to become a high value destination, it imposes a daily fee of US$250 on
tourists that covers touring and hotel accommodation.[107] The
industry employs 21,000 people and accounts for 1.8% of GDP.[108]
The country currently has
no UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but it has eight declared tentative sites
for UNESCO inclusion since 2012. These sites include Ancient Ruin of Drukgyel
Dzong,[109] Bumdelling Wildlife Sanctuary,[110] Dzongs:
the centre of temporal and religious authorities (Punakha Dzong, Wangdue
Phodrang Dzong, Paro Dzong, Trongsa Dzong and Dagana Dzong),[111] Jigme
Dorji National Park (JDNP),[112] Royal
Manas National Park (RMNP),[113] Sacred
Sites associated with Phajo Drugom Zhigpo and his descendants,[114] Sakteng
Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS),[115] and Tamzhing
Monastery.[116] Bhutan also has numerous tourist sites
that are not included in its UNESCO tentative list. Bhutan has one element,
the Mask dance of the drums from Drametse, registered in the UNESCO
Intangible Cultural Heritage List.[117]
Bhutan is also well known for
mountain adventure trekking and hiking. Jhomolhari Base Camp Trek, Snowman
Trek, and Masagang trek are some of the popular treks in Bhutan.
Transport
Main
article: Transport in Bhutan
A Druk
Air Airbus A319 in Paro Airport
Air
Paro Airport is the only
international airport in Bhutan. Yongphulla Airport in Trashigang is
a small domestic airport that underwent upgrades through 2010.[118] Yonphula
Domestic Airport was scheduled for completion in January 2010 but as of
January 2015, the airport remains closed due to ongoing runway repair.[119] National
carrier Druk Air operates flights between Paro Airport and airports in Jakar (Bumthang
Dzongkhag) and Gelephu (Sarpang Dzongkhag) on a weekly basis.[120]
Road
The Lateral Road is
Bhutan's primary east–west corridor, connecting Phuentsholing in the
southwest to Trashigang in the east. In between, the Lateral Road
runs directly through Wangdue Phodrang, Trongsa and other
population centres. The Lateral Road also has spurs connecting to the
capital Thimphu and other major population centres such as Paro and Punakha.
As with other roads in Bhutan, the Lateral Road presents serious safety
concerns due to pavement conditions, sheer drops, hairpin turns, weather and
landslides.[121][122][123]
Since 2014, road widening has
been a priority across Bhutan, in particular for the North-East-West highway
from Trashigang to Dochula. The widening project is expected to be completed by
the end of 2017 and will make road travel across the country substantially
faster and more efficient. In addition, it is projected that the improved road
conditions will encourage more tourism in the more inaccessible eastern region
of Bhutan.[124][125][126] Currently, the road
conditions appear to be deterring tourists from visiting Bhutan due to the
increased instances of road blocks, landslides and dust disruption caused by
the widening project.[127]
Rail
Bhutan has no railways, though
it has entered into an agreement with India to link southern Bhutan to India's
vast network by constructing an 18-kilometre-long (11 mi) 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad
gauge rail link between Hashimara in West Bengal and Toribari in
Bhutan. The construction of the railway via Satali, Bharna Bari and Dalsingpara
by Indian railways will be funded by India.[128] Bhutan's
nearest railway station is Hasimara.
Demographics
Main
article: Demographics of Bhutan
Historical
population
|
||
Year
|
Pop.
|
±%
|
1960
|
224,000
|
—
|
1980
|
413,000
|
+84.4%
|
1990
|
536,000
|
+29.8%
|
1995
|
509,000
|
−5.0%
|
2005
|
650,000
|
+27.7%
|
Source: http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/unpp/panel_population.htm
|
Bhutanese
people in national dress at the Wangdi Phodrang festival.
Bhutan had a population of
754,388 people in 2018.[129][130] Bhutan
has a median age of 24.8 years.[42] There
are 1,070 males to every 1,000 females. The literacy rate in Bhutan is 59.5
percent.[131]
Ethnic groups
Bhutanese people primarily
consist of the Ngalops and Sharchops, called the Western
Bhutanese and Eastern Bhutanese respectively. Although the Sharchops are
slightly larger in demographic size, the Ngalops dominate the
political sphere, as the King and the political elite belong to this group.[132] The
Ngalops primarily consist of Bhutanese living in the western part of the
country. Their culture is closely related to that of Tibet. Much the same could
be said of the Sharchops, the largest group, who traditionally follow
the Nyingmapa rather than the official Drukpa Kagyu form
of Tibetan Buddhism. In modern times, with improved transportation
infrastructure, there has been much intermarriage between these groups.
The Lhotshampa, meaning
"southerner Bhutanese", are a heterogeneous group of mostly Nepalese ancestry.
It was claimed that they constituted 45% of the population in the 1988 census,[133] and
include migrants from as early as the 1890s to as recent as the 1980s, who have
fought a bitter war with Bhutan over rights to abode, language, and dress. In
the early 1970s, intermarriage between the Lhotshampas Bhutanese and
mainstream Bhutanese society was encouraged by the government, but after the
late 1980s, the Bhutanese government forced about 108,000 Lhotshampas from
their homes, seized their land, and expelled them to refugee camps.[86] Consequently,
there has been mass emigration from Bhutan (both forced and voluntary)
and ethnic cleansing in Bhutan resulting in hundreds of thousands of
people left stateless in refugee camps of Nepal.[86] Currently,
Lhotsampa are estimated to make up approximately 20% of Bhutan's population.[132]
Cities and townsain
article: List of cities in Bhutan
·
Thimphu, the largest city and
capital of Bhutan.
·
Damphu, the administrative
headquarters of Tsirang District.
·
Jakar, the administrative
headquarters of Bumthang District and the place where Buddhism
entered Bhutan.
·
Mongar, the eastern commercial
hub of the country.
·
Paro, site of the international
airport.
·
Phuentsholing, Bhutan's
commercial hub.
·
Punakha, the old capital.
·
Samdrup Jongkhar, the
southeastern town on the border with India.
·
Trashigang, administrative
headquarters of Trashigang District, the most populous district in the
country.
·
Trongsa, in central Bhutan,
which has the largest and the most magnificent of all the dzongs in
Bhutan.
Largest cities or towns in Bhutan
According to the 2017 Census[134]
|
|||||||||
Rank
|
Name
|
District
|
Pop.
|
||||||
Thimphu
Phuntsholing
|
1
|
Thimphu
|
Thimphu
|
114,551
|
Paro
|
||||
2
|
Phuntsholing
|
Chukha
|
27,658
|
||||||
3
|
Paro
|
Paro
|
11,448
|
||||||
4
|
Gelephu
|
Sarpang
|
9,858
|
||||||
5
|
Samdrup
Jongkhar
|
Samdrup
Jongkhar
|
9,325
|
||||||
6
|
Wangdue
Phodrang
|
Wangdue
Phodrang
|
8,954
|
||||||
7
|
Punakha
|
Punakha
|
6,626
|
||||||
8
|
Jakar
|
Bumthang
|
6,243
|
||||||
9
|
Nganglam
|
Pemagatshel
|
5,418
|
||||||
10
|
Samtse
|
Samtse
|
5,396
|
Religion
Religion in Bhutan (Pew 2010)[135]
Buddhism (State
religion) (74.8%)
Hinduism (22.6%)
Bon and other
indigenous faith (1.9%)
Christianity (0.5%)
Islam (0.1%)
Other
or none (0.2%)
[further explanation needed]
Main
article: Religion in Bhutan
It is estimated that between
two-thirds and three-quarters of the Bhutanese population follow Vajrayana
Buddhism, which is also the state religion. About one-quarter to one-third
are followers of Hinduism. Other religions account for less than 1% of the
population.[136] The current legal framework, in principle
guarantees freedom of religion; proselytism, however, is forbidden by
a royal government decision[136] and by
judicial interpretation of the Constitution.[137]
Buddhism was introduced to
Bhutan in the 7th century AD. Tibetan king Songtsän Gampo (reigned
627–649), a convert to Buddhism, ordered the construction of two Buddhist
temples, at Bumthang in central Bhutan and at Kyichu Lhakhang
(near Paro) in the Paro Valley.[26]
Languages
Main
article: Languages of Bhutan
Dzongkha
Bumthang
Kurtöp
Dzala
Khampa
Tibetan
Lakha
Nyenkha
'Olekha
(Monpa)
Brokkat
Chocangacakha
Chali
Dakpa
Brokpa
Nepali
Nepali
Nepali
Lepcha
Lhokpu
Kheng
Gongduk
Tshangla
(Sharchopkha)
(Sharchopkha)
Languages of
Bhutan
The national language is Dzongkha (Bhutanese),
one of 53 languages in the Tibetan language family. The script, here
called Chhokey ("Dharma language"), is identical to
classical Tibetan. In the schools English is the medium of instruction and
Dzongkha is taught as the national language. Ethnologue lists
24 languages currently spoken in Bhutan, all of them in the Tibeto-Burman family,
except Nepali, an Indo-Aryan language.[84]
Until the 1980s, the
government sponsored the teaching of Nepali in schools in southern Bhutan. With
the adoption of Driglam Namzhag and its expansion into the
idea of strengthening the role of Dzongkha, Nepali was dropped from the
curriculum. The languages of Bhutan are still not well characterized, and
several have yet to be recorded in an in-depth academic grammar. Before the
1980s, the Lhotshampa (Nepali-speaking community), mainly based in
southern Bhutan, constituted approximately 30% of the population.[84] However,
after a purge of Lhotshaampas from 1990–1992 this number might not accurately
reflect the current population.
Dzongkha is partially
intelligible with Sikkimese and spoken natively by 25% of the
population. Tshangla, the language of the Sharchop and the principal
pre-Tibetan language of Bhutan, is spoken by a greater number of people. It is
not easily classified and may constitute an independent branch of
Tibeto-Burman. Nepali speakers constituted some 40% of the population
as of 2006. The larger minority languages are Dzala (11%), Limbu (10%), Kheng (8%),
and Rai (8%). There are no reliable sources for the ethnic or
linguistic composition of Bhutan, so these numbers do not add up to 100%.
Health
Main
article: Health in Bhutan
Bhutan has a life
expectancy of 70.2 years (69.9 for males and 70.5 for females) according
to the latest data for the year 2016 from the World Bank.[138]
Source: UN World
Population Prospects[139]
Education
Main
article: Education in Bhutan
The ILCS
Campus Taktse Bhutan.
Bhutan has two decentralized
universities with eleven constituent colleges spread across the kingdom,
the Royal University of Bhutan and Khesar Gyalpo University of
Medical Sciences. The first five-year plan provided for a central
education authority—in the form of a director of education appointed in
1961—and an organized, modern school system with free and universal primary
education.
Education programmes were
given a boost in 1990 when the Asian Development Bank (see Glossary)
granted a US$7.13 million loan for staff training and development, specialist
services, equipment and furniture purchases, salaries and other recurrent
costs, and facility rehabilitation and construction at Royal Bhutan
Polytechnic.
Since the beginning of
education in Bhutan, teachers from India, especially Kerala has served in some
of the most remote villages of Bhutan. In honour to their service 43 retired
teachers who served for long time in were invited to Thimphu, Bhutan
during the teachers day celebrations in 2018 and individually thanked by His
Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. To celebrate 50 years of
diplomatic relations between Bhutan and India, 80 teachers who served in Bhutan
were honoured by the Education Minister Jai Bir Rai at a special
ceremony organized at Kolkata, India on 6 January 2019.[140] Currently,
there are 121 teachers from India placed in schools across Bhutan.
Culture
Main
article: Culture of Bhutan
Bhutanese thanka of Mt.
Meru and the Buddhist universe (19th century, Trongsa Dzong, Trongsa,
Bhutan).
Bhutan has a rich and unique
cultural heritage that has largely remained intact because of its isolation
from the rest of the world until the mid-20th century. One of the main
attractions for tourists is the country's culture and traditions. Bhutanese
tradition is deeply steeped in its Buddhist heritage.[141][142] Hinduism is
the second most dominant religion in Bhutan, being most prevalent in the
southern regions.[143] The
government is increasingly making efforts to preserve and sustain the current
culture and traditions of the country. Because of its largely unspoiled natural
environment and cultural heritage, Bhutan has been referred to as The
Last Shangri-La.[144]
While Bhutanese citizens are
free to travel abroad, Bhutan is viewed as inaccessible by many foreigners.
Another reason for it being an unpopular destination is the cost, which is high
for tourists on tighter budgets. Entry is free for citizens of India, Bangladesh,
and the Maldives, but all other foreigners are required to sign up with a
Bhutanese tour operator and pay around US$250 per day that they stay in the
country, though this fee covers most travel, lodging and meal expenses.[145] Bhutan
received 37,482 visitor arrivals in 2011, of which 25% were for meetings,
incentives, conferencing, and exhibitions.[146]
Bhutan is the first nation in
the world to ban smoking. It has been illegal to smoke in public or sell
tobacco, according to Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010. Violators are
fined the equivalent of $232—a months' salary in Bhutan.
Dress
The national dress for
Bhutanese men is the gho, a knee-length robe tied at the waist by a
cloth belt known as the kera. Women wear an ankle-length dress,
the kira, which is clipped at the shoulders with two identical
brooches called the koma and tied at the waist with kera. An
accompaniment to the kira is a long-sleeved blouse, the wonju which
is worn underneath the kira. A long-sleeved jacket-like garment, the toego is
worn over the kira. The sleeves of the wonju and the tego are folded together
at the cuffs, inside out.
Social status and class
determine the texture, colours, and decorations that embellish the garments.
Differently coloured scarves, known as rachu for women (red is
the most common colour) and kabney for men, are important
indicators of social standing, as Bhutan has traditionally been a feudal society.
Jewellery is mostly worn by women, especially during religious festivals (tsechus)
and public gatherings. To strengthen Bhutan's identity as an independent
country, Bhutanese law requires all Bhutanese government employees to wear the
national dress at work and all citizens to wear the national dress while
visiting schools and other government offices though many citizens,
particularly adults, choose to wear the customary dress as formal attire.
Architecture
National
Museum of Bhutan in Paro
Main
article: Architecture of Bhutan
Bhutanese architecture remains
distinctively traditional, employing rammed earth and wattle and
daub construction methods, stone masonry, and intricate woodwork around
windows and roofs. Traditional architecture uses no nails or iron bars in
construction.[33][147][148] Characteristic of the
region is a type of castle fortress known as the dzong. Since ancient
times, the dzongs have served as the religious and secular administration
centres for their respective districts.[149] The University
of Texas at El Paso in the United States has adopted Bhutanese
architecture for its buildings on campus, as have the nearby Hilton Garden Inn
and other buildings in the city of El Paso.[150]
Public holidays
Bhutan has numerous
public holidays, most of which coincide with traditional, seasonal, secular or
religious festivals. They include the winter solstice (around 1 January,
depending on the lunar calendar),[151] Lunar
New Year (February or March),[152] the
King's birthday and the anniversary of his coronation, the official end
of monsoon season (22 September),[153] National
Day (17 December),[154] and
various Buddhist and Hindu celebrations.
Film industry
Main
article: Cinema of Bhutan
Music and dance
Chaam, sacred
masked dances, are annually performed during religious festivals.
Main
article: Music of Bhutan
Masked dances and dance dramas
are common traditional features at festivals, usually accompanied by
traditional music. Energetic dancers, wearing colourful wooden or composition
face masks and stylized costumes, depict heroes, demons, dæmons, death
heads, animals, gods, and caricatures of common people. The dancers enjoy royal
patronage, and preserve ancient folk and religious customs and perpetuate the
ancient lore and art of mask-making.
The music of Bhutan can
generally be divided into traditional and modern varieties; traditional music
comprises religious and folk genres, the latter including zhungdra and boedra.[155] The
modern rigsar is played on a mix of traditional instruments
and electronic keyboards, and dates back to the early 1990s; it shows the
influence of Indian popular music, a hybrid form of traditional and Western
popular influences.[156][157]
Family structure
In Bhutanese families,
inheritance generally passes matrilineally through the female rather
than the male line. Daughters will inherit their parents' house. A man is expected
to make his own way in the world and often moves to his wife's home. Love
marriages are common in urban areas, but the tradition of arranged
marriages among acquainted families is still prevalent in the rural areas.
Although uncommon, polygamy is accepted, often being a device to keep
property in a contained family unit rather than dispersing it.[158] The
previous king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who abdicated in 2006, had four
queens, all of whom are sisters. The current king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel
Wangchuck, wed Jetsun Pema, 21, a commoner and daughter of a pilot, on 13
October 2011.
Cuisine
Main
article: Bhutanese cuisine
Traditional
dish with lemon glazed chicken, sauteed spinach and steamed Bhutanese red rice
Rice (red rice), buckwheat,
and increasingly maize, are the staples of Bhutanese cuisine. The
local diet also includes pork, beef, yak meat, chicken, and lamb.
Soups and stews of meat and dried vegetables spiced with chilies and cheese are
prepared. Ema datshi, made very spicy with cheese and chilies,
might be called the national dish for its ubiquity and the pride that Bhutanese
have for it. Dairy foods, particularly butter and cheese from yaks and cows,
are also popular, and indeed almost all milk is turned into butter and cheese.
Popular beverages include butter tea, black tea, locally brewed ara (rice
wine), and beer. Bhutan is the first country in the world to have banned the
sale of tobacco under its Tobacco Act of 2010.[33]
Sports
Main
article: Sports in Bhutan
Changlimithang
Stadium during a parade.
Bhutan's national and most
popular sport is archery.[159] Competitions
are held regularly in most villages. It differs from Olympic standards
in technical details such as the placement of the targets and atmosphere. Two
targets are placed over 100 meters apart, and teams shoot from one end of the
field to the other. Each member of the team shoots two arrows per round.
Traditional Bhutanese archery is a social event, and competitions are organized
between villages, towns, and amateur teams. There is usually plenty of food and
drink complete with singing and dancing. Attempts to distract an opponent
include standing around the target and making fun of the shooter's
ability. Darts (khuru) is an equally popular outdoor team
sport, in which heavy wooden darts pointed with a 10 cm nail are thrown at
a paperback-sized target 10 to 20 meters away.
Another popular sport is basketball.[159] In
2002, Bhutan's national football team played Montserrat, in what
was billed as The Other Final; the match took place on the same day Brazil
played Germany in the World Cup final, but at the time Bhutan and
Montserrat were the world's two lowest ranked teams. The match was held in
Thimphu's Changlimithang National Stadium, and Bhutan won 4–0. A
documentary of the match was made by the Dutch filmmaker Johan Kramer. Bhutan
won its first two FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches, beating Sri Lanka 1–0
in Sri Lanka and 2–1 in Bhutan, taking the aggregate at 3–1.[160] Cricket has
also gained popularity in Bhutan, particularly since the introduction of
television channels from India. The Bhutan national cricket team is
one of the most successful affiliate nations in the region.
Women in the workforce
Women have begun to
participate more in the work force and their participation is one of the
highest in the region.[66] However,
the unemployment rates among women are still higher than those of men and women
are in more unsecure work fields, such as agriculture.[161] Most
of the work that women do outside of the home is in family-based agriculture
which is insecure and is one of the reasons why women are falling behind men
when it comes to income.[66] Women
also, in general, work lower quality jobs than men and only earn 75% of men's
earnings.[162] The unemployment rate among women is also
higher than that of men.[161]
Women in the household
Rooted deep in Bhutan culture
is the idea of selflessness and the women of Bhutan take on this role in the
context of the household.[163] Bhutan
culture has shown a tolerance for domestic violence with nearly 1/4 of all
women having had experienced some form of violence from their husband or
partner.[161] Some Bhutanese communities have what is
referred to as matrilineal communities, where the eldest daughter receives the
largest share of the land.[162] This
is due to the belief that she will stay and take care of her parents while the
son will move out and work to get his own land and for his own family.[162] An
important thing to take note of is that land ownership does not equal economic
benefits and that rather than the eldest daughter having control of the house
it is the husband that is in charge of making decisions.[162] However,
the younger generation has stepped away from this belief in splitting the land
evenly between the children instead of the eldest daughter inheriting the most
land.[162]
Women’s health
Throughout Bhutan there has
been an improvement in reproductive health services and there has been a
drastic drop in maternal mortality rate, dropping from 1,000 in 1990 to 180 in
2010.[162] There has also been an increase in
contraceptive use from less than 1/3 in 2003 to 2/3 in 2010.[162]
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