Encyclopedia
The
Kingdom of Bhutan is a
landlocked South Asian nation situated between
India and
Tibet,
People's Republic of China. The entire country is mountainous except for an 8-10 mile wide strip of subtropical plains in the extreme south which is intersected by valleys known as the Duars. The elevation gain from the subtropical plains to the glacier-covered
Himalayan heights exceeds 23,000
feet . Its traditional economy is based on
forestry,
animal husbandry and subsistence agriculture however these account for less than 50% of a GDP now that Bhutan has become an exporter of
hydroelectricity. Cash crops,
tourism, and development aid are also significant. An extensive census done in April, 2006 resulted in a population figure of 672,425.
Thimphu is the capital and largest city.
Bhutan is one of the most isolated nations in the world; foreign influences and tourism are heavily regulated by the government to preserve its traditional
Tibetan Buddhist culture. Most Bhutanese follow either the Drukpa Kagyu or the Nyingmapa school of Tibetan Buddhism. The official language is
Dzongkha . Bhutan is often described as the last surviving refuge of traditional Himalayan Buddhist culture. Non-Buddhists complain of human rights violations; approximately 100,000 ethnic Nepali left the country in the 1980s because they were unhappy with new government policies designed to reduce the growing illegal immigration from
Nepal.
Bhutan has been a
monarchy since 1907. The different dzongkhags were united under the leadership of the Trongsa Penlop. The current king,
Jigme Singye Wangchuk, has made some moves toward constitutional government.
Bhutan is the smallest non-Arab nation in mainland Asia.
Name
'Bhutan' may be derived from the Sanskrit word 'Bhu-Uttan' which means 'High Land'. In another theory of sanskritisation, 'Bhots-ant' means 'end of Tibet' or 'south of Tibet'. However some Bhutanese call their country 'Druk Yul' and its inhabitants 'Drukpa'. The Dzongkha name for the country is 'Druk Yul' . Because of the serenity and the virginity of the country and its landscapes, Bhutan today is sometimes referred to as .
Historically, Bhutan was known by many names, such as 'Lho Mon' , 'Lho Tsendenjong' , 'Lhomen Khazhi' , and 'Lho Men Jong' .
History
Ancient Bhutan
Stone tools, weapons, and remnants of large stone structures provide evidence that Bhutan was inhabited as early as 2000 BC. Historians have theorised that the state of
Lhomon , or
Monyul may have existed between 500
BC and AD 600. The names
Lhomon Tsendenjong , and
Lhomon Khashi, or Southern Mon have been found in ancient Bhutanese and Tibetan chronicles.
The earliest transcribed event in Bhutan was the passage of the
Buddhist saint Padmasambhava in the 8th century. Bhutan's early history is unclear, because most of the records were destroyed after fire ravaged Punakha, the ancient capital in 1827. By the 10th century, Bhutan's political development was heavily influenced by its religious history. Various sub-sects of Buddhism emerged which were patronised by the various Mongol and Tibetan overlords. After the decline of the Mongols in the 14th century, these sub-sects vied with each other for supremacy in the political and religious landscape, eventually leading to the ascendancy of the Drukpa sub-sect by the 16th century.
Between 17th century and the modern age
Until the early 17th century, Bhutan existed as a patchwork of minor warring fiefdoms until unified by the
Tibetan lama and military leader Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. To defend the country against intermittent Tibetan forays, Namgyal built a network of impregnable
dzong , and promulgated a code of law that helped to bring local lords under centralised control. Many such
dzong still exist. After Namgyal's death in 1652, Bhutan fell into anarchy. Taking advantage of the chaos, the Tibetans attacked Bhutan in 1710, and again in 1730 with the help of the
Mongols. Both assaults were successfully thwarted, and an
armistice was signed in 1759.
In the 18th century, the Bhutanese invaded and occupied the kingdom of Cooch Behar to the south. In 1772, Cooch Behar appealed to the
British East India Company who assisted them in 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 , a confrontation over who would control the
Bengal Duars. After Bhutan lost the war, the
Treaty of Sinchula was signed between
British India and Bhutan. As part of the reparations, the Duars were ceded to the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 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
Trongsa led to civil war in Bhutan, eventually leading to the ascendancy of Ugyen Wangchuck, the
ponlop 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 in the period 1882–1885.
In 1907, an epochal year for the country, Ugyen Wangchuck was unanimously chosen as the hereditary king of the country by an assembly of leading Buddhist monks, government officials, and heads of important families. The British government promptly recognised the new monarchy, and in 1910 Bhutan signed a treaty which let Great Britain control Bhutan's foreign affairs.
1950s to present
After
India gained
independence from the
United Kingdom on August 15, 1947, Bhutan became of one of the first countries to recognize India's independence.
Since Britain was no longer going to be in the region a similar treaty was signed August 8, 1949 with the newly independent India.
After the
Chinese People's Liberation Army entered
Tibet in 1951, Bhutan sealed its northern frontier and improved bilateral ties with India. To reduce the risk of Chinese encroachment, Bhutan began a modernisation program that was largely sponsored by
India. 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 16 after the death of his father, Dorji Wangchuck.
Recent Developments from 1980s to Present DayBy the 1980s, the government judged, they claim rightly, others claim wrongly and illegally, that there was a widespread illegal immigration of people of Nepali origin into Bhutan. This despite Bhutan having invited Nepali immigrants to open up and help cultivate its fields early last century. It also accused the ethnic Nepalis of a lack of integration into the political and cultural mainstream of the country. For their part, the Lhotshampas wanted to retain their Hindu culture in a country ruled by Buddhists. The government accuses the 'immigrants' of knowing very little of the culture of Bhutan arguing also that most could not understand any one of the local languages including Dzongkha . Lhotshampas disagree, claiming they only wanted to be able to practice their Hindu ways in peace and without being chastised by the ruling government and army. Perceiving this growing dichotomy as a threat to national unity, the Government promulgated highly disciminatory directives in the 1980s that sought to preserve what it considered as Bhutan's cultural identity with its controversial "one nation, one people" policy. The government claims it was a unifying measure, "benign and constructive" however detractors argue that it was ethnically and religiously exclusive and disciminatory, and further than those not adhering to the government's enforced cultural values were targeted, often violently, by the government and its army. The government implied that the 'culture' to be preserved would be that of the northern Bhutanese, not the southern . This 'one nation, one people' policy therefore required citizens to wear the attire of the northern Bhutanese in public places and reinforced the status of Dzongkha as the national language. Nepali was discontinued as a subject in the schools keeping in line with the status of the other languages of Bhutan, none of which are taught.
Such policies were criticized by human rights groups as well as the Lhotshampas, who perceived the policy to be directed solely against them. From the perspective of the ruling Bhutanese, the issue was one of preserving a Himalayan Buddhist culture and way of life . The Lhotshampas claim that the Bhutanese are clinging to power at the expense of human rights, pluralism, and democratic principles. However many in Bhutan see Lhotshampas' cry for pluralism and democracy as an excuse to overwhelm and take over a lightly populated Bhutan - however the Lhotshampas have never made any claims to power other than to be fairly represented and be allowed to continue their Hindu culture.
Simmering tensions were heightened in the late 1980s, when the government conducted a census exercise. The basis for the census findings was the 1958 'cut off' year, the year that the Lhotshampa population had first received official Bhutanese citizenship . Those individuals who could not provide proof of residency prior to 1958 were adjudged to be illegal immigrants. This was implemented through the
1985 Citizenship Act. A delicate period in the development of the Government and protests by Lhotshampa democratic parties, spurred on this act which stated that only those who could show they had resided in Bhutan since 1958,through proof of documents prior to 1958, would be deemed citizens of Bhutan. Given many were poor farmers and land workers, many could not offer such proof. This act led to the increased activity of numerous groups to protest against what was seen as an injustice against Lhotshampas.
With Lhotshampas mobilising into protest groups and marching on government offies, the government set about systematically threatening the groups, particularly leaders, but also anyone who supported the Lhotshampas' protests. Lhotshampas claim they were threatened, abused, violently attacked, held at gunpoint, raped and in some cases murdered without inquiry. There is proof of many being taken away from their family homes and tortured and threatened, being forced to sign voluntary migration forms before being forced along with their families over the border. Their homes were either destroyed or appropriated by friends and family of the ruling government.
The government claims there was no systematic abuses, and that the Lhotshampas chose to leave in protest - although this is highly unlikely as neighbouring India refused to allow them to reside there, and Nepal considers Lhotshampas refugees and citizens of Bhutan; it does not regard Lhotshampas as Nepali and affords them little or no rights within Nepal. Thus seven refugee camps were set up in Nepal, although the Nepali government maintain that the refugees belong in Bhutan.
The issue remains unresolved today, with Bhutan unwilling to repatriate refugees. The refugees offer ownership of the national citizen identity cards as proof of citizenry. The government contends that there has been widespread forging of these documents.
The crisis of the people in the camps causes some tension between Bhutan and Nepal and is the glaring issue in Bhutan's international relations and human rights record.
In 1998, King
Jigme Singye Wangchuck introduced significant political reforms, transferring most of his powers to the
Prime Minister and allowing for impeachment of the King by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly. In late 2003, the Bhutanese army successfully launched a large-scale operation to flush out anti-India
insurgents who were operating training camps in southern Bhutan.
In 1999, the king also lifted a ban on television and the Internet, making Bhutan one of the last countries to have introduced the television. In his speech, he asserted that the television was a critical step to the modernization of Bhutan as well as a major contributor to the country's Gross National Happiness but warned against the misuse of the television that may erode traditional Bhutanese values.
A new
constitution has been presented in early 2005 , which will be put up for ratification by a referendum before coming into force. In December 2005, King
Jigme Singye Wangchuck announced that he would step down as King of Bhutan in 2008. King Wangchuck said he would be succeeded by his son, the crown prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel
Wangchuck. A group comprised of ethnic Nepalese claiming to be Bhutanese exiles, have criticized the constitution saying that the king is trying to overshadow the refugee problem in the country by introducing "limited democracy".
Geography
The northern region consists of an arc of glaciated mountain peaks with an extremely cold climate at the highest elevations. Most peaks in the north are over 23,000
feet above sea level; the highest point is claimed to be the Kula Kangri, at 24,780 feet , but detailed topographic studies claim Kula Kangri is wholly in
Tibet and modern Chinese measurements claim that Gangkhar Puensum, which has the distinction of being the highest unclimbed mountain in the world, is higher at 24,835 feet . 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 central Bhutan form a watershed between two major river systems: the Mo Chhu and the Drangme Chhu. Peaks in the Black Mountains range between 4,900 feet and 8,900 feet above sea level, and fast-flowing rivers have carved out deep gorges in the lower mountain areas. Woodlands of the central region provide most of Bhutan's forest production. The Torsa, Raidak, Sankosh, and Manas are the main rivers of Bhutan, flowing through this region. Most of the population lives in the central highlands.
In the south, the Shiwalik Hills are covered with dense,
deciduous forests, alluvial lowland river valleys, and mountains up to around 4,900 feet above sea level. The foothills descend into the subtropical Duars plain. Most of the Duars is located in India, although a 6–9 mile wide strip extends into Bhutan. The Bhutan Duars is divided into two parts: the northern and the southern Duars. The northern Duars, which abuts the Himalayan foothills, has rugged, sloping terrain and dry, porous soil with dense vegetation and abundant wildlife. The southern Duars has moderately fertile soil, heavy
savannah grass, dense, mixed jungle, and freshwater springs. Mountain rivers, fed by either the melting snow or the 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.
The climate in Bhutan varies with altitude, 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 is temperate and drier than the west with warm summers and cool winters.
Economy
Though Bhutan's economy is one of the world's smallest, it has grown very rapidly with about 8% in 2005 and 14% in 2006. As of March 2006, Bhutan's per capita income was US$ 1,321 making it the highest in South Asia. Bhutan's standard of living grew and one of the best performing in South Asia.
Bhutan's economy is one of the world's smallest and least developed, and is based on
agriculture,
forestry, and the sale of
hydroelectric power to India. Agriculture provides the main livelihood for more than 80% of the population. 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 and a source of income for some. 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 never been able to benefit from significant trading of its produce. Bhutan currently does not have a
railway system, though
Indian Railways plans to link up southern Bhutan with its vast network under an agreement signed in January 2005. The historic trade routes over the high Himalayas, which connected India to
Tibet, have been closed since the 1959 military takeover of Tibet .
The industrial sector is minimal, production being of the cottage-industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian contract labour. Agricultural produce includes rice, chilies, dairy 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's currency, the
ngultrum, is pegged to the
Indian Rupee. The rupee is also accepted as legal tender in the country. 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 3% in 2003. Bhutan has a
Gross Domestic Product of around
USD 2.913 billion , making it the 162nd largest economy in the world. Per capita income is around $1,400 , ranked 124th. Government revenues total €122 million , though expenditures amount to €127 million . 60% of the budget expenditure, however, is financed by India's Ministry of External Affairs. Bhutan's exports, principally electricity,
cardamom,
gypsum,
timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones and
spices, total €128 million . 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 87.9% of its export goods.
Bangladesh and the
Philippines are the other two top export partners. As its border with Tibet is closed, trade between Bhutan and China is now almost non-existent. Bhutan's import partners include India ,
Japan and
Austria .
In a response to accusations in 1987 by a journalist from
UK's Financial Times is an international business newspaper printed on distinctive salmon pink broadsheet [i] ...
that the pace of development in Bhutan was slow, the King said that "Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product." This statement appears to have presaged recent findings by western economic psychologists, including 2002 Nobel Laureate
Daniel Kahneman, that questions the link between levels of income and happiness. It signalled his commitment to building an economy that is appropriate for Bhutan's unique culture, based on Buddhist spiritual values, and has served as a unifying vision for the economy.
Government and politics
Politics of Bhutan takes place in a framework of a traditional
absolute monarchy, developing into a
constitutional monarchy. The King of Bhutan is
head of state. Executive power is exercised by the Lhengye Shungtsog, the council of ministers.
Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. Political parties are prohibited for the time being.
Districts
For administrative purposes, Bhutan is divided into four
dzongdey . Each
dzongdey is further divided into
dzongkhag . There are 20
dzongkhag in Bhutan. Large dzongkhags are further divided into subdistricts known as
dungkhag. At the basic level, groups of villages form a constituency called
gewog and are administered by a
gup, who is elected by the people.
Cities and towns
- Jakar - the admistrative headquarters of Bumthang District and the place where Buddhism entered Bhutan.
- Mongar
- Paro - Site of the international airport
- Punakha - The Old Capital
- Phuentsholing - Commercial hub of Bhutan.
- Samdrup Jongkhar
...
Military and foreign affairs
- Main articles: Military of Bhutan, Foreign relations 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 6,000 and is trained by the
Indian Army. It has an annual budget of about US$13.7 million—1.8% of the GDP.
Though the 1949 Treaty with India is sometimes interpreted to mean that India controls Bhutan's foreign affairs, Bhutan today handles all of its foreign affairs itself including the sensitive border demarcation issue with China. Bhutan has diplomatic relations with 22 countries, including the
European Union, with missions in India,
Bangladesh,
Thailand and
Kuwait. It has two
UN missions, one in
New York and one in
Geneva. Only India and Bangladesh have residential embassies in Bhutan, while Thailand has a consulate office in Bhutan.
By a long standing treaty, Indian and Bhutanese citizens may travel to each other's countries without a
passport or visa using their national identity cards instead. Bhutanese citizens may also work in India without legal restriction. Bhutan does not have formal diplomatic ties with its northern neighbour, China, although exchanges of visits at various levels between the two have significantly increased in the recent past. The first bilateral agreement between China and Bhutan was signed in 1998, and Bhutan has also set up consulates in
Macau and
Hong Kong. Bhutan’s border with China is largely not demarcated and thus disputed in some places.
In late 2005, Bhutan claimed that Chinese soldiers were building roads and bridges within Bhutanese territory. Bhutanese Foreign Minister Khandu Wangchuk took up the matter with Chinese authorities after the issue was raised in Bhutanese parliament. In response, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang of the People's Republic of China has said that the border remains in dispute and that the two sides continue to work for a peaceful and cordial resolution of the dispute . An Indian intelligence officer has also said that a Chinese delegation in Bhutan told the Bhutanese that they were overreacting. The Bhutanese newspaper
Kuensel has said that China might use the roads to further Chinese claims along the border.
Demographics
The population of Bhutan, once estimated at several million, has now been officially downgraded by the Bhutanese government to 750,000, after a census in the early nineties. An extensive census done in June of 2005 resulted in a further reduction of the population figure to 554,000. The government has yet to release demographic breakdown on the new population figures. Most believe that the population was artificially inflated in the seventies because of an earlier perception that nations with populations of less than a million would not be admitted to the
United Nations. Hence the United Nation population figures are much higher than the figures provided by the government.
The population density, 45 per square kilometre , makes Bhutan one of the least densely populated countries in Asia. Roughly 20% percent of the population lives in urban areas comprised of small towns mainly along the central valley and the southern border. This percentage is increasing rapidly as the pace of rural to urban migration has been picking up. The largest town is the capital,
Thimphu, which has a population of 50,000. Other urban areas with significant population are Paro, and Phuentsoling.
Among the Bhutanese people, several principal ethnic groups may be distinguished. The dominant group are the Ngalops, a Buddhist group based 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 , who are associated with the eastern part of Bhutan . These two groups together are called
Bhutanese. The remaining 15% of the population is ethnic Nepali, most of whom are Hindu.
The national language is
Dzongkha, one of 53 languages in the Tibetan language family. The script, here called
Chhokey , is identical with the Tibetan script. The government classifies 19 related Tibetan languages as dialects of Dzongkha. Lepcha is spoken in parts of western Bhutan; Tshangla, a close relative of Dzongkha, is widely spoken in the eastern parts. The Nepali language is widely spoken in the south. 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. The languages of Bhutan are still not well-characterised, and several have yet to be recorded in an in-depth academic grammar.
English now has official status as well.
The
literacy rate is only 42.2% . People 14 years old and younger comprise 39.1%, while people between 15 and 59 comprise 56.9%, and those over 60 are only 4%. The country has a median age of 20.4 years. Bhutan has a
life expectancy of 62.2 years according to the latest data from the
World Bank. There are 1,070 males to every 1,000 females in the country.
Culture
Bhutan remains one of the most secluded nations in the world, and most tourists are required to book packaged tours in order to travel around the country. In contrast to Nepal, which is well-known as a budget travel destination, Bhutan imposes a minimum daily fee of US$200 for tourists travelling in groups during high season, or US$240 per day for individual travellers .
The traditional dress for Ngalong and Sharchop 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 one shoulder and tied at the waist. An accompaniment to the kira is a long-sleeved blouse, the
toego, which is worn underneath the outer layer. Social status and class determine the texture, colours, and decorations that embellish the garments. Scarves and shawls are also indicators of social standings, as Bhutan has traditionally been a
feudal society. Earrings are worn by females. Controversially, Bhutanese law now requires these Tibetan-style garments for all Bhutanese citizens including the
Nepalese, who are not of Tibetan stock.
Rice, and increasingly
corn, are the staple foods of the country. The diet in the hills is rich in protein because of the consumption of meat chiefly
poultry,
yak and
beef. Soups of meat, rice, and dried vegetables spiced with chillies and cheese are a favourite meal during the cold seasons. Dairy foods, particularly butter and cheese from yaks and cows, are also popular, despite the scarcity of milk . Popular beverages include butter tea, tea, locally brewed rice wine and
beer. Bhutan is the only country in the world to have
banned tobacco smoking and the sale of
tobacco.
Bhutan's national sport is
archery, and competitions are held regularly in most villages. It differs from
Olympic standards not only in technical details such as the placement of the targets and atmosphere. There are two targets placed over 100 metres 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 organised between villages, towns, and amateur teams. There are usually plenty of food and drink complete with singing and dancing cheerleaders comprising of the wives and supporters of the participating teams. Attempts to distract an opponent include standing around the target and making fun of the shooter's ability. Darts is an equally popular outdoor team sport, in which heavy wooden darts pointed with a 10cm nail are thrown at a paperback-sized target ten to twenty metres away.
Another traditional sport is the
digor, which can be best described as
shot put combined with horseshoe throwing.
Soccer is an increasingly popular sport. In 2002, Bhutan's national soccer team played
Montserrat - 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 Changlimithian National Stadium, and Bhutan won 4-0. A documentary of the match was made by the Dutch filmmaker Johan Kramer.
Rigsar is the new emergent style of popular music, played on a 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. Traditional genres include the
zhungdra and
boedra.
Characteristic of the region is a type of fortress known as
dzong architecture.
Bhutan has numerous public holidays, most of which centre around traditional seasonal, secular and religious festivals. They include the winter solstice , the lunar New Year , the King's birthday and the anniversary of his coronation, the official start of monsoon season , National Day , and various Buddhist and Hindu celebrations. Even the secular holidays have religious overtones, including religious dances and prayers for blessing the day.
Masked dances and dance dramas are common traditional features at festivals, usually accompanied by traditional music. Energetic dancers, wearing colourful wooden or composition facemasks and stylised costumes, depict heroes, demons, 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 art of mask making.
The
Kuensel, Bhutan's government-run newspaper, circulates biweekly in Dzongkha, English and Nepali. Beginning in April 2006, it competes with
The Bhutan Times, Bhutan's only privately-owned newspaper .
Bhutan has about 15,000
Internet users, 25,200 landline subscribers, and 23,000
mobile phone subscribers. The
Bhutan Broadcasting Service was established in 1973 as a radio service, broadcasting in
short wave nationally, and on the
FM band in Thimphu. The service started television broadcasts in 1999, making Bhutan the last country in the world to introduce television. As part of the King's modernization program,
cable television was introduced shortly after. By 2002, however, the crime rate had increased appreciably, and the introduction of cable television is alleged to be responsible for the spurt in crime.
Bhutanese
lama Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche is a well-known filmmaker, who produced and directed
The Cup as well as
Travellers and Magicians. While
The Cup was shot in a Tibetan monastery in northern India,
Travellers and Magicians was the first feature film to be filmed entirely in Bhutan, with a cast comprised entirely of Bhutanese people. No professional actors were used in either film.
See also
|}
Bhutan [i] comprises 20 district [i]s or
dzongkhag:
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External links
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- by Democracy International
Notes
- The population of Bhutan per the Government of Bhutan census is 734,320 . The population estimate in the CIA Factbook is 2,232,291 although it notes that other estimates are as low as 810,000. [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bt.html]. The United Nations
Nations Unies...
estimate is 2,163,000 . Neither the CIA nor the United Nations documents their methods of population estimate, while the government of Bhutan provides detailed population figures down to the gewog level. In June 2005 yet another census was done and most recent population figures quoted by the government based on the census is 672,425. Detailed breakdown information can be found at the following website http://www.bhutancensus.gov.bt. Country rankings are based on the CIA Factbook.
- Stan Armington Lonely Planet Bhutan , p. 52, ISBN 0-86442-483-3
- , The Guardian
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- India's Ministry of External Affairs provides financial aid to neighbouring countries under "technical and economic cooperation with other countries and advances to foreign governments."
