Project: Bhutan/Country
|
| Flag of Bhutan |
Contents |
Location
|
The Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked South Asian country situated in the Eastern Himalayas. It is located between the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north and India to the south.
See Also: Geography of Bhutan
Administrative Divisions
|
Bhutan is divided into twenty districts known as dzongkhags which are divided between four zones called dzongdeys.
See Also: Districts of Bhutan
Thimphu is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. Other major towns include Phuntsholing, Punakha.
History
The history of Bhutan is steeped in mythology and remains obscure. Some of the structures provide evidence that the region has been settled as early as 2000 BC. According to a legend it was ruled by a Cooch-Behar king, Sangaldip, around the 7th century BC, but not much is known prior to the introduction of Tibetan Buddhism in the 9th century, when turmoil in Tibet forced many monks to flee to Bhutan. In the 12th century, the Drukpa Kagyupa school was established and remains the dominant form of Buddhism in Bhutan today. The country's political history is intimately tied to its religious history and relations among the various monastic schools and monasteries.
Bhutan is one of the few countries which has been independent throughout its history, never conquered, occupied, or governed by an outside power (notwithstanding occasional nominal tributary status). From the time historical records are clear, Bhutan has continuously and successfully defended its sovereignty.
The consolidation of Bhutan occurred in 1616 when Ngawanag Namgyal, a lama from western Tibet known as the Zhabdrung Rinpoche, defeated three Tibetan invasions, subjugated rival religious schools, codified the Tsa Yig, an intricate and comprehensive system of law, and established himself as ruler over a system of ecclesiastical and civil administrators. After his death, infighting and civil war eroded the power of the Zhabdrung for the next 200 years. In 1885 Ugyen Wangchuck was able to consolidate power, and began cultivating closer ties with the British in the subcontinent.
In 1907, Ugyen Wangchuck was elected as the hereditary ruler of Bhutan, crowned on 17 December 1907, and installed as the head of state, the Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King). In 1910, King Ugyen and the British signed the Treaty of Punakha which provided that British India would not interfere in the internal affairs of Bhutan if the country accepted external advice in its external relations. When Ugyen Wangchuck died in 1926, his son Jigme Wangchuck became the ruler, and when India gained independence in 1947, the new Indian Government recognized Bhutan as an independent country. In 1949, India and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which provided that India would not interfere in Bhutan's internal affairs, but would guide its foreign policy. Succeeded in 1952 by his son Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, Bhutan began to slowly emerge from its isolation and began a program of planned development. The National Assembly of Bhutan, the Royal Bhutanese Army, and the Royal Court of Justice were established, along with a new code of law. Bhutan became a member of the United Nations in 1971.
In 1972, Jigme Singye Wangchuck ascended the throne at age 16. He emphasized modern education, decentralization of governance, the development of hydroelectricity and tourism and improvements in rural developments. He was perhaps best known internationally for his overarching development philosophy of "gross national happiness." It recognizes that there are many dimensions to development and that economic goals alone are not sufficient. Satisfied with Bhutan's transitioning democratization process, he abdicated in December 2006 rather than wait until the promulgation of the new constitution in 2008. His son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, became King upon his abdication
See also: History of Bhutan
Ethnicities
The Bhutanese population is made up of four main ethnic groups:
The Ngalop, also known as “earliest risen” or “first converted”, are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Bhutan as early as the 9th century. They introduced Tibetan culture and Buddhism to Bhutan and are the dominant political and cultural element in modern Bhutan. The Ngalop are dominant in western and northern Bhutan1.
The Sharchop, meaning “easterner”, are populations of mixed Tibetan, South Asian, and Southeast Asian descent who mostly live in the eastern districts of Bhutan. Although long the biggest single ethnic group in Bhutan, the Sharchop have been largely assimilated into the Tibetan-Ngalop culture.
The Lhotshampa are generally classified as Hindus and are of Nepalese origin, native to Southern Bhutan. The Bhutanese tribal and aboriginal peoples who live in small villages scattered throughout Bhutan.
See Also: Ethnic groups in Bhutan
Language
The languages spoken in Bhutan belong to the Tibeto-Burman language family, except for Nepali, which is an Indo-Aryan language. In urban areas, especially in tourist centers, English and Hindi are understood by most people; however, Dzongkha is the official and national language of Bhutan. Spoken mostly in the western part of the country, it is the only native language of Bhutan with a literary tradition. Tshangla is a major regional language spoken by the Sharchop people of eastern Bhutan. Nepali is spoken by the Lhotshampa community in South and East Bhutan. Bumthangkha: Spoken in the Bumthang region. Chocangaca, which is closely related to Dzongkha, is spoken in eastern Bhutan’s Mongar and Lhuntse Districts. Lakha is spoken in central Bhutan’s Trongsa and Wangdue Phodrang Districts. Brokpa is spoken in parts of eastern Bhutan’s Trashigang District. Laya is spoken near the northwestern border with Tibet by some 1,100 Layaps. Khams Tibetan is spoken in Eastern Bhutan by about 1,000 people. Brokkat is an endangered language, spoken by only about 300 residents in the Dhur village located in central Bhutan’s Bumthang District.
See also: Languages of Bhutan
Google Translation Tool: Translate
Religion
Buddhism is the official religion of Bhutan, practiced by between by as much as 85% of the population. The constitution the king must be Buddhist, but must also be the “protector of all religions”. Hinduism is practiced by about 11% of the population, mainly the Lhotshampa ethnic group. Bon is an animist and shamanistic belief system that predates Buddhism and revolves around the worship of nature. Only a small percentage of the population practices other religions such as Christianity and Islam.
See Also: Demographics of Bhutan
Bhutanese Naming Conventions
Bhutanese names usually consist of one, two, or even three given names. They have no family names, with the exception of Nepali origin names and some family names of prominent families, such as the royal family name Wangchuck.
In Bhutanese tradition, all names should be given by a religious person, such as a Lama, a monk, or a blessed layman. These names have spiritual significance, with many being based on the names of local deities.
Until approximately the 1990s most Bhutanese had only one single name. More recently, however, Bhutanese names have begun to consist of a combination of two names. Nowadays, some Bhytanese even have three names. In the name Karma Sonam Dorji, for example, Karma is the first name, which is gender-neutral; Sonam, the second name, is indicative of the gender; and Dorji is attached from their father’s name.
See Also: Bhutanese names
This page was last modified 22:14, 5 November 2024. This page has been accessed 73 times.