Bhutan is a small kingdom in the eastern Himalayas bordered on the south and east by Assam (India), on the west by Sikkim (India), and on the north and west by Tibet (China).
Thimbu (Thimphu) is the capital. Bhutan has an area of about 18,140 square miles (47,000 square kilometers) which is about half the size of Indiana.
Its population was estimated as 2,327,849 in 2007. The dominant ethnic group in the country is the Bhutia and they constitute about 50 percent of the population and refer to themselves as the Drukpa ("dragon people").
There are four main languages spoken in Bhutan: Dzongka, the official language; Bumthangka; Sarchapkkha; and Nepali. Dzongka is spoken by the largest number of people.
From 1907 when Ugyen Dorji Wangchuk, the first maharaja (Duk Gyalpo, or "king of the Dukpas") founded the dynasty till 1969, Bhutan was an absolute monarchy. But now power is nominally shared by the king, a council of ministers, and a legislature (the Tsongdu). The present ruler, the fourth king, is Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
Major religions are Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism. Most Bhutanese practice the state religion, Mahayana Buddhism, which stresses the importance of compassion and helping others reach spiritual enlightenment.
Its monetary unit is the ngultrum.
Web Sites
Catalog
Search the library's catalog for Bhutan
Databases
Enter Bhutan in these databases:
**Survey: Provide Feedback About the Web Site, Including This Page**