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Kingdom of Bhutan COUNTRY DESCRIPTION  Bhutan is a small land-locked Himalayan country led by a king, and
is in transition to a constitutional monarchy. Facilities for
tourism are limited. The United States does not have diplomatic
relations with Bhutan; therefore, there is no U.S. diplomatic or
consular presence in Bhutan. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi handles
all assistance to U.S. citizens.PEOPLE The people of Bhutan can be divided into three broad ethnic categories--Ngalops, Sharchops, and Lhotsampas. The Ngalops make up the majority of the population, living mostly in the western and central areas.  The Ngalops are thought to be of Tibetan origin,
arriving in Bhutan during the 8th and 9th centuries A.D. and
bringing Buddhism with them. Most Ngalops follow the Drukpa Kagyupa
discipline of Mahayana Buddhism. In a country that is deeply rooted
within the Buddhist religion, many people's sect of religion, as
opposed to their ethnic group, characterizes them. The Ngalops
predominate in the government, and the civil service and their
cultural norms have been declared by the monarchy to be the standard
for all citizens. The Sharchops, who live in the eastern section of Bhutan, are considered to be descendants of the earliest major group to inhabit Bhutan. Most follow the Ningmapa discipline of Mahayana Buddhism. Sharchop is translated as "people of the east." The Ngalops, Sharchops, and the indigenous tribal people are collectively known as Drukpas and account for about 65% of the population. The national language is Dzongka, but English is the language of instruction in schools and an official working language for the government. The Lhotsampas are people of Nepali descent, currently making up 35% of the population. They came to Bhutan in the 19th and 20th centuries, mostly settling in the southern foothills to work as farmers. They speak a variety of Nepali dialects and are predominantly Hindu. ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS Independent travel is not permitted in Bhutan. Visitors are required to book travel through a registered tour operator in Bhutan. This may be done directly or through a travel agent abroad. Further information, including a list of authorized tour operators in Bhutan, may be obtained through the Bhutanese Department of Tourism, PO Box 126, Thimphu, Bhutan, telephone +975-2-323251, 2-323252; fax +975-2-323695 or at www.tourism.gov.bt. Entry by air is available only via India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Thailand. The border with China is closed. The minimum daily tariff is set by the Bhutanese Department of Tourism and cannot be negotiated. The rate includes all accommodations, all meals, transportation, services of licensed guides and porters, and cultural programs where and when available. The rate is the same for both cultural tours and treks. Travelers should contact the Department of Tourism for the latest daily tariff. At this time, the only carrier servicing Bhutan is Druk Air, the Bhutanese government airline. More information on the airline is available at www.drukair.com.bt. Druk Air will board only travelers with visa clearance from the Tourism Authority of Bhutan. A passport and visa are required for entry into and exit from Bhutan. Visa applications are available from selected travel agencies. Travel agencies will usually arrange for a traveler’s entry visa and clearance. Most visitors, including those on official U.S. government business, should obtain visas prior to entering the country. For additional entry/exit information, please contact the Bhutan Mission to the United Nations (Consul General), 763 First Avenue, New York, NY 10017, telephone (212) 682-2268, fax (212) 661-0551. QUICK FACTS Geography Area: 46,500 sq. km. Cities: Capital--Thimphu (pop. approx. 55,000) Other significant cities--Paro, Phoentsholing, Punakha, Bumthong. Terrain: Mountainous, from the Himalayas to lower-lying foothills and some savannah. Climate: Alpine to temperate to subtropical with monsoon season from June to September. People Nationality: Noun and adjective--Bhutanese. Population: Approximately 672,425 (according to the 2005 census). Annual growth rate: 2.12% (2006 est.). Density--14 per sq. km. Ethnic groups: Drukpa 50% (which is also inclusive of Sharchops), as well as ethnic Nepalese (Lhotsampas) 35%, and indigenous or migrant tribes 15%. Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75% (state religion), Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%. Languages: Dzongka (official language), English (medium of instruction), Sharchop, Nepali. Education: Years compulsory--11. Literacy--54% (est.). Primary school gross enrollment rate (2004)--81%. Women's literacy (2004)--34%. Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--total: 98.41 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 100.79 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 96.14 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--total population 54.78 years; male 55.02 years; female 54.53 years. Work force (2002): Agriculture--93%; industry--2%; services--5%. There is a high unemployment rate. Government Type: Evolving from a monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. The Royal Government, prompted by the King, released a draft constitution in March 2005. The King and Crown Prince conducted consultations on the constitution in all 20 dzongkhag (districts) in 2005 and 2006. Bhutan will adopt the constitution in early 2008. National Day: December 17 (1907). Branches: Executive--King or Druk Gyalpo (chief of state), Prime Minister (head of government), Council of Ministers, Royal Advisory Council (together they make the Cabinet or Lhengye Zhungtsho). Advisory--Monastic Order (or Monk Body-Dratshang). Legislative--National Assembly (Tshogdu). Judicial--High Court (Thrimkhang Gogma), District Courts, and local area arbitration. Administrative subdivisions: 20. Political parties: None. Suffrage: Registered resident with legitimate citizenship, age 21 and above. Economy GDP (purchasing power parity 2003): U.S. $2.9 billion. Real growth rate (2004): 6.5%. Per capita GDP (2004): U.S. $929.60. Natural resources: Hydroelectric power, construction, timber, gypsum, calcium carbide. Agriculture and forestry (all figs., 2001): 33.8% of GDP. Construction: 11.8% of GDP. Finance: 10.3% of GDP. Transport and communication: 10% of GDP. Electricity: 9.9% of GDP. Government service: 9.9% of GDP. Manufacturing: 9.8% of GDP. Trade: Exports (2001-2002)--U.S. $97.7 million: hydroelectricity, vegetables and fruits, processed foods, minerals, wood products, textiles, machinery. Imports (2001-2002)--U.S. $188.4 million: machinery, mechanical appliances and electronics, plastics and rubber products, textiles, whiskies and prepared foodstuffs, medicines and pharmaceuticals, vegetable oils and foodstuffs. Major trade partners--India, Bangladesh, Japan, Singapore, Denmark. USEFUL LINKS U.S. Government
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