147-463: Bhutan 's early history 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
294-694: A National Council . Bhutan is a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). In 2020, Bhutan ranked third in South Asia after Sri Lanka and the Maldives in the Human Development Index , and 21st on the Global Peace Index as the most peaceful country in South Asia as of 2024, as well as the only South Asian country in the list's first quartile. Bhutan
441-580: 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
588-480: A "duk" or "dug") was adopted as an emblem by the Drukpa Lineage , which originated in Tibet and spread to Bhutan. According to traditional accounts, when the sect's founder, Tsangpa Gyare , 1st Gyalwang Drukpa , began to build Ralung Monastery , there was a violent storm. Thunder, or the "Cloud-Voice", is seen as the roar of the dragon. Deciding that this was an omen, he named the monastery Drug-Ralung, adding
735-609: A Buddhist convert, extended the Tibetan Empire into Sikkim and Bhutan. He ordered the construction of two Buddhist temples, Bumthang in central Bhutan and Kyichu (near Paro ) in the Paro Valley . Buddhism was propagated in earnest in 746 under King Sindhu Rāja ( also Künjom; Sendha Gyab; Chakhar Gyalpo), an exiled Indian king who had established a government in Bumthang at Chakhar Gutho Palace. Much of early Bhutanese history
882-556: A census in southern Bhutan to guard against illegal immigration, a constant issue in the south where borders with India are porous. Each family was required to present census workers with a tax receipt from the year 1958—no earlier, no later—or with a certificate of origin, which had to be obtained from one's place of birth, to prove that they were indeed Bhutanese citizens. Previously issued citizenship cards were no longer accepted as proof of citizenship. Alarmed by these measures, many began to protest for civil and cultural rights and demanded
1029-452: A code of traditional Drukpa dress and etiquette called Driglam Namzhag . The dress element of this code required all citizens to wear the gho (a knee-length robe for men) and the kira (an ankle-length dress for women). A central plank of the Bhutanese government's policy since the late 1960s has been to modernise the use of Dzongkha language. This began with abandoning the use of Hindi ,
1176-451: A forest cover of 64% as of October 2005. 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
1323-492: 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
1470-669: A growing concern in Bhutan. The 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 ( भोट-अन्त ) "end of Tibet ", a reference to Bhutan's position as the southern extremity of the Tibetan plateau and culture. Since the 17th century, Bhutan's official name has been Druk yul (literally, "country of
1617-448: A language that was adopted to help start formal secular education in the country, in 1964. As a result, at the beginning of the school year in March 1990, the teaching of Nepali language (which share similarities with Hindi) spoken by ethnic Lhotshampas in southern Bhutan was discontinued and all Nepali curricular materials were discontinued from Bhutanese schools. In 1988, Bhutan conducted
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#17328515162011764-642: A major impetus to Bhutan to speed up reform and modernization. In that year, neighboring Sikkim's monarchy , which had endured for more than 300 years, was ousted following a plebiscite in which the Nepalese majority outvoted the Sikkimese minority. Sikkim, long a protectorate of India, became India's twenty-second state. To further ensure its independence and international position, Bhutan gradually established diplomatic relations with other nations and joined greater numbers of regional and international organizations. Many of
1911-523: A mission to Tibet. (Encyclopaedia of Saarc Nations, Syed) Under pressure from China, the Bhutanese government demanded that the four thousand Tibetan refugees living in Bhutan either become Bhutanese citizens or go into exile. Most chose exile. (Syed) When civil war broke out in Pakistan in 1971, Bhutan was the first nation to recognize the new government of Bangladesh , and formal diplomatic relations were established in 1973. An event in 1975 may have served as
2058-634: A monk or a member of the laity —by the 19th century, usually the latter; he was elected for a three-year term, initially by a monastic council and later by the State Council ( Lhengye Tshokdu ). The State Council was a central administrative organ that included regional rulers, the Zhabdrung's chamberlains, and the Druk Desi . In time, the Druk Desi came under the political control of the State Council's most powerful faction of regional administrators. The Zhabdrung
2205-505: 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. Bhutan's sixth Five-Year Plan (1987–92) included a policy of 'one nation, one people' and introduced
2352-666: A national library, national archives, and national stadium, as well as buildings to house the National Assembly, the High Court ( Thrimkhang Gongma ), and other government entities in Thimphu. The position of gongzim, held since 1907 by the Dorji family , was upgraded in 1958 to lonchen (prime minister) and was still in the hands of the Dorji. Jigme Dorji Wangchuck's reforms, however, although lessening
2499-688: A network of swift rivers that form deep valleys before draining into the Indian plains. In fact, 98.8% of Bhutan is covered by mountains, which makes it the most mountainous country in the world. 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. 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
2646-450: A new treaty with India in 1949 (signed at Darjeeling) in which both countries recognised each other's sovereignty. Bhutan joined the United Nations in 1971. It has since expanded relations with 55 countries. While dependent on the Indian military , Bhutan maintains its own military units . The 2008 Constitution established a parliamentary government with an elected National Assembly and
2793-635: A no-confidence vote. Although he did nothing to undermine the retention of the Wangchuck dynasty, the Druk Gyalpo in 1969 called for a triennial vote of confidence by the National Assembly (later abolished by his successor) to renew the Druk Gyalpo's mandate to rule. Diplomatic overtures also were made during Jigme Dorji Wangchuck's reign. Although always seeking to be formally neutral and nonaligned in relations with China and India, Bhutan also sought more direct links internationally than had occurred previously under
2940-581: 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." 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. In practice,
3087-520: A number of villages in his kingdom to Ngawang Namgyal. Bhutan's troubles were not over, however. In 1643, a joint Mongol-Tibetan force sought to destroy Nyingmapa refugees who had fled to Bhutan, Sikkim , and Nepal. The Mongols had seized control of religious and civil power in Tibet in the 1630s and established Gelugpa as the state religion. Bhutanese rivals of Ngawang Namgyal encouraged the Mongol intrusion, but
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#17328515162013234-570: 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
3381-482: A reference to the Monpa , an ethnic group in Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh , India), 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. Buddhism was first introduced to Bhutan in the 7th century AD. The Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo (reigned 627–649),
3528-560: A reference to the Monpa , one of the Tibeto-Burman peoples of Bhutan), possibly a part of Tibet that was then beyond the pale of Buddhist teachings. Monyul is thought to have existed between AD 100 and AD 600. The names Lhomon Tsendenjong (southern Mon sandalwood country) and Lhomon Khashi (southern Mon country of four approaches), found in ancient Bhutanese and Tibetan chronicles, may also have credence and have been used by some Bhutanese scholars when referring to their homeland. Variations of
3675-658: A rival who invited British troops, and, in effect, Cooch Behar became a dependency of the British East India Company. Under the Cooch Behari agreement with the British , a British expeditionary force drove the Bhutanese garrison out of Cooch Behar and invaded Bhutan in 1772–73. The Druk Desi petitioned Lhasa for assistance from the Panchen Lama , who was serving as regent for the youthful Dalai Lama. In correspondence with
3822-403: A seat in a major dzong. Districts were headed by dzongpon , or district officers, who had their headquarters in lesser dzong . The ponlop were combination tax collectors, judges, military commanders, and procurement agents for the central government. Their major revenues came from the trade between Tibet and India and from land taxes. Ngawang Namgyal 's regime was bound by a legal code called
3969-735: 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. The Woodlands of
4116-771: A stable buffer state, India continued to provide substantial amounts of development aid. Jigme Dorji Wangchuck ruled until his death in July 1972 and was succeeded by his seventeen-year-old son, Jigme Singye Wangchuck . The close ties of the Wangchuck and Dorji families were reemphasized in the person of the new king, whose mother, Ashi Kesang Dorji (Ashi means Queen), was the sister of the lonchen, Jigme Palden Dorji. Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who had been educated in India and Britain, had been appointed ponlop of Tongsa in May 1972 and by July that year had become
4263-518: 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. 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 1711, Bhutan went to war against
4410-404: A total change to be brought to the political system that existed since 1907. As protests and related violence swept across southern Bhutan, the government in turn increased its resistance. People present at protests were labeled "anti-national terrorists". After the demonstrations, the Bhutanese army and police began the task of identifying participants and supporters engaged in the violence against
4557-617: A two-dose shot of AstraZeneca vaccines. On 13 December 2023, Bhutan was officially delisted as a least developed country . Bhutan is on the southern slopes of the eastern Himalayas , landlocked between the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north and the Indian states of Sikkim , West Bengal , Assam to the west and south, and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh to the east. 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
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4704-589: Is Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck . The current Prime Minister of Bhutan is Tshering Tobgay , leader of the People's Democratic Party . Bhutan's democratic transition in 2008 is seen as an evolution of its social contract with the monarchy since 1907. In 2019, Bhutan was classified in the Democracy Index as a hybrid regime alongside regional neighbours Nepal and Bangladesh . Minorities have been increasingly represented in Bhutan's government since 2008, including in
4851-759: Is also a member of the Climate Vulnerable Forum , the Non-Aligned Movement , BIMSTEC , the IMF , the World Bank , UNESCO and the World Health Organization (WHO). Bhutan ranked first in SAARC in economic freedom , ease of doing business , peace and lack of corruption in 2016. Bhutan has one of the largest water reserves for hydropower in the world. Melting glaciers caused by climate change are
4998-440: Is around 71% of the total land area, equivalent to 2,725,080 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, up from 2,506,720 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 2,704,260 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 20,820 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 15% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 41% of
5145-410: Is connected to one another through a vast network of biological corridors, allowing animals to migrate freely throughout the country. 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
5292-596: Is notable for its diversity, including the Himalayan takin and golden langur . The capital and largest city is Thimphu , with close to 15% of the population. Bhutan and neighbouring Tibet experienced the spread of Buddhism , which originated in the Indian subcontinent during the lifetime of the Buddha . In the first millennium, the Vajrayana school of Buddhism spread to Bhutan from the southern Pala Empire of Bengal. During
5439-633: Is the "Thunder Dragon " of Tibetan and Bhutanese mythology and a Bhutanese national symbol . A druk appears on the flag of Bhutan , holding jewels to represent wealth. In Dzongkha , Bhutan is called Druk Yul "Land of Druk", and Bhutanese leaders are called Druk Gyalpo , "Thunder Dragon Kings". During the Bhutanese mock election in 2007 , all four mock parties were called the Druk [colour] Party . The national anthem of Bhutan, Druk tsendhen , translates into English as "Kingdom of Druk". The druk (also known as
5586-466: Is the head of the state religion , Vajrayana Buddhism. The subalpine Himalayan mountains in the north rise from the country's lush subtropical plains in the south. In the Bhutanese Himalayas , there are peaks higher than 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) above sea level . Gangkhar Puensum is Bhutan's highest peak and is the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. The wildlife of Bhutan
5733-483: Is unclear because most of the records were destroyed when fire ravaged the ancient capital, Punakha , in 1827. By the 10th century, Bhutan's religious history had a significant impact on its political development. 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
5880-481: The Ophiocordyceps sinensis fungus crop collected from the wild has also resulted in unsustainable exploitation which is proving very difficult to regulate. Bhutan has enforced a plastic ban rule from 1 April 2019, where plastic bags were replaced by alternative bags made of jute and other biodegradable material. Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary form of government. The reigning monarch
6027-546: The Battle of Five Lamas . The invasions were thwarted, and the Drukpa subsect developed a strong presence in western and central Bhutan, leaving Ngawang Namgyal supreme. In recognition of the power he accrued, goodwill missions were sent to Bhutan from Cooch Behar in the Duars (present-day northeastern West Bengal), Nepal to the west, and Ladakh in western Tibet. The ruler of Ladakh even gave
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6174-591: The Cypress "), Lhomen Khazhi ("Southland of the Four Approaches") and Lho Menjong ("Southland of the Herbs "). 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 theorised that the state of Lhomon ( lit. ' southern darkness ' ), or Monyul ("Dark Land",
6321-703: The Drukpa Lineage " or "the Land of the Thunder Dragon," a reference to the country's dominant Buddhist sect); "Bhutan" appears only in English-language official correspondence. The terms for the Kings of Bhutan, Druk Gyalpo ("Dragon King"), and the Bhutanese endonym Drukpa , "Dragon people," are similarly derived. Names similar to Bhutan—including Bohtan, Buhtan, Bottanthis, Bottan and Bottanter—began to appear in Europe around
6468-591: The East India Company formally proposed calling the Druk Desi 's kingdom "Boutan" and the Panchen Lama 's kingdom "Tibet". The EIC's surveyor general James Rennell first anglicised the French name as "Bootan," and then popularised the distinction between it and Greater Tibet . The first time a separate Kingdom of Bhutan appeared on a western map, it did so under its local name "Broukpa". Others include Lho Mon ("Dark Southland"), Lho Tsendenjong ("Southland of
6615-715: 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 , Himalayan marmot , Tibetan wolf , antelope , Himalayan musk deer and the Bhutan takin , Bhutan's national animal . The endangered wild water buffalo occurs in southern Bhutan, although in small numbers. More than 770 species of bird have been recorded in Bhutan. The globally endangered white-winged duck has been added recently in 2006 to Bhutan's bird list. The 2010 BBC documentary Lost Land of
6762-490: The Koch Biharis ), Potente , and Mon (an endonym for southern Tibet). 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
6909-458: The Paro Valley . Buddhism was propagated in earnest in 746 under King Sindhu Rāja ( also Künjom; Sendha Gyab; Jakar Gyalpo), an exiled Indian king who had established a government in Bumthang at Jakar Gutho Palace. Buddhism replaced but did not eliminate the Bon religious practices that had also been prevalent in Tibet until the late 6th century. Instead, Buddhism absorbed Bon and its believers. As
7056-623: The Raja of the kingdom of Koch Bihar in the south. During the chaos that followed, the Tibetans unsuccessfully attacked Bhutan in 1714. 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 attacking Bhutan itself in 1774. A peace treaty
7203-583: The Royal Bhutan Army over the use of military vehicles and the forced retirement of some fifty officers. Religious elements also were antagonized by Dorji's efforts to reduce the power of the state-supported religious institutions. In April 1964, while the Druk Gyalpo was in Switzerland for medical care, Dorji was assassinated in Phuntsholing by an army corporal. The majority of those arrested and accused of
7350-556: The Sanskrit words Bhota-ant (end of Bhot) or Bhu-uttan (meaning highlands) have been suggested by historians as origins of the name Bhutan, which came into common foreign use in the late 19th century and is used in Bhutan only in English-language official correspondence. The traditional name of the country since the 17th century has been Drukyul—country of the Drukpa , the Dragon people, or the Land of
7497-452: The Tsa Yig , a code of law that helped to bring local lords under centralised control. Many such dzong still exist and are active centres of religion and district administration. Portuguese Jesuits Estêvão Cacella and João Cabral were the first recorded Europeans to visit Bhutan in 1627, on their way to Tibet. They met Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, presented him with firearms, gunpowder and
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#17328515162017644-468: The Tsa Yig , which described the spiritual and civil regime and provided laws for government administration and for social and moral conduct. The duties and virtues inherent in the Buddhist dharma (religious law) played a large role in the new legal code, which remained in force until the 1960s. To keep Bhutan from disintegrating, Ngawang Namgyal 's death in 1651 apparently was kept a carefully guarded secret for fifty-four years. Initially, Ngawang Namgyal
7791-460: The golden langur . A variant Assamese macaque has also been recorded, which is regarded by some authorities as a new species, Macaca munzala . 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
7938-480: The war reparations , the Duars were ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for a rent of ₹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 penlop (governor) of Trongsa . From his power base in central Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck defeated his political enemies and united
8085-412: The 12th century by another Kargyupa subsect—the Drukpa —led by Tibetan monk Phajo Drugom Shigpo , it continued to proselytize until the 17th century. The Drukpa spread throughout Bhutan and eventually became a dominant form of religious practice. Between the 12th century and the 17th century, the two Kargyupa subsects vied with one another from their respective dzong as the older form of Nyingmapa Buddhism
8232-479: 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. Since at least the tenth century, no outside power has ever occupied or governed Bhutan (notwithstanding occasional nominal tributary status). The consolidation of Bhutan occurred in 1616 when Ngawanag Namgyal ,
8379-431: The 14th century. By that time, the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat school had, after a period of anarchy in Tibet, become a powerful force resulting in the flight to Bhutan of numerous monks of various minor opposing sects. Among these monks was the founder of the Lhapa subsect of the Kargyupa school, to whom is attributed the introduction of strategically built dzong. Although the Lhapa subsect had been successfully challenged in
8526-412: The 1580s. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier 's 1676 Six Voyages is the first to record the name Boutan . However, 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. Realising the differences between the two regions, cultures, and states, his final report to
8673-420: The 16th century, Ngawang Namgyal unified the valleys of Bhutan into a single state. Namgyal defeated three Tibetan invasions, subjugated rival religious schools, codified the Tsa Yig legal system, and established a government of theocratic and civil administrators. Namgyal became the first Zhabdrung Rinpoche and his successors acted as the spiritual leaders of Bhutan, like the Dalai Lama in Tibet. During
8820-499: The 17th century, Bhutan controlled large parts of northeast India , Sikkim and Nepal ; it also wielded significant influence in Cooch Behar State . Bhutan ceded the Bengal Duars to British India during the Duar War in the 19th century. The Wangchuck dynasty emerged as the monarchy and pursued closer ties with Britain in the subcontinent. In 1910, a treaty guaranteed British advice in foreign policy in exchange for internal autonomy in Bhutan. The arrangement continued under
8967-408: The 1865 treaty: the British agreed to double their annual stipend to 100,000 rupees and "to exercise no interference in the internal administration of Bhutan." In turn, Bhutan agreed "to be guided by the advice of the British Government in regard to its external relations." The Treaty of Punakha guaranteed Bhutan's defense against China; China, in no position to contest British power, conceded the end of
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#17328515162019114-422: The British for the Assam Duars gradually fell into arrears. British demands for payment led to military incursions into Bhutan in 1834 and 1835, resulting in defeat for Bhutan's forces and a temporary loss of territory. The British proceeded in 1841 to annex the formerly Bhutanese-controlled Assam Duars, paying a compensation of 10,000 rupees a year to Bhutan. In 1842, Bhutan gave to the British control of some of
9261-422: The British governor general of India, however, the Panchen Lama instead punished the Druk Desi and invoked Tibet's claim of suzerainty over Bhutan. Failing to receive help from Tibet, the Druk Desi signed a Treaty of Peace with the British East India Company on 25 April 1774. Bhutan agreed to return to its pre-1730 boundaries, paid a symbolic tribute of five horses to Britain, and, among other concessions, allowed
9408-515: The British had replaced the Tibetans as the major external threat. Boundary disputes plagued Bhutanese–British relations. To reconcile their differences, Bhutan sent an emissary to Calcutta in 1787, and the British sent missions to Thimphu in 1815 and 1838. The 1815 mission was inconclusive. The 1838 mission offered a treaty providing for extradition of Bhutanese officials responsible for incursions into Assam , free and unrestricted commerce between India and Bhutan, and settlement of Bhutan's debt to
9555-558: The British to harvest timber in Bhutan. Subsequent missions to Bhutan were made by the British in 1776, 1777, and 1783, and commerce was opened between British India and Bhutan, and, for a short time, Tibet. In 1784, the British turned over to Bhutanese control Bengal Duars territory, where boundaries were poorly defined. As in its other foreign territories, Bhutan left administration of the Bengal Duars territory to local officials and collected its revenues. Although major trade and political relations failed to develop between Bhutan and Britain,
9702-450: The British. In an attempt to protect its independence, Bhutan rejected the British offer. Despite increasing internal disorder, Bhutan had maintained its control over a portion of the Assam Duars more or less since its reduction of Cooch Behar to a dependency in the 1760s. After the British gained control of Lower Assam in 1826, tension between the countries began to rise as Britain exerted its strength. Bhutanese payments of annual tribute to
9849-422: The Buddhist monastic system. Toward the end of his life, Ugyen Wangchuck was concerned about the continuity of the family dynasty, and in 1924 he sought British assurance that the Wangchuck family would retain its preeminent position in Bhutan. His request led to an investigation of the legal status of Bhutan vis-à-vis the suzerainty held over Bhutan by Britain and the ambiguity of Bhutan's relationship to India. Both
9996-406: The Druk Desi went unheeded, as he was alleged to be unaware of his frontier officials' actions against Sikkim and Cooch Behar. Britain sent a peace mission to Bhutan in early 1864, in the wake of the recent conclusion of a civil war there. The dzongpon of Punakha —who had emerged victorious—had broken with the central government and set up a rival Druk Desi , while the legitimate Druk Desi sought
10143-488: The Druk Gyalpo restore order in the kingdom. Unable to regain the Druk Gyalpo's trust, Lhendup fled to London, while other supporters in the military and government fled to Nepal and Calcutta. Afterwards, in concurrence of the National Assembly, Lhendup Dorji and other family members were exiled in 1965. However, the exiles continued their attacks on the Druk Gyalpo and India, worsening relations between India and China. The tense political situation continued and in July 1965 there
10290-452: The Druk Gyalpo, she sought refuge in India during the political crisis. Lhendup also incurred the disapproval of the Druk Gyalpo by seeking to become sole regent of the kingdom after his brother's death, eliminating the Queen and the king's brother. Before returning to Bhutan from Switzerland, Jigme Dorji met with the Indian Secretary General and Foreign Secretary in Calcutta who offered Indian support, including paratroopers if necessary, to help
10437-412: The Druk Gyalpo. With his mother and two elder sisters as advisers, the new Druk Gyalpo was thrust into the affairs of state. He was often seen among the people, in the countryside, at festivals, and, as his reign progressed, meeting with foreign dignitaries in Bhutan and abroad. His formal coronation took place in June 1974, and soon thereafter the strains between the Wangchucks and Dorjis were relieved with
10584-512: The European-educated cousin of the chogyal (king) of Sikkim and with her support made continual efforts to modernize his nation throughout his twenty-year reign. Among his first reforms was the establishment of the National Assembly — the Tshogdu — in 1953. Although the Druk Gyalpo could issue royal decrees and exercise veto power over resolutions passed by the National Assembly, its establishment
10731-519: The Himalayan foothills, have rugged, sloping terrain and dry, porous soil with dense vegetation and abundant wildlife. The southern Duars have 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
10878-507: The Mongol force was easily defeated in the humid lowlands of southern Bhutan. Another Tibetan invasion in 1647 also failed. During Ngawang Namgyal 's rule, administration comprised a state monastic body with an elected head, the Je Khenpo (lord abbot), and a theocratic civil government headed by the Druk Desi (regent of Bhutan, also known as Deb Raja in Western sources). The Druk Desi was either
11025-853: The Southern branch of the Drukpa sect and so fell under the authority of the Bhutanese Je Khenpo and the Zhabdrung. These enclaves persisted under Bhutanese control even after the rest of western Tibet came under the control of the Dalai Lama and his Gelugpa sect, until 1959 when the Bhutanese enclaves were seized by the Chinese. In addition to these outposts in Tibet, Bhutan for a time held monastic fiefs in Ladakh, Zanskar , and Lahul (now part of India), as well as in Lo Manthang and Dolpo (now part of Nepal). Though
11172-425: The Thunder Dragon, a reference to the country's dominant Buddhist sect. Some scholars believe that during the early historical period the inhabitants were fierce mountain aborigines, the Monpa , who were of neither the Tibetan or Mongol stock that later overran northern Bhutan. The people of Monyul practiced a shamanistic religion, which emphasized worship of nature and the existence of good and evil spirits. During
11319-599: The Tiger follows an expedition to Bhutan. The expedition is notable for claiming to obtain the first footage of tigers living at 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) in the high Himalayas. The BBC footage shows a female tiger lactating and scent-marking, followed a few days later by a male tiger responding, suggesting that the cats could be breeding at this elevation. Camera traps also recorded footage of other rarely seen forest creatures, including dhole (or Indian wild dog), Asian elephants, leopards and leopard cats. In Bhutan forest cover
11466-404: The Zhabdrung declined the offer. After a stay of nearly eight months Cacella wrote a long letter from the Chagri Monastery reporting the travel. This is a rare report of the Zhabdrung remaining. Tibetan armies invaded Bhutan around 1629, in 1631, and again in 1639, hoping to throttle Ngawang Namgyal's popularity before it spread too far. In 1634 Ngawang Namgyal defeated Karma Tenkyong 's army in
11613-502: The administration of the Lifan Yuan ). The Dalai Lama then fled to India. China laid claim not only to Tibet but also to Bhutan, Nepal, and Sikkim . With these events, Bhutanese and British interests coalesced. On January 8, 1910, Sikkim Political Officer and Tibetologist Sir Charles Alfred Bell engaged Bhutan and signed the Treaty of Punakha . The Treaty of Punakha amended two articles of
11760-400: The annual subsidy to 500,000 rupees per year. Important to Bhutan's national pride was the return of Dewangiri. Some historians believe that if India had been at odds with China at this time, as it was to be a decade later, it might not have acceded so easily to Bhutan's request for independent status. The third Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck , was enthroned in 1952. Earlier he had married
11907-453: The anti-British, pro-Tibetan ponlop of Paro—resulted in the ascendancy of Ugyen Wangchuck , the Penlop of Trongsa. From his power base in central Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck had defeated his political enemies and united the country following several civil wars and rebellions in 1882–85. His victory came at a time of crisis for the central government, however. British power was becoming more extensive to
12054-407: The authority of the absolute monarchy, also curbed the traditional decentralization of political authority among regional leaders and strengthened the role of the central government in economic and social programs. Modernization efforts moved forward in the 1960s under the direction of the lonchen , Jigme Palden Dorji , the Druk Gyalpo's brother-in-law. In 1962, however, Dorji incurred disfavor with
12201-428: The bodily reincarnation of Ngawang Namgyal died in the mid-18th century, but speech and mind reincarnations, embodied by individuals who acceded to the position of Zhabdrung Rinpoche , were in the early 1990s. The compulsory admission to monastic life of at least one son from any family having three or more sons was instituted in the late 17th century. In time, however, the State Council became increasingly secular as did
12348-516: The cabinet, parliament, and local government. The Druk Gyalpo ( Dragon King ) is the head of state . 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 . Druk The Druk ( Standard Tibetan : འབྲུག , Dzongkha : འབྲུག ་ )
12495-507: The central region provide most of Bhutan's forest production. The Torsa , Raidāk , 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 Sivalik 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
12642-469: The ceremony. The British government promptly recognized the new monarchy. In 1910, Bhutan signed the Treaty of Punakha , a subsidiary alliance that 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
12789-414: The control of religious and civil regents and rarely exercised authority in their own names. For further continuity, the concept of multiple reincarnation of the first Zhabdrung—in the form of either his body, his speech, or his mind—was invoked by the Je Khenpo and the Druk Desi , both of whom wanted to retain the power they had accrued through the dual system of government . The last person recognized as
12936-571: The countries with which Bhutan established relations provided development aid. Modernization of daily life brought new problems to Bhutan in the late 1980s. Television broadcast was official introduced in Bhutan in 1999. Bhutan Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan , is a landlocked country in South Asia situated in the Eastern Himalayas between China in the north and India in
13083-415: The country against Tibetan invasions. Many forts were extant in the late 20th century. During the first war with Tibet, c. 1627, Portuguese Jesuits Estêvão Cacella and João Cabral were the first recorded Europeans to visit Bhutan on their way to Tibet. They met with Ngawang Namgyal, presented him with firearms, gunpowder and a telescope , and offered him their services in the war against Tibet, but
13230-515: The country developed in its many fertile valleys, Buddhism matured and became a unifying element. It was Buddhist literature and chronicles that began the recorded history of Bhutan. In 810AD, a Buddhist saint, Padmasambhava (known in Bhutan as Guru Rimpoche and sometimes referred to as the Second Buddha), came to Bhutan from India at the invitation of one of the numerous local kings. After reportedly subduing eight classes of demons and converting
13377-484: The country following several civil wars and rebellions during 1882–85. 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
13524-492: The crime were military personnel and included the army chief of operations, Namgyal Bahadur , the Druk Gyalpo's uncle, who was executed for his part in the plot. The unstable situation continued under Dorji's successor as acting lonchen , his brother Lhendup Dorji , and for a time under the Druk Gyalpo's brother, Namgyal Wangchuck, as head of the army. According to some sources, a power struggle ensued between pro-Wangchuck loyalists and "modernist" Dorji supporters. The main issue
13671-529: 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. Locally, Bhutan has been known by many names. The earliest Western record of Bhutan, the 1627 Relação of the Portuguese Jesuits Estêvão Cacella and João Cabral , records its name variously as Cambirasi (among
13818-477: The eighty-three-square-kilometer territory of Dewangiri in southeastern Bhutan, in return for an annual subsidy of 50,000 rupees . The land that was to become Bhutan House was ceded from Bhutan to British India in 1865 at the conclusion the Duar War and as a condition of the Treaty of Sinchula . In the 1870s and 1880s, renewed competition among regional rivals—primarily the pro-British Penlop of Trongsa and
13965-409: The fifty-fourth and last Druk Desi was forced to retire, and despite recognitions of subsequent reincarnations of Ngawang Namgyal, the Zhabdrung system came to an end. In November 1907, an assembly of leading Buddhist monks, government officials, and heads of important families was held to end the moribund 300-year-old dual system of government and to establish a new absolute monarchy. Ugyen Wangchuck
14112-616: The force of law. The country's constitution mentions environmental standards in multiple sections. 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. Nearly 56.3% of all Bhutanese are involved with agriculture, forestry or conservation. The government aims to promote conservation as part of its plan to target Gross National Happiness. It currently has net negative greenhouse gas emissions because
14259-711: The foreign-policy guidance of India. Consequently, in 1962 Bhutan joined the Colombo Plan for Cooperative, Economic, and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific known as the Colombo Plan, and in 1966 notified India of its desire to become a member of the United Nations (UN). In 1971, after holding observer status for three years, Bhutan was admitted to the UN. In an effort to maintain Bhutan as
14406-528: The forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 100% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership . More than 5,400 species of plants are found in Bhutan, including Pedicularis cacuminidenta . 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. The Eastern Himalayas has been identified as
14553-434: The government of India was reexamined by London in 1932 as part of the issue of the status of India itself. It was decided to leave the decision to join an Indian federation up to Bhutan when the time came. When British rule over India ended in 1947, so too did Britain's association with Bhutan. India succeeded Britain as the de facto protector of the Himalayan kingdom, and Bhutan retained control over its internal government. It
14700-490: The highest elevations. Most peaks in the north are over 7,000 m (23,000 ft) above sea level; the highest point is 7,570-metre (24,840 ft)-tall Gangkhar Puensum , which has the distinction of being the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. The lowest point, at 98 m (322 ft), is in the valley of Drangme Chhu , where the river crosses the border with India. Watered by snow-fed rivers, alpine valleys in this region provide pasture for livestock, tended by
14847-634: 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
14994-498: The invaders were unable to take control, the political system remained unstable. Regional rivalries contributed to the gradual disintegration of Bhutan at the time the first British agents arrived. In the early 18th century, Bhutan had successfully developed control over the principality of Cooch Behar . The raja of Cooch Behar had sought assistance from Bhutan against the Indian Mughals in 1730, and Bhutanese political influence
15141-525: The king, Guru Rimpoche moved on to Tibet. Upon his return from Tibet, he oversaw the construction of new monasteries in the Paro Valley and set up his headquarters in Bumthang . According to tradition, he founded the Nyingmapa sect—also known as the "old sect" or Red Hat sect—of Mahayana Buddhism , which became for a time the dominant religion of Bhutan. Guru Rimpoche plays a great historical and religious role as
15288-469: The last countries to introduce television. In his speech, the King said that television was a critical step to the modernisation of Bhutan as well as a major contributor to the country's gross national happiness , but warned that the "misuse" of this new technology could erode traditional Bhutanese values. A new constitution was presented in early 2005. In December 2005, Wangchuck announced that he would abdicate
15435-458: The latter part of this period, historical legends relate that the mighty king of Monyul invaded a southern region known as the Duars, subduing the regions of modern Assam , West Bengal , and Bihar in India. Buddhism was first introduced to Bhutan in the 7th century. 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 (near Paro ) in
15582-402: The legal basis of the power granted to the National Assembly. The Druk Gyalpo decreed that henceforth sovereign power, including the power to remove government ministers and the Druk Gyalpo himself, would reside with the National Assembly. The following November, the Druk Gyalpo renounced his veto power over National Assembly bills and said he would step down if two-thirds of the legislature passed
15729-400: The maintenance of its biodiversity. This is reflected in the decision to maintain at least sixty per cent of the land area under forest cover, to designate more than 40% of its territory as national parks, reserves and other protected areas, and most recently to identify a further nine per cent of land area as biodiversity corridors linking the protected areas. All of Bhutan's protected land
15876-548: The majority of the Lhotshampa refugees. 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. In 1999, the government lifted a ban on television and internet, making Bhutan one of
16023-539: The millennium-long Tibetan-Chinese influence. It also assigned land in Motithang ( Thimphu ) and a hill station between Chukha and Thimphu to the British, assigning a portion of Kalimpong ( Bhutan House ) to Bhutan. Much of Bhutan's modern development has been attributed by Bhutanese historians to the first Druk Gyalpo. Internal reforms included introducing Western-style schools, improving internal communications, encouraging trade and commerce with India, and revitalizing
16170-592: The mission. Following more incidents and the prospect of an anti-Bhutan rebellion in the Bengal Duars, British troops deployed to the frontier in the mid-1850s. The Sepoy Rebellion in India in 1857-58 and the demise of the British East India Company's rule prevented immediate British action. Bhutanese armed forces raided Sikkim and Cooch Behar in 1862, seizing people, property, and money. The British responded by withholding all compensation payments and demanding release of all captives and return of stolen property. Demands to
16317-475: The modernization program also included the construction of roads linking the Indian plains with central Bhutan. An all-weather road was completed in 1962 between Thimphu and Phuntsholing , the overland gateway town on the southwest border with India. Dzongkha was made the national language during Jigme Dorji's reign. Additionally, development projects included establishing such institutions as a national museum in Paro and
16464-428: The national leader coincided with the realization that the dual political system was obsolete and ineffective. He had removed his chief rival, the ponlop of Paro, and installed a supporter and relative, a member of the pro-British Dorji family , in his place. When the last Zhabdrung died in 1903 and a reincarnation had not appeared by 1906, civil administration came under the control of Ugyen Wangchuck. Finally, in 1907,
16611-415: The national patron saint who revealed the tantras —manuals describing forms of devotion to natural energy—to Bhutan. Following the guru's sojourn, Indian influence played a temporary role until increasing Tibetan migrations brought new cultural and religious contributions. There was no central government during this period. Instead, small independent monarchies began to develop by the early 9th century. Each
16758-509: The new Union of India gained independence from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947, Bhutan became one of the first countries to recognise 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. In 1953, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck established the country's legislature—a 130-member National Assembly —to promote
16905-502: The opponents of the Druk Desi to Tibet and Sikkim. In the 1680s, Bhutan invaded Sikkim in pursuit of a rebellious local lord. In 1700, Bhutan again invaded Sikkim, and in 1714 Tibetan forces, aided by Mongolia , invaded Bhutan but were unable to gain control. During the 17th century Bhutan maintained close relations with Ladakh , and assisted Ladakh in its 1684 war with Tibet. Ladakh had earlier granted Bhutan several enclaves near Mount Kailash in western Tibet; these were monasteries of
17052-578: The opportunity to assist the British and in 1903-4 volunteered to accompany a British mission to Lhasa as a mediator. For his services in securing the Anglo-Tibetan Convention of 1904, Ugyen Wangchuck was knighted and thereafter continued to accrue greater power in Bhutan. Ugyen Dorji , as well as his descendants , went on to maintain British favor on behalf of the government from Bhutan House in Kalimpong , India. Ugyen Wangchuck 's emergence as
17199-467: 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. The huge market value of
17346-698: The protection of the ponlop of Paro and was later deposed. The British mission dealt alternately with the rival penlop of Paro and the Penlop of Trongsa (the latter acting on behalf of the Druk Desi), but Bhutan rejected the peace and friendship treaty it offered. Britain declared war in November 1864. Bhutan had no regular army, and what forces existed were composed of dzong guards armed with matchlocks, bows and arrows, swords, knives, and catapults. Some of these dzong guards, carrying shields and wearing chainmail armor, engaged
17493-576: The return that year of the exiled members of the latter family. The reconciliation, however, was preceded by reports of a plot to assassinate the new Druk Gyalpo before his coronation could take place and to set fire to the Tashichho Dzong (Fortress of the Glorious Religion, the seat of government in Thimphu ). Yanki (who had four children with the Druk Gyalpo, including two sons, between 1962 and 1972)
17640-517: The small amount of pollution it creates is absorbed by the forests that cover most of the country. While the entire country collectively produces 2,200,000 metric tons (2,200,000 long tons; 2,400,000 short 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. Bhutan had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 8.85/10, ranking it 16th globally out of 172 countries. Bhutan has
17787-480: The south, and in the west Tibet had violated its border with Sikkim, incurring British disfavor. After 1,000 years of close ties with Tibet, Bhutan faced the threat of British military power and was forced to make serious geopolitical decisions. The British, seeking to offset potential Russian advances in Lhasa, wanted to open trade relations with Tibet. Ugyen Wangchuck , on the advice of his closest adviser Ugyen Dorji , saw
17934-409: The south, with the Indian state of Sikkim separating it from neighbouring Nepal . With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of 38,394 square kilometres (14,824 sq mi), Bhutan ranks 133rd in land area and 160th in population. Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy with a Druk Gyalpo (king) as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government . The Je Khenpo
18081-407: The state and people. They were arrested and held for months without trial. Soon the Bhutanese government arbitrarily reported that its census operations had detected the presence in southern Bhutan of over 100,000 "illegal immigrants" although this number is often debated. The census operations, thus, were used as a tool for the identification, eviction and banishment of dissidents who were involved in
18228-485: The subtropical Duars Plain, which is the eponymous gateway to strategic mountain passes (also known as dwars or dooars; literally, "doors" in Assamese , Bengali , Maithili , Bhojpuri , and Magahi languages). 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
18375-415: The successive Druk Desi, ponlop , and dzongpon , and intense rivalries developed among the ponlop of Tongsa and Paro and the dzongpon of Punakha , Thimphu , and Wangdue Phodrang . During the first period of succession and further internal consolidation under the Druk Desi government, there was conflict with Tibet and Sikkim . Internal opposition to the central government resulted in overtures by
18522-514: The suzerainty and the ambiguity were maintained. Ugyen Wangchuck died in 1926 and was succeeded by his son, Jigme Wangchuck (reigned 1926–52). The second Druk Gyalpo continued his father's centralization and modernization efforts and built more schools, dispensaries, and roads. During Jigme Wangchuck's reign, monasteries and district governments were increasingly brought under royal control. However, Bhutan generally remained isolated from international affairs. The issue of Bhutan's status vis-à-vis
18669-551: The throne in his son's favour in 2008. On 9 December 2006, he announced that he would abdicate 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 was crowned king. In July 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic , Bhutan became the first world-leading nation in its role of vaccinating 470,000 out of 770,000 people with
18816-446: The title Zhabdrung (At Whose Feet One Submits, or, in many Western sources, Dharma Raja ), becoming the temporal and spiritual leader of Bhutan. Considered the first great historical figure of Bhutan, he united the leaders of powerful Bhutanese families in a land called Drukyul. He promulgated a code of law and built a network of impregnable forts ( dzong ), a system that helped bring local lords under centralized control and strengthened
18963-473: The troublesome Bengal Duars territory it had administered since 1784. Charges and countercharges of border incursions and protection of fugitives led to an unsuccessful Bhutanese mission to Calcutta in 1852. Among other demands, the mission sought increased compensation for its former Duars territories; instead the British deducted nearly 3,000 rupees from the annual compensation and demanded an apology for alleged plundering of British-protected lands by members of
19110-496: The uprising against the state. Military and other security forces were deployed for forceful deportations of between 80,000 and 100,000 Lhotshampas and were accused of using widespread violence, torture, rape and killing. The evicted Lhotshampas became refugees in camps in southern Nepal. Since 2008, many Western countries, such as Canada, Norway, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, have allowed resettlement of
19257-468: The well-equipped British forces. The Duar War (1864–65) lasted only five months and, despite some battlefield victories by Bhutanese forces, resulted in Bhutan's defeat, loss of part of its sovereign territory, and forced cession of formerly occupied territories. Under the terms of the Treaty of Sinchula , signed on 11 November 1865, Bhutan ceded territories in the Assam Duars and Bengal Duars, as well as
19404-474: The west with warm summers and cool winters. Bhutan signed the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 11 June 1992, and became a party to the convention on 25 August 1995. 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. Bhutan has a rich primate life, with rare species such as
19551-488: Was a major move toward a constitutional monarchy. When the Chinese communists took over Tibet in 1951, Bhutan closed its frontier with Tibet and sided with its powerful neighbor to the south. To offset the chance of Chinese encroachment, Bhutan began a modernization program. Land reform was accompanied by the abolition of slavery and serfdom and the separation of the judiciary from the executive branch of government. Mostly funded by India after China's Tibetan uprising in 1959,
19698-443: Was able to consolidate power, and began cultivating closer ties with the British in the subcontinent. In 1907, ( Bhutan :འབྲུག་རྒྱལ་དང་པ་ཨོ་རྒྱན་དབང་ཕྱུག)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
19845-414: Was an assassination attempt on the Druk Gyalpo. The Dorjis were not implicated in the attempt—which was described as a "private matter"—and the would-be assassins were pardoned by the Druk Gyalpo. In 1966, to increase the efficiency of government administration, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck made Thimphu the year-round capital. In May 1968, the comprehensive Rules and Regulations of the National Assembly revised
19992-577: Was eclipsed. In the 17th century, a theocratic government independent of Tibetan political influence was established, and premodern Bhutan emerged. The theocratic government was founded by an expatriate Drukpa monk, Ngawang Namgyal , who arrived in Bhutan in 1616 seeking freedom from the domination of the Gelugpa subsect led by the Dalai Lama (Ocean Lama) in Lhasa. After a series of victories over rival subsect leaders and Tibetan invaders, Ngawang Namgyal took
20139-748: Was elected its first hereditary Druk Gyalpo ("Dragon King") and subsequently reigned from 1907 to 1926. Bhutan's Political Officer John Claude White took photographs of the coronation ceremony. The Dorji family became hereditary holders of the position of Gongzim (Chief Chamberlain), the top government post. The British, wanting political stability on their northern frontier, approved of the entire development. Britain's earlier entreaties in Lhasa had unexpected repercussions at this time. The Chinese Qing dynasty , concerned that Britain would seize Tibet , established direct rule in Tibet in 1910 (the Qing dynasty had previously incorporated Tibet in 1720 but placed it under
20286-464: Was not an end to or lessening of the power of the monarchy but "full freedom from Indian interference." Other observers believe the 1964 crisis was not so much a policy struggle as competition for influence on the palace between the Dorji family and the Druk Gyalpo's Tibetan consort, Yanki, and her father. Lhendup Dorji had earlier threatened to kill Yanki—his sister's rival—and ordered her arrest when, fearing for her life and that of her 2-year-old son by
20433-460: Was not long in following. By the mid-1760s, Thimphu considered Cooch Behar its dependency, stationing a garrison force there and directing its civil administration. When the Druk Desi invaded Sikkim in 1770, Cooch Behari forces joined their Bhutanese counterparts in the offensive. In a succession dispute in Cooch Behar two years later, however, the Druk Desi's nominee for the throne was opposed by
20580-405: Was occupied by Tibetan-Mongol military forces. By the 10th century, Bhutan's political development was heavily influenced by its religious history. Following a period in which Buddhism was in decline in Tibet in the 11th century, contention among a number of subsects emerged. The Yuan dynasty overlords of Tibet and Bhutan patronized a sequence of subsects until their own political decline in
20727-590: 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. A state of Lhomon (literally, southern darkness) or Monyul (dark land,
20874-464: Was ruled by a deb (king), some of whom claimed divine origins. The kingdom of Bumthang was the most prominent among these small entities. At the same time, Tibetan Buddhist monks (lam in Dzongkha , Bhutan's official national language) had firmly rooted their religion and culture in Bhutan, and members of joint Tibetan-Mongol military expeditions settled in fertile valleys. By the 11th century, all of Bhutan
21021-415: Was said to have entered into a religious retreat, a situation not unprecedented in Bhutan, Sikkim, or Tibet during that time. During the period of Ngawang Namgyal's supposed retreat, appointments of officials were issued in his name, and food was left in front of his locked door. Ngawang Namgyal 's son and stepbrother , in 1651 and 1680, respectively, succeeded him. They started their reigns as minors under
21168-462: 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 to control of the Bengal Duars . After Bhutan lost the war, the Treaty of Sinchula was signed between British India and Bhutan. As part of
21315-512: Was the alleged force behind the plot, which was uncovered three months before the coronation; thirty persons were arrested, including high government and police officials. However, Lawrence Sittling, secretary to Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, later reported that the assassination plot was a fabrication by a Chinese diplomat designed to alienate Bhutan from India. But the truth was not any more politically acceptable—those arrested were Tibetan Khampas rebels, trained in India, who were traveling through Bhutan on
21462-407: Was the head of state and the ultimate authority in religious and civil matters. The seat of government was at Thimphu , the site of a 13th-century dzong, in the spring, summer, and fall. The winter capital was at Punakha Dzong , a dzong established northeast of Thimphu in 1527. The kingdom was divided into three regions (east, central, and west), each with an appointed ponlop , or governor, holding
21609-512: Was two years, however, before a formal agreement recognized Bhutan's independence. Following the precedent set by the Treaty of Punakha , on August 8, 1949, Thimphu signed the Treaty of Friendship Between the Government of India and the Government of Bhutan, according to which external affairs, formerly guided by Britain, were to be guided by India. Like Britain, India agreed not to interfere in Bhutan's internal affairs. India also agreed to increase
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