The Kingdom of Bhutan (also Bootan) (Template:IPA2 ⓘ) 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 (13-16 km) 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 (7,000 m). 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[2]. Cash crops, tourism, and development aid (the latter mostly from India) 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.
Kingdom of Bhutan འབྲུག་ཡུལ Druk Yul | |
|---|---|
| Motto: One Nation, One People | |
| Anthem: Druk tsendhen | |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Thimphu |
| Official languages | Dzongkha, English |
| Government | Monarchy |
• King | Jigme Singye Wangchuck |
| Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup | |
| Formation | |
• Wangchuk Dynasty | 1907-12-17 |
• Water (%) | negligible |
| Population | |
• 2005 estimate | 2,232,291 (disputed)[1] (142nd) |
• 2005 census | 672,425 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2005 estimate |
• Total | $3.007 billion (160th) |
• Per capita | $3,921 (117th) |
| HDI (2003) | 0.536 low (134th) |
| Currency | Ngultrum (BTN) |
| Time zone | UTC+6:00 (BTT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+6:00 (not observed) |
| Calling code | 975 |
| ISO 3166 code | BT |
| Internet TLD | .bt |
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 (lit. "the language of the dzong"). 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 (who are generally Hindu) left the country in the 1980s because they were forcibly evicted for not obeying the new government policies designed to reduce the growing population of Nepali origin people in the south.
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 (and Tibetan) name for the country is 'Druk Yul' (Land of the Dragon). Because of the serenity and the virginity of the country and its landscapes, Bhutan today is sometimes referred to as The Last Shangri-La.
Historically, Bhutan was known by many names, such as 'Lho Mon' (Southern Land of Darkness), 'Lho Tsendenjong' (Southern Land of the Sandalwood), 'Lhomen Khazhi' (Southern Land of Four Approaches), and 'Lho Men Jong' (Southern Land of Medicinal Herbs).
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 (literally, "southern darkness"), or Monyul ("Dark Land", a reference to the Monpa – the aboriginal peoples of Bhutan) 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.
The earliest transcribed event in Bhutan was the passage of the Buddhist saint Padmasambhava (also called Guru Rinpoche) 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 (fortresses), 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 (1864–1865), 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 (governor) 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.
The neutrality of this article is disputed. |
Recent Developments from 1980s to Present Day
By 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 speaking people to open up and help cultivate its fields early last century. It also accused the ethnic Nepalis (called Lhotshampas) of a lack of integration into the political and cultural mainstream of the country. For their part, the Lhotshampas (by now several generation born in Bhutan) wanted to retain their Hindu culture in a country ruled by Buddhists. The government accuses the 'immigrants' (a misnomer considering most Lhotshampas were several generations Bhutanese, and considered themselves Bhutanese, not Nepali) of knowing very little of the culture of Bhutan arguing also that most could not understand any one of the local languages including Dzongkha (the King's own language and culture). 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 (based in Buddhism and distinctly not Hindu) 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 (where the Lhotshampas mostly resided - a situation reflecting the fact that it was the Bhutanese government that originally invited nepali settlers to live in Bhutan generations ago to help open up and cultuivate the land in the south). 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 (which, it argues, has been completely destroyed in nearby Sikkim, it says by an onslaught of over immigration by ethnic Nepalis). The Lhotshampas (again, they are not, as Bhutan claims Nepali 'immigrants' as most were born in Bhutan going back generations) 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 (before then, there was no need for paperwork and passport like identification as the borders between Bhutan, India and Nepal were fairly porous). Those individuals who could not provide proof of residency prior to 1958 (remembering many just didn't have it in the first place, despite being born in Bhutan) 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 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 (Bhutan is the only country to measure happiness) but warned against the misuse of the television that may erode traditional Bhutanese values.
A new constitution has been presented in early 2005 (download from here), 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. Bhutanese refugees in 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 (7,000 m) above sea level; the highest point is claimed to be the Kula Kangri, at 24,780 feet (7,553 m), 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 (7,570 m). 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 (1,500 m and 2,700 m) 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 (1,500 m) above sea level. The foothills descend into the subtropical Duars plain. Most of the Duars is located in India, although a 6–9 mile (10–15 km) 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. Template:Inote
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 is 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.[3] The historic trade routes over the high Himalayas, which connected India to Tibet, have been closed since the 1959 military takeover of Tibet (although smuggling activity still brings Chinese goods into Bhutan).
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 (yak) 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.Template:Inote
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 (adjusted to Purchasing Power Parity), making it the 162nd largest economy in the world. Per capita income is around $1,400 (€1,170), ranked 124th. Government revenues total €122 million ($146 million), though expenditures amount to €127 million ($152 million). 60%Template:Inote of the budget expenditure, however, is financed by India's Ministry of External Affairs.[4] Bhutan's exports, principally electricity, cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones and spices, total €128 million ($154 million) (2000 est.). Imports, however, amount to €164 million ($196 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 (4.6%) and the Philippines (2%) 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 (71.3%), Japan (7.8%) and Austria (3%).Template:Inote
In a response to accusations in 1987 by a journalist from UK's Financial Times that the pace of development in Bhutan was slow, the King said that "Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product." [5] 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 (administrative zones). Each dzongdey is further divided into dzongkhag (districts). 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.
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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
- Thimphu - the largest city and capital of Bhutan
- Trashigang
- Trongsa
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.[6] 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. Template:Inote 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. [7]
On November 13 2005, Chinese soldiers crossed into Bhutan under the pretext that environmental conditions had forced their retreat south from the Himalayas. The Bhutanese government allowed this incursion (after the fact) on humanitarian grounds. Soon after, the Chinese began 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 (completely ignoring the original official pretext for the incursion) and that the two sides continue to work for a peaceful and cordial resolution of the dispute [8]. Neither the Bhutanese nor Indian governments (India still handles some foreign affairs for Bhutan) have reported any progress regarding this matter (peaceful, cordial or otherwise), and the Chinese continue to this day building infrastructure and increasing their military garrison within Bhutan. An Indian intelligence officer has 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. [9]
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 (117/sq. mi), 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 ("Easterners"), who are associated with the eastern part of Bhutan (but who traditionally follow the Nyingmapa rather than the official Drukpa Kagyu form of Tibetan Buddhism). 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 ("Dharma Language"), 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% (56.2% of males and 28.1% of females). 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 (61 for males and 64.5 for females) according to the latest data from the World Bank. There are 1,070 males to every 1,000 females in the country.Template:Inote
Culture
Bhutan remains one of the most secluded nations in the world, and most tourists are required to book packaged tours (offered by the country's numerous tourist agencies) 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 (who still must be accompanied by a guide and driver).
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 (because all milk is turned to butter and cheese). 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 (khuru) 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 (around January 1, depending on the lunar calendar), the lunar New Year (February or March), the King's birthday and the anniversary of his coronation, the official start of monsoon season (September 22), National Day (December 17), 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 (although several samizdat periodicals may be found on the internet).
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.[10]
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.
Media
Bhutan is completely run by an absolute monarchy. There are no private organizations, institutions or any political parties, even social organizations. Without codified laws Bhutan bans political parties and any other form of organization. The government bars people from criticizing the acts of the government or raising question on Royal family members and King. The Driglam Nam Zha (its so-called dress and language code) and such other traditional laws define any one as terrorist or anti-nationals if found spoken against the government or the royal family members. Right to speech, yet to be clarified, is unlawfully restricted. There is no law or rules and regulations regarding press or can be called no press freedom in Bhutan. Government officials censor on the news to be published or broadcasted or telecasted. Even other programmes of the radio and television and most of the articles on the newspaper are administered by government. Government not only discourages private publications but also imposes serious penalty on such attempts.
According National Assembly Rule no. 11, drafted in 1953, every member of the legislature shall have the full right and privilege to express his thought in the Assembly. No rule or law can interfere with the member's freedom of expression.
But citizenship act 1958, amended in 1977, states anyone having acquired Bhutanese citizenship involve in the act against the king or speaking against the royal government or being in association with the people involve in activities against the Royal government shall be deprived of the citizenship. (TA penalty for violation of rule). Similarly, Citizenship Act 1985 says any citizen of Bhutan who has acquired the citizenship at any time, if the person has shown by act or speech to be disloyal in any manner whatsoever to king, country and people of Bhutan, his citizenship will be seized.
People never demanded press freedom nor did they try for private publication in the past. In was only after 1990 that freedom of press and right to information has been felt. Bhutan people’s Party demonstrated demanding press freedom in 1990. Most of the other parties formed later also advocated for press freedom. People working in media in Bhutan receive short term journalism training from Britain, The Netherlands, India and Singapore.
In the name of press and right to information of the Bhutanese people, a radio, a television (both run by Bhutan Broadcasting Service owned by state) and a weekly newspaper (Kuensel, published by state owned Kuensel Corporation) exist whose contents are strictly censored by the government. They solely carry the voices of the government. There are neither any private publication houses nor any organization working in the field of right to information. Specifically, no person is permitted to start any private organization or the publication house. As such any one speaking against the government, king or the high profiled bureaucrats must face serious physical punishment in jails. A hundred of thousands people were banished from their homesteads while staging for the right to organization, speech and culture in 1990. Even then, a large section of the Bhutanese people feel the need of a private publication house or any organization working for their right to speech and expression in Bhutan. Right to speech is one of the elements of human rights states must guarantee to its citizens.
The recently drafted constitution also not aptly provide good environment for development of journalism and press freedom. The government has said that two weeklies have been registered. One of them Bhutan Times has begun its publication from April 30. The other Bhutan Observer is yet to be seen.
Bhutan in late years has been advocating transformation of itself into a democratic kingdom under the leadership of its king Jigme Singye Wangchuk. Since democratic values and people's rights cannot be safeguarded in absence of an independent media, APFA-Bhutan strives to pave way for institutionalizing a vibrant media working in close co-ordination with the political forces and government bodies. It was long felt that Bhutanese movement should have strong media organization to disseminate information and advocate in a larger sphere. Thus, member of young generation who were deeply concerned about situation of media in Bhutan and having keen interest in journalism formed the association after acquiring various trainings.
Electronic Media As of April 2004, BBS FM radio service is available in 15 dzongkhags. Installation of FM transmitter in the rest of the 5 dzongkhags will be completed by the end of the current five year plan. Radio service (NYAB radio) in Bhutan started in November 1973 in the initiation of youths who formed National Youth Association of Bhutan (NYAB) led by a Royal female member. The station was operational only on Sundays with 30 minutes of news in English and music. The NYAB club office was transformed to announcing studio on weekends and increased to an hour a week after afew weeks’ trial. The 400-watt transmitter was rented from a local telegraph office. The station was called Radio NYAB. In 1979, the Royal Government recognizing the importance of the radio for development communication, embraced the station under the Ministry of Communications. Then it started three-hour programme on every Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday: ?1.5 hours in Dzongkha, ?0.5 hours each in Nepali (Lhotsamkha), Sarchopkha (Tshangla) and English In 1986 Development Support Communication Division (later changed to Development Communication Corporation) was set up to help in the development of media. With the commissioning of a 10kw short-wave transmitter and a small broadcast studio, Radio NYAB was renamed as Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) in the same year. Daily broadcasting was introduced with three hours of programming that reflected the national character. Radio was then controlled by BBS. BBS/DSCD worked jointly under MoC until 1992 when they were transformed to corporation. In the same year UNESCO also provided BBS 10W SW transmitter. The radio transmission reached to most part of the country. In 1991 radio station relocated to India sponsored new complex with 50w SW transmitter. Since then, its programmes reached 30 hours per week. To strengthen the radio service to al parts of the country, government initiated the establishment of FM station merely means for relay of national broadcast. In 1987 local FM stations were set up in Thimphu with the aid of UNESCO. (96 and 98 MHz). In 1989-92 period DANIDA and UNESCO provided 1.14 million assistance for development of media in Bhutan. In March 1991 that BBS acquired a permanent seat and a professional look with the commissioning of a 50kw short-wave transmitter station and a studio complex-cum-office block. In June 2000, BBS introduced FM radio service for Western Bhutan as well with the inauguration of the main FM station at Dobchula and yet another one at Takti in the south. The FM service was extended to central Bhutan in January 2001 and plans are underway to cover the whole country by the end of the ninth five-year plan. At present broadcast, the radio has 12 hours broadcast service including 1.5 hours traditional music only; 4.5 hours in Dzongkha, and 2 hours each in Nepali (Lhotsamkha), Sarchhopkha and English.
Technical Information Short wave Radio: Transmitter Power: 50 KW SW Broadcast Transmitter: SK 45 F3 Broadcast Frequency: 49 meter band 6035 KHZ
FM Network Dobchula Main Station: Standby Reserve Configuration 1+1 KW Frequency: 88.1 MHz Areas served: Punakha, Gasa, Wangdi Phodrang Frequency: 96 MHz: Areas served: Thimphu Takti Relay Station: 1 KW Frequency: 98 MHz Areas served: Chukha and Mongar Yotula Relay Station: 1 KW Frequency: 93 MHz Frequency: 90 MHz Areas served: for parts of Trashigang & Mongar Areas served: Bumthang, Trongsa Jabji Relay Station: 20 W Frequency: 92 MHz Areas served: Paro valley, Phuentsholing, Tsirang, Samtse and Trashigang Kharbandi Relay Station: 20W And 49 mband 6035 KHz Shortwave(SW)v
Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) has seven-member National Editorial Board with 130 employees, 1/3 of them in administration section. It controls radio, television and FMs. It was corporatized in 1992. Government provides all most all funds for its functioning. In 2004 sources, it generated 3% revenue from advertisement. There are very rare ads from private sectors, that also appear dung king’s birthday, coronation anniversary, or the national day.
Apart from giving the daily news bulletin in four languages (Dzongkha, Sharchop, Lhotsamkha and English) in radio and in Dzongkha and English on television, BBS devotes 75% of its programming on development issues such as new farming methods, health and hygiene, environment preservation, distance education, rural development, women and child care.
Bhutan Broadcasting Service, established in 1973 and given its current name in 1986, operated under the auspices of the Department of Information; it offered thirty hours a week of shortwave radio programming in Dzongkha, Sharchopkha, Nepali, and English. There was daily FM programming in Thimphu and shortwave reception throughout the rest of the nation in the early 1990s. In 1991 there were thirty-nine public radio stations for internal communications. There were also two stations used exclusively for communications with Bhutan's embassies in New Delhi and Dhaka and thirteen stations used by hydrologists and meteorologists. There were no television stations in Bhutan in the early 1990s, and a 1989 royal decree ended the viewing of foreign television by mandating the dismantling of antennas. The government wanted to prevent Indian and Bangladeshi broadcasts from reaching Bhutan's citizens.
Television
Television was banned in Bhutan, and still foreign cable lines are not permitted, government advocates the free access of foreign television would spoil the national identity and culture. In 1989 king banned private satellite dishes and dismantled 28 privately owned dishes. At that time people mostly looked Indian and Bangladeshi channels. The most favouite was STAR television network.
Audio-visual programme started in 1981 with DSCD. It made films and documentaries on life, culture and religion (development oriented). But the programme was stopped in 1996. In 1998, a large screen was fixed at the Thimphu stadium to watch world cup through Indian televisions.
The national television service in Bhutan was started in June 2, 1999, that was announced to be established in April 1998. In the initial days, it telecasted one hour a day. The telecast increased to two hours per day from June 2002. The television was established to commemorate the Silver Jubilee reign of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Presently, the television service is available for the residents of Thimphu, but there are plans to extend it to the whole country. The two-hour broadcast from 7pm to 9 pm contains 30 minutes of news and announcements in Dzongkha and English, followed by various programs and documentaries in both languages.
Beginning 21st February 2004, the BBS has started broadcasting three hours on Television [7:00PM - 10:00PM] and fifteen hours on radio.
The Television programs of the previous night is also rebroadcast every morning from 7:00AM to 10:00AM
Print media Bhutan’s only National Newspaper, Kuensel, is published every Saturday from Thimphu by the Kuensel Corporation. It is distributed throughout the country by a string of sales agents appointed in all the Dzongkhags, Dungkhags and towns, while subscribers overseas are fed through mail service/e-mail. Kuensel readers are, generally, people with highly placed social and economic standings within the community and expatriates, posted in diplomatic missions, international organisations and multinational companies. The paper was started in 1960 by Bhim Bahadur Rai and Suk Man Rai in Nepali - monthly (hand written). From 1964 they used litho. From 1969 printed in English and Nepali from Kalimpong (Moni Printing Press). In 1974 press machine bought from India and installed in Thimphu. Started publishing from the capital. Soon Dzongkha letter blocks were prepared by the Japanese technicians and started in Dzongkha as well. Kuensel Corporation was set up in 1992.
In 1986 Kuensel was reformatted under the same title and also published weekly as Bhutan's only newspaper. Published by the Ministry of Communications' Department of Information, Kuensel had a total circulation in 1988 of 12,500 and was published in Dzongkha, Nepali, and English. Indian and other foreign newspapers also were available. Bhutan's low literacy rate, however, means that the majority of the population is not affected by the print media. Oral tradition is very strong, however, and radio broadcasts are widely listened to.
The corporation has seven-member editorial team chaired by secretary at the Ministry of Communication; including, one chief editor, one each language editor, one news editor, one each reporter in Trashigang and Phuentsholing and five reporters in the capital, Thimphu. Most of the reporters have basic training with Strait Times of Singapore. Two of the present staffs have received international postgraduate in journalism.
Most of the fund for publication is supported by government as subsidy. For instance, the government provided 18 % fund in 1997.
In 1979, Druk Losel (Quarterly) started in the editorship of Gauri Shankar Adhikari in three languages. After 19 issues in 1983 when an historical article on the relationship between Bhutan and Nepal was published, the publication was banned. Bhutan Times weekly has started publishing from Thimphu from April 30 as the first private newspaper in the kingdom.
Publications outside Bhutan attempted to raise voices of dissidents. In 1971-72-Hari Prasad Adhikari published one issue of Ammar Bhutan, and in 1991, he brought out the bulletin with financial support from PFHRB and HUROB from Dalle Aahal in Assam. He also edited Mukti on the eve of demonstrations in southern Bhutan in 1990 supported by BPP in but all copies of the paper lost on the way to Bhutan. In 1991, HUROB published Manav Adhikarko Chirharan. From 1 December 1990 SUB brought out Bhutan Focus in Nepali and English but it also closed in 1993 and few issues were printed again in 2001 and 2002. From 15 March 1991, Bhutani Aawaj was published fortnightly from Birtamode edited by Balaram Poudyal. It was closed after 1995. For almost a decade since 1993, Bhutan Bidhyrthi Chhatra Sangathan published Bhutani Nawa Sandesh from Banaras. From 1993, PFHRD published Bhutan Observer. It was closed after S. K. Pradhan was arrested in connection to the murder of BPP president R K Budathoki in 2001. Between 1993 and 1995, Bhutan Review was published by Bhim Subba. Since 1994, Nepali Sahitya Parishad Bhutan (earlier Nepali Bhasha Parishad) has been publishing annual Bhutani Kopila. For almost five years, AHURA Bhutan published Refugee Post beginning 1995, though its frequency was uncertain. Between, March 96 and December 96, SUB brought out The SUB Bridges (Fortnightly) In 96 Quarterly publication Dragon Times published by YOB was seen for few times. With support from Mangala Sharma, The Struggle (monthly) was published in 1997-98, edited by Jogen Gazamere (UFD). DNC publishes Bhutan Today (monthly). From 6 January 2001, monthly The Shangrila SANDESH was published by The Rose Class, edited by C.N. Timsina. The publication stopped after May 2003. Similarly, since 20 December 2000, weekly Sandesh was published with financial support of AHURA and edited by B. P. Kashyap. It was closed after mid 2004. Monthly Bhutan Jagaran, edited by Kapilmoni Dahal and then by Ganga Ram Lamitarey later by bishnu Luitel has been published since 1 November 2000. At present it is being edited by Khem Shandilya. In 2000, six issues of monthly Bhutan Times was seen in market, edited by Sagar Rai and published by BGAF. Naulo Aawaj (weekly) has been published by Jana Sanskritik Manch since March 2002. The Bhutan Reporter has been published by Bhutan Media Society since October 2004.
See also
External links
Definitions from Wiktionary
Media from Commons
News from Wikinews
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Resources from Wikiversity
Notes
- ^ The population of Bhutan per the Government of Bhutan census is 734,320 (2003) [11]. The population estimate in the CIA Factbook is 2,232,291 although it notes that other estimates are as low as 810,000. [12]. The United Nations estimate is 2,163,000 (2005). 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 (1998) Lonely Planet Bhutan (1st ed), p. 52, ISBN 0-86442-483-3
- Fast forward into trouble, The Guardian
- ^ The Tribune
- ^ 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." The Tribune, Chandigarh
- ^ Yoga Journal
- ^ Asian Times
- ^ Bhutan News Online
- ^ China.com
- ^ HindustanTimes.com
- ^ Fast forward into trouble, The Guardian
References
- "A Country Study: Bhutan". Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. Retrieved September 8.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Bhutan". CIA World Factbook. Retrieved September 8.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Bhutan Portal". Government of Bhutan. Retrieved September 8.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Bhutan". MSN Encarta. Retrieved September 8.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Bhutan army sees action at last". Asia Times Online. Retrieved September 8.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Bhutan-China Relations". Bhutan News Online. Retrieved September 8.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "MoUs with Bhutan on rail links, power projects". The Tribune, Chandigarh. Retrieved September 8.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Border tension pushes MEA allocation". The Tribune, Chandigarh. Retrieved September 8.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Happy Land". Yoga Journal. Retrieved September 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Fast forward into trouble". The Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved September 16.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "A New Measure of Well-Being From a Happy Little Kingdom". The New York Times. Retrieved October 4.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - A.P. Agarwala (2003). Sikkim and Bhutan. Nest and Wings. ISBN 81-87592-07-9.
- Sunanda K. Datta-Ray (1984). Smash and Grab: The Annexation of Sikkim. Vikas. ISBN 0-7069-2509-2.
- "Bhutan: A Kingdom Besieged". Jigmi Y. Thinley. Retrieved September 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - Foning, A.R. (1987). Lepcha, My Vanishing Tribe. Sterling Publishers. ISBN 81-207-0685-4.
- "A hidden and mysterious kingdom". Toplum Postasi. Retrieved June 14th.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)