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Bhutan
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The Kingdom of Bhutan (is a landlocked
South Asian nation situated between India and
China. The landscape ranges from the subtropical
plains to the Himalayan heights, an elevation
gain of more than 7000 m. Its economy is based
on subsistence agriculture (emphasizing corn and
rice) and animal husbandry. Small, terraced
farms predominate. Forestry, hydroelectricity,
cash crops, tourism, and development aid (the
latter mostly from India) are also significant.
Population estimates range from 750,000, to 2.23
million. Thimphu is the capital and largest
town.
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 Buddhist based culture. Most
Bhutanese are Buddhists and adhere to either the
Drukpa Kagyu or the Nyingmapa school of Tibetan
Buddhism . The official language is Dzongkha
(lit. "the language of the dzong"). Bhutan is
depicted as the last surviving refuge of
traditional Himalayan Buddhist culture in most
of the literature on the country. There have
been allegations of human rights abuses with
regard to the minority ethnic Nepali population,
who are primarily Hindu.
Bhutan has been a monarchy since 1907. The
different dzongkhags were united under the
leadership Trongsa Penlop. The current king,
Jigme Singye Wangchuk, has made some moves
toward constitutional government.
In 1999, Bhutan began allowing television
(mostly STAR TV, a cable channel). Many
Bhutanese now blame TV for what they see as a
swift rise in crime, materialism, and
nontraditional values. (See this article in The
Guardian)
The Name
The origins of the name Bhutan are unclear;
historians have suggested that it may have
originated in variations of the Sanskrit words
Bhota-ant (the end of Bhot – a variation of the
Indian Sanskrit word "Buddha" meaning
enlightened, another word for Tibet), or
Bhu-uttan (highlands). The word Bhutan as a name
for the country dates from the late 19th
century.
The Dzongkha (and Tibetan) name for the country
is Druk Yul ("Land of the Dragon").
Historically, Bhutan was known by many names,
such as Lho Mon (Southern Land of Darkness), Lho
Tsendenjong (Southern Land of the Sandalwood),
and Lhomen Khazhi (Southern Land of Four
Approaches).
Geography
Main article: Geography of Bhutan
Topographic map of BhutanThe 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
7,000 m above sea level; the highest point is
claimed to be the Kula Kangri, at 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
7,570m. 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
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.
Terraced farming in the Punakha valley.In the
south, the Shiwalik Hills are covered with
dense, deciduous forests, alluvial lowland river
valleys, and mountains up to around 1,500 m
above sea level. The foothills descend into the
subtropical Duars plain. Most of the Duars is
located in India, although a 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. Over 70% of Bhutan is forested.
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.
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Background:
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In
1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of
Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual
subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land.
Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in
1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby
the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese
internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to
direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by
independent India after 1947. Two years later, a
formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of
Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual
subsidies the country received, and defined India's
responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A
refugee issue of some 85,000 Bhutanese in Nepal
remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed
in seven United Nations Office of the High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist
Assamese separatists from India, who have
established themselves in the southeast portion of
Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border incursions.
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Location:
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Southern Asia, between China and India |
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Geographic coordinates:
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27 30
N, 90 30 E
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Map references:
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Asia
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Area:
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total: 47,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 47,000 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about
half the size of Indiana |
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Climate:
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varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters
and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters
and cool summers in Himalayas |
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Terrain:
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mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and
savanna |
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Ethnic groups:
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Bhote
50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas--one
of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or
migrant tribes 15% |
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Religions:
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Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and
Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25% |
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Languages:
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Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan
dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
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Currency:
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ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR) |
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Currency code:
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BTN;
INR |
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Exchange rates:
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ngultrum per US dollar - 48.336 (January 2002),
47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000), 43.055 (1999), 41.259
(1998), 36.313 (1997); note - the Bhutanese ngultrum
is at par with the Indian rupee which is also legal
tender |
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