In addition, it is projected that the improved road conditions will encourage more tourism in the more inaccessible eastern region of Bhutan. The first general elections for the National Assembly were held on 24 March 2008. The Bhutanese name for Bhutan, Druk Yul, means "Land of the Thunder Dragon" and it only began to open up to outsiders in the 1970s. This is an alphabetical list of settlements in Bhutan. Jhomolhari Base Camp Trek, Snowman Trek, and Masagang trek are some of the popular treks in Bhutan. Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim and parts of Nepal became the vestiges of the Mahayana schools amid the decline of Buddhism in India. [64][65] A variant Assamese macaque has also been recorded, which is regarded by some authorities as a new species, Macaca munzala. By Yeshay Dorji. The country's name in the local dialect means Land of the Dragon. Bhutan pristine environment offers ecosystem which are rich and diverse, due to its location and great geographical and climatic variations, Bhutan’s high, rugged mountains and valleys boast spectacular biodiversity, earning it a name as one of the world’s ten most important biodiversity hotspots. B Bhutanese people primarily consist of the Ngalops and Sharchops, called the Western Bhutanese and Eastern Bhutanese respectively. [185] The current legal framework, in principle guarantees freedom of religion; proselytism, however, is forbidden by a royal government decision[185] and by judicial interpretation of the Constitution. It differs from Olympic standards in technical details such as the placement of the targets and atmosphere. Due to its pristine environment and harmonious so… 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 the highest elevations. Punakha (Dzongkha: སྤུ་ན་ཁ་) is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag, one of the 20 districts of Bhutan.Punakha was the capital of Bhutan and the seat of government until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu.It is about 72 km away from Thimphu, and it takes about 3 hours by car from the capital, Thimphu. [168] National carrier Druk Air operates flights between Paro Airport and airports in Jakar (Bumthang Dzongkhag) and Gelephu (Sarpang Dzongkhag) on a weekly basis. The precise etymology of "Bhutan" is unknown, although it is likely to derive from the Tibetan endonym "Böd" for Tibet. The music of Bhutan can generally be divided into traditional and modern varieties; traditional music comprises religious and folk genres, the latter including zhungdra and boedra. 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.[33]. [75] Nearly 56.3% of all Bhutanese are involved with agriculture, forestry or conservation. "The Last Shangri-La?". Bhutan's democratic transition in 2008 is seen as an evolution of its social contract with the monarchy since 1907. In certain thromdes (urban municipalities), a further municipal administration is directly subordinate to the Dzongkhag administration. Most peaks in the north are over 7,000 m (23,000 ft) above sea level; the highest point is 7,570-meter (24,840 ft)-tall Gangkhar Puensum, which has the distinction of being the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. [105] This leads to a limitation of their voices in government. Traditional Bhutanese archery is a social event, and competitions are organized between villages, towns, and amateur teams. - Stad en dorp van de wereld The standing army numbers about 16,000 and is trained by the Indian Army. Bhutan also elected its first female Dzongda, equivalent to a District Attorney, in 2012, and its first female minister in 2013. Bhutan's population density is 18 people per square kilometer, which is one of the lowest population densities in the world. They met Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, presented him with firearms, gunpowder and a telescope, and offered him their services in the war against Tibet, but the Zhabdrung declined the offer. The largest city in Bhutan is the capital Thimphu. [165] Bhutan also has numerous tourist sites that are not included in its UNESCO tentative list. The country has a population of over 754,000 and a territory of 38,394 square kilometers (14,824 sq mi) which ranks 133rd in terms of land area. Protected wildlife has entered agricultural areas, trampling crops and killing livestock. [211] The previous king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who abdicated in 2006, had four queens, all of whom are sisters. The languages of Bhutan are still not well characterized, and several have yet to be recorded in an in-depth academic grammar. Industries include cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages and calcium carbide. During the chaos that followed, the Tibetans unsuccessfully attacked Bhutan in 1714.[48]. [51] A central plank of the Bhutanese government's policy since the late 1980s has been to strengthen the role and status of Dzongkha in national life. The Bhutan Duars is divided into two parts, the northern and southern Duars. The earliest Western record of Bhutan, the 1627 Relação of the Portuguese Jesuits Estêvão Cacella and João Cabral,[43] records its name variously as Cambirasi (among the Koch Biharis[44]), Potente, and Mon (an endonym for southern Tibet). [113] After many years in refugee camps, many inhabitants are now moving to other host nations such as Canada, Norway, the UK, Australia, and the US as refugees. 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[83] In 2019, Bhutan was classified in the Democracy Index as a hybrid regime alongside regional neighbors Nepal and Bangladesh. [107][108] In 1977 followed by in 1985 Bhutan's government enacted legislations against the Lhotshampa ethnic minority to tighten citizenship criteria and introducing provisions for denationalization of Lhotshampas who held citizenship. [46][200][201] Characteristic of the region is a type of castle fortress known as the dzong. Druk Yul — the local name for Bhutan — means "Land of the Thunder Dragon." In December 2005, Wangchuck announced that he would abdicate the throne in his son's favour in 2008. The sleeves of the wonju and the tego are folded together at the cuffs, inside out. I read Google's documentation for reverse geolocation but I don't know how to get the output on my site. Unlike in many countries, in Bhutan, a woman does not take after her husband’s name following their marriage. The industrial sector accounts for 22% of the economy. [76], Pressures on the natural environment, fueled by a complex array of forces, are already evident. [152] Seeking to become a high-value destination, it imposes a daily fee of anywhere between US$180 to US$290 per day (or more) on tourists that covers touring and hotel accommodation. [37] Buddhism was propagated in earnest[35] in 746[38] under King Sindhu Rāja (also Künjom;[39] Sendha Gyab; Chakhar Gyalpo), an exiled Indian king who had established a government in Bumthang at Chakhar Gutho Palace.[40]:35[41]:13. [59], 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 west and south and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh to the east. KSchroeder, Kent (2017). 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 Lhakhang (near Paro) in the Paro Valley. Bhutan has numerous public holidays, most of which coincide with traditional, seasonal, secular or religious festivals. 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. Total area is the sum of land and water areas within international boundaries and coastlines of Bhutan. [135] Agrarian practices consist largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. The key manufacturing sectors in Bhutan include production of ferroalloy, cement, metal poles, iron and nonalloy steel products, processed graphite, copper conductors, alcoholic and carbonated beverages, processed fruits, carpets, wood products and furniture. [117] Bhutan considers political parties associated with these refugees to be illegal and terrorist. In 2010, Bhutan became the first country in the world to ban the production and sales of tobacco products. Military and other security forces were deployed for forceful deportations of between 80,000 - 100, 000 Lhotshampas using widespread violence, torture, rape and killing. Monasteries are called by their specific names, followed by the word for monastery or temple in Dzongkha - Lhakhang or Goempa (Gompa). [74] The government aims to promote conservation as part of its plan to target Gross National Happiness. Government revenues total $407.1 million, though expenditures amount to $614 million. National Statistics Bureau, Royal Government of Bhutan (web). [30], The first time a separate Kingdom of Bhutan appeared on a western map, it did so under its local name "Broukpa". The local diet also includes pork, beef, yak meat, chicken, and lamb. Traditional architecture uses no nails or iron bars in construction. p. 55.