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Administrative divisions 20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
Capital city	Thimphu
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	27 29 N, 89 36 E
Constitution	ratified 23 July 2008
Executive branch > Cabinet Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch
Executive branch > Chief of state King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him
Flag description divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
Government type in transition to constitutional monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Independence 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch); note - the draft constitution establishes a Supreme Court, which will serve as chief court of appeal
Legal system based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch new bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisan National Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 electoral districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members nominated by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote for five-year terms)
National holiday National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December
Parliamentary seats > Female	2%		[132nd of 143]
Political parties and leaders Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Sangay NGEDUP]
Political pressure groups and leaders United Front for Democracy (exiled)
Status	absolute monarchy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Time required to start a business > days	62 days		[34th of 171]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland separatists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and along the Chumbi salient

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