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འབྲུག་རྒྱལ་ཁབ་ Brug rGyal-Khab Dru Gäkhap Kingdom of Bhutan Flag Emblem Anthem: Druk tsendhen ("The Thunder Dragon Kingdom") Capital Thimphu Official languages Dzongkha Demonym Bhutanese Government Democracy, Constitutional Monarchy  -  King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck  -  Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley (DPT) Formation Early 17th century   -  Wangchuck Dynasty December 17, 1907  Area  -  Total 47,000 km² (131st) 18,147 sq mi   -  Water (%) Not available yet Population  -   estimate 672,425 (2005)1   -  Density 45/km² (154th) 117/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate  -  Total $4.39 billion (160th)  -  Per capita $5,477 (117th) HDI (2007) ▲ 0.579 (medium) (133th) Currency Ngultrum, Indian rupee (BTN, INR) Time zone BTT (UTC+6:00)  -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+6:00) Internet TLD .bt Calling code +975 1 The population of Bhutan had been estimated based on the reported figure of about 1 million in the 1970s when the country had joined the United Nations and precise statistics were lacking[2]. Thus using the annual increase rate of 2-3%, the most population estimates were around 2 million in the year 2000. A national census was carried out in 2005 and it turned out that the population was 672,425. Consequently, United Nations Population Division had down-estimated the country's population in the 2006 revision [3]for the whole period from 1950 to 2050. The Kingdom of Bhutan (IPA: /buːˈtɑːn/) is a landlocked nation in South Asia. It is located amidst the eastern end of the Himalaya Mountains and is bordered to the south, east and west by India and to the north by Tibet. Bhutan is separated from Nepal by the Indian state of Sikkim. The Bhutanese call their country Druk Yul (land of the thunder dragon).[1] Image File history File links Flag_of_Bhutan. ... Image File history File links Bhutan_emblem. ... Flag Ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Bhutan consists of a white dragon over a yellow and orange background. ... The Emblem of Bhutan is in a circular shape. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Druk tsendhen (The Thunder Dragon Kingdom) is the national anthem of Bhutan. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Thimphu (Tibetan script: ཐིམ་ཕུག།) is the capital of Bhutan, and also the name of the surrounding valley and dzongkhag, the Thimphu District. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Dzongkha is the national language of the Kingdom of Bhutan. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A constitutional monarchy or limited monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not... Look up king in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck (born February 21, 1980) is the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan and head of the Wangchuck dynasty. ... The following is a list of the prime ministers of the Kingdom of Bhutan. ... This article is about the military unit. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 10,000 km² and 100,000 km². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... To help compare orders of magnitude this page lists dimensionless numbers between 109 and 1012. ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... The ngultrum is the currency of Bhutan, subdivided into 100 chertrums. ... “INR” redirects here. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Bhutan Time (BTT) is the time zone of Bhutan. ... UTC redirects here. ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .bt is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Bhutan. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... A landlocked country is one that has no coastline. ... Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... Perspective view of the Himalaya and Mount Everest as seen from space looking south-south-east from over the Tibetan Plateau. ... This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ... , Sikkim (Nepali:  , also Sikhim) is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas. ... Bhutan is one of the most isolated and least developed nations in the world.[citation needed] Foreign influences and tourism are regulated by the government to preserve the nation's traditional culture, identity and the environment. The landscape ranges from subtropical plains in the south to the Himalayan heights in the north, with some peaks exceeding 7,000 metres (23,000 ft). The state religion is Vajrayana Buddhism, and the population is predominantly Buddhist, with Hinduism being the second-largest religion. The capital and largest city is Thimphu. After centuries of direct monarchic rule, in March 2008, Bhutan held its first democratic elections. Bhutan is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Tourist redirects here. ... The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitude 23. ... Perspective view of the Himalaya and Mount Everest as seen from space looking south-south-east from over the Tibetan Plateau. ... Vajrayāna Buddhism (Also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayana, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Esoteric Buddhism, Diamond Vehicle, or 金剛乘 Jingangcheng in Chinese; however, these terms are not always regarded as equivalent: one scholar[1] speaks of the tantra divisions of some editions of the Kangyur as including Sravakayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana texts) is... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Thimphu (Tibetan script: ཐིམ་ཕུག།) is the capital of Bhutan, and also the name of the surrounding valley and dzongkhag, the Thimphu District. ...  Afghanistan  Bangladesh  Bhutan  India  Maldives  Nepal  Pakistan  Sri Lanka Headquarters Kathmandu, Nepal Statistics Area  - Total 7th if ranked 5,130,746 km² Population  - Total (2004)  - Density 1st if ranked 1,467,255,669 285. ... Contents 1 Name 2 History 3 Government and politics 4 Military and foreign affairs 5 Geography 6 Economy 7 Districts 8 Cities and towns 9 Demographics 10 Culture 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References 14 External links [edit] Name "Bhutan" may be derived from the Sanskrit word Bhu-Utthan (highlands). In another theory of Sanskritisation, Bhots-ant means "End of Tibet", as Bhutan is immediately to Tibet's south. Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Sanskritization is a term coined by late M.N.Srinivas, the eminent sociologist from India, to define the process by which castes placed lower in the caste hierarchy seek upward mobility by emulating the rituals and practices of the upper or dominant castes. ... This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ... Historically Bhutan was known by many names, such as Lho Mon (southern land of darkness), Lho Tsendenjong (southern land of the Tsenden cypress), Lhomen Khazhi (southern land of four approaches) and Lho Men Jong (southern land of medicinal herbs).[1] Bhutan is also commonly known as The Last Shangrila. Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) planted in Melbourne, Australia Cypress is the name applied to many plants in the conifer family Cupressaceae (cypress family). ... Shangri-La is a fictional place described in the novel, Lost Horizon, written by British writer James Hilton in 1933. ... [edit] History Main article: History of Bhutan Stone tools, weapons, elephants, and remnants of large stone structures provide evidence that Bhutan was inhabited as early as 2000 BCE, although there are no existing records from that time. Historians have theorized 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 BCE and 600 CE.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed] The history of Bhutan: // Archeological finds suggest the mountain valleys of Bhutan have been inhabited for several thousand years. ... (Redirected from 20th century BCE) (21st century BC - 20th century BC - 19th century BC - other centuries) (3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC) Events 2064 - 1986 BC -- Twin Dynasty wars in Egypt 2000 BC -- Farmers and herders travel south from Ethiopia and settle in Kenya. ... The Monpa (Chinese: 门巴族, ménbàzú, Tibetan: མོན་པ།) are an ethnic group of Tibetan descent in the Indian territory of Arunachal Pradesh, with a population of 50,000, centered in the districts of Tawang and West Kameng. ... The branches of a young sandalwood tree found in Hawaii Sandalwood is the fragrant wood of trees in the genus Santalum. ... View of Tashichoedzong, Thimphu, seat of the Bhutanese government since 1952 The earliest transcribed event in Bhutan was the passage of the Buddhist saint Padma Sambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche) in 747.[citation needed] Bhutan's early history is unclear, because most of the records were destroyed after fire ravaged Punakha, the ancient capital in 1827.[citation needed] By the 10th century, Bhutan's political development was heavily influenced by its religious history. However, there is no sufficient information stating that all historical records were available before the fire. 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. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (4200 × 4200 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (4200 × 4200 pixel, file size: 2. ... View of Tashichoedzong, Thimphu Tashichoedzong is a Buddhist monastery and fortress on the northern edge of the city of Thimpu in Bhutan. ... Thimphu (Tibetan script: ཐིམ་ཕུག།) is the capital of Bhutan, and also the name of the surrounding valley and dzongkhag, the Thimphu District. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... Guru Rinpoche, the patron saint of Sikkim. ... Punakha is a dzong in Punakha District, Bhutan. ... This article is considered orphaned, since there are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Until the early 17th century, Bhutan existed as a patchwork of minor warring fiefdoms, when the area was unified by the Tibeten 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 1651, Bhutan fell into civil war. 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. Fief depiction in a book of hours Under the system of feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing property granted by a liege lord, generally to a vassal, in return for a form of allegiance, originally to give him the means... Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (b. ... Dzong architecture is a distinctive type of fortress architecture found in the former and present Buddhist kingdoms of the Himalayas, most notably Bhutan. ... Promulgation is the act of formally proclaiming new legislation to the public. ... For other uses, see Mongols (disambiguation). ... A white flag is traditionally used to represent a truce. ... Map of Bhutan 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 one 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 war reparations, the Duars were ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for a rent of Rs. 50,000. The treaty ended all hostilities between British India and Bhutan. Image File history File links Bt-map. ... Image File history File links Bt-map. ... , Cooch Behar (Bengali : কোচবিহার) is a district of the state of West Bengal, India, as well as the name of the town which gives its name to the district. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was the first joint-stock company (the Dutch East India Company was the first to issue public stock). ... The Duar War was a war fought between British India and Bhutan in 1864-1865. ... For other uses, see Bengal (disambiguation). ... The Duars or Dooars are flood plains of the River Brahmaputra in the Indian states of Assam and West Bengal, and part of Bhutan. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Anthem God Save The Queen/King British India, circa 1860 Capital Calcutta (1858-1912), New Delhi (1912-1947) Language(s) Hindi, Urdu, English and many others Government Monarchy Emperor of India  - 1877-1901 Victoria  - 1901-1910 Edward VII  - 1910-1936 George V  - January-December 1936 Edward VIII  - 1936-1947 George... War reparations refer to the monetary compensation provided to a triumphant nation or coalition from a defeated nation or coalition. ... 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 Trongsa. 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. location of Paro dzongkhag within Bhutan. ... Trongsa, previously Tongsa, is one of the 20 dzongkhag (districts) comprising Bhutan. ... This article is about the definition of the specific type of war. ... Ugyen Wangchuck (or Ugyen Wangchuk) (1861–1926) was the first king of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926. ... Trongsa, previously Tongsa, is one of the 20 dzongkhag (districts) comprising Bhutan. ... 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 "guide" Bhutan's foreign affairs. In reality this did not mean much given Bhutan's historical reticence. It also did not seem to apply to Bhutan's traditional relations with Tibet. The greatest impact of this treaty seems to be the perception that it meant Bhutan was not totally sovereign. Ugyen Wangchuck (or Ugyen Wangchuk) (1861–1926) was the first king of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926. ... After India gained independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947, Bhutan became one of the first countries to recognise India's independence. A treaty similar to the one of 1910 was signed August 8, 1949 with the newly independent India. The Indian independence movement was a series of steps taken in the Indian subcontinent for independence from British colonial rule, beginning with the Rebellion of 1857. ... This article is about the day of the year. ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Trongsa Dzong. 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. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1024, 1494 KB)Trongsa Dzong, Bhutan. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1024, 1494 KB)Trongsa Dzong, Bhutan. ... Trongsa, previously Tongsa, is one of the 20 dzongkhag (districts) comprising Bhutan. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      The National Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. ... UN redirects here. ... Jigme Singye Wangchuck (born November 11, 1955) was the fourth Dragon King (Druk Gyalpo) of Bhutan from 1972-2006. ... In the 1980s, in order to strengthen Bhutan’s identity as a nation, the "one nation, one people" campaign was started to foster greater integration of the peripheral ethnic and cultural groups into mainstream Bhutanese society. The age-old code of conduct, known as Driglam namzha, and usage of the official national language, Dzongkha, was promoted. At around the same time, a nationwide census revealed a large population of Nepali origin in southern Bhutan. When the government attempted to remove what it considered as illegal settlers, there was a violent backlash; numerous acts of terrorism were carried out against government schools, hospitals, offices and neutral southern Bhutanese. In order to re-establish order in the south, the government drafted many young men and able-bodied civil servants into a militia force. Thousands of civilians, including a number of political dissidents, were expelled or fled to Nepal, where they were admitted into United Nations-run camps and given refugee status. Despite the best efforts of the governments of Bhutan [4], Nepal and India, as well as outside parties such as the United Nations, the European Union and the United States, a viable solution to this problem proves to be still elusive. At present, the United States is working towards resettling around 70,000 of these refugees in the US.[2] Dzongkha is the national language of the Kingdom of Bhutan. ... UN redirects here. ... In 1998, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck introduced significant political reforms, transferring most of his administrative powers to the Council of Cabinet Ministers and allowing for impeachment of the King by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly.[3] 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. Jigme Singye Wangchuck (born November 11, 1955) was the fourth Dragon King (Druk Gyalpo) of Bhutan from 1972-2006. ... The Royal Bhutan Army (RBA), formed in 1950, is the all-volunteer army of the Kingdom of Bhutan. ... In 1999, the government lifted a ban on television and the Internet, making Bhutan one of 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 (Bhutan is the only country to measure happiness), but warned against the misuse of television which may erode traditional Bhutanese values. Some believe it has indeed affected Bhutan in a negative way.[4] Gross National Happiness (GNH) is an attempt to define a standard of living in more holistic and psychological terms than Gross National Product. ... The Taktshang Monastery, also known as the "Tiger's Nest". Bhutan is a predominantly Buddhist country, with the religion forming an integral part of everyday life. A new constitution was presented in early 2005. In December 2005, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck announced that he would abdicate the throne in his son's favour in 2008 . On December 14, 2005, he stunned his countrymen by announcing that he would be abdicating immediately. Bhutan has now entered a new era of democracy, starting with its first national parliamentary elections in December 2007 and March 2008. Despite the popular appeal of the King to the people of Bhutan and general reservations towards the politics of democracy, it is by royal decree that the country will undergo this drastic change in its political system. Image File history File links Takstan-monastery. ... Image File history File links Takstan-monastery. ... Taktshang Monastery Taktshang is the most famous of monasteries in Bhutan. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... [edit] Government and politics Main article: Politics of Bhutan Over the past decade, Bhutan's political system has developed from an absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy. In 1999, the fourth king of Bhutan created a body called the Lhengye Zhungtshog (Council of Ministers). The 'Druk Gyalpo' (King of Druk Yul) is head of state. Executive power is exercised by the Lhengye Zhungtshog, the council of ministers. Legislative power was vested in both the government and the former Grand National Assembly. On the 17th of December 2005, the 4th King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, announced to a stunned nation that the first general elections would be held in 2008, and that he would abdicate the throne in favour of his eldest son, the crown prince.[5] King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck took the throne on December 14, 2006 upon his father's abdication. The Crowning ceremony is expected to be held in May 2008 and the Coronation Celebrations later in the year. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government where the monarch has the power to rule his or her land or country and its citizens freely, with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition in force. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A constitutional monarchy or limited monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not... Lhengye Zhungtshog is a Dzongkha term. ... For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... Lhengye Zhungtshog is a Dzongkha term. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... The Tshogdu is the unicameral National Assembly of Bhutan (legislature). ... Jigme Singye Wangchuck (born November 11, 1955) was the fourth Dragon King (Druk Gyalpo) of Bhutan from 1972-2006. ... Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck (born February 21, 1980) is the fifth Dragon King of Bhutan and head of the Wangchuck dynasty. ... The new democratic system comprises an upper and lower house, the latter based on political party affiliations. Elections for the upper house (National Council) were held on December 31, 2007, while elections for the lower house, the 47-seat National Assembly, were held on March 24, 2008. Two political parties, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Sangay Ngedup, and the Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (DPT - Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) headed by Jigmi Thinley, competed in the National Assembly election. The Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party won the elections taking 45 out of 47 seats in the parliament.[6] Bhutan will hold its first general election in 2008. ... The Tshogdu (Also Nacional Assembly) is the unicameral legislature of Bhutan. ... Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup (May 2005) Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup (born 1953) was Prime Minister of Bhutan from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2005 to 2006. ... Judicial power is vested in the courts of Bhutan. The Chief Justice is the administrative head of the Judiciary. The judiciary, also referred to as the judicature, consists of justices, judges and magistrates among other types of adjudicators. ... This article is about courts of law. ... The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth- or other countries with an Anglosaxon type of justice, such as the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of New Zealand, the Supreme... Public Administration can be broadly described as the development, implementation and study of government policy. ... In the law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ... [edit] Military and foreign affairs Main articles: Military of Bhutan and 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.[7] It has an annual budget of about US$13.7 million—1.8% of the GDP. Military branches of Bhutan: Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguards, Militia, Royal Bhutan Police Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 491,427 (2000 est. ... Foreign Relations of Bhutan // Main article: Suzerainty#Bhutan Peoples Republic of Bangladesh; in Thimphu, Bhutan Canada through the Canadian Cooperation Office [1] as a conduit; in Thimphu, Bhutan Republic of India; in Thimphu, Bhutan Republic of India; in Puntsholing, Bhutan United Nations; in Thimphu, Bhutan See also Bhutanese diplomatic... The Royal Bhutan Army (RBA), formed in 1950, is the all-volunteer army of the Kingdom of Bhutan. ... The Royal Bodyguard is a part of the Royal Bhutan Army and is incharge of the security of the King of Bhutan (currently Jigme Singye Wangchuck) and members of the royalty. ... The Royal Bhutan Police is the national police of Bhutan and a part of the Royal Bhutan Army. ... This article is about the post-independence Indian Army. ... Though the 1949 treaty with India is still sometimes misinterpreted to mean that India controlled Bhutan's foreign affairs, Bhutan handled all of its foreign affairs itself including the sensitive (to India) border demarcation issue with China. The 1949 treaty has been superseded by the 2007 treaty with India which made de-jure what was de-facto, that Bhutan was the mistress of her own foreign relations. 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. UN redirects here. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... For other uses, see Geneva (disambiguation). ... 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.[citations needed] For Microsoft Corporation’s “universal login” service, formerly known as Microsoft Passport Network, see Windows Live ID. For other types of travel document, see Travel document. ... Entry visa valid in Schengen treaty countries. ... 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.[citation needed] Soon after, the Chinese began building roads and bridges within Bhutanese territory.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10] Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk (born 1950) is a member of the Council of Ministers of Bhutan. ... On February 8, 2007, the Indo-Bhutan Friendship TreatyPDF (30.6 KiB) was substantially revised. Whereas in the Treaty of 1949 Article 2 read as "The Government of India undertakes to exercise no interference in the internal administration of Bhutan. On its part the Government of Bhutan agrees to be guided by the advice of the Government of India in regard to its external relations." is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... “PDF” redirects here. ... A kibibyte (a contraction of kilo binary byte) is a unit of information or computer storage, commonly abbreviated KiB (never kiB). 1 kibibyte = 210 bytes = 1,024 bytes The kibibyte is closely related to the kilobyte, which can be used either as a synonym for kibibyte or to refer to... In the revised treaty it now reads as "In keeping with the abiding ties of close friendship and cooperation between Bhutan and India, the Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan and the Government of the Republic of India shall cooperate closely with each other on issues relating to their national interests. Neither government shall allow the use of its territory for activities harmful to the national security and interest of the other." The revised treaty also includes in it the preamble "Reaffirming their respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity", an element that was absent in the earlier version. The Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty of 2007 strengthens Bhutan's status as an independent and sovereign nation. Bhutan has no formal relations with the United States,[11] Russia, the United Kingdom or France. Informal contact with the United States is made through the U.S. embassy in New Delhi.[11] , This article is about the capital city of India. ... [edit] Geography Main article: Geography of Bhutan Topographic map of Bhutan Gangkhar Puensum from Ura La, Bhutan 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. Topgraphic map of Bhutan The Kingdom of Bhutan is a Himalayan nation, located towards the eastern extreme of the aforementioned mountain range. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x909, 320 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x909, 320 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... Kula Kangri is claimed by many authorities to be the highest mountain in Bhutan but this is disputed by others, who claim that Kula Kangri is wholly in Tibet. ... This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ... [1]Gangkhar Puensum, in Bhutan, is the tallest unclimbed mountain peak in the world, at 22,623 ft. ... The highest unclimbed mountain in a particular region or in the world is often a matter of controversy. ... Pastureland Pasture is land with lush herbaceous vegetation cover used for grazing of ungulates as part of a farm or ranch. ... 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. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mo Chhu is a major river in Bhutan. ... Drangme Chhu is a major river in Bhutan. ... The Torsa or Torsha river is the second largest river in the North Bengal region after the Teesta River. ... Raidak is a major river in Bhutan. ... Sankosh is a river in India that rises in Bhutan (where it is called Mo Chu) and empties into the Brahmaputra. ... Manas is the name of: A Kyrgyz epic poem (see Manas (epic); A commune in Drôme département, in France (see Manas, Drôme) Level of consciousness in Yogacara Buddhism, the manas-vijnana A river in the state of Assam in India. ... Jacaranda trees in Bhutan 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 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. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Species See text Jacaranda is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of South and Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. ... Image File history File links Bhutan_landscape. ... Image File history File links Bhutan_landscape. ... Punakha is a dzong in Punakha District, Bhutan. ... The Siwalik Hills (sometimes spelled Shiwalik, Shivalik, or Sivalik) are a sub-Himalayan mountain range running 1,600 km long from the Tista River, Sikkim, through Nepal and India, into northern Pakistan. ... For other uses, see Deciduous (disambiguation). ... Alluvium is soil land deposited by a river or other running water. ... A pore, in general, is some form of opening, usually very small. ... This article is about grassland. ... Map of the Brahmaputra Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. ... 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. In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... Solar radiation has a lower intensity in polar regions because it travels a longer distance through the atmosphere, and is spread across a larger surface area. ... For other uses, see Monsoon (disambiguation). ... [edit] Economy The Ngultrum is the currency of Bhutan. The Ngultrum is the currency of Bhutan and its value is pegged to the Indian rupee. The rupee is also accepted as legal tender in the country. Image File history File links Nu10Face. ... Image File history File links Nu10Face. ... The ngultrum is the currency of Bhutan, subdivided into 100 chertrums. ... The ngultrum is the currency of Bhutan, subdivided into 100 chertrums. ... A fixed exchange rate, sometimes (less commonly) called a pegged exchange rate, is a type of exchange rate regime wherein a currencys value is matched to the value of another single currency or to a basket of other currencies, or to another measure of value, such as gold. ... Legal tender or forced tender is payment that cannot be refused in settlement of a debt denominated in the same currency by virtue of law. ... 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. This was mainly due to the commissioning of the gigantic Tala Hydroelectricity project. As of March 2006, Bhutan's per capita income was US$ 1,321 making it one of the fastest growing in South Asia. Bhutan's standard of living is growing faster than that of its neighbouring countries and is one of the highest in South Asia.[citation needed] Bhutan's economy is based on agriculture, forestry, tourism 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 not been able to benefit from significant trading of its produce. Bhutan does not have any railways, though Indian Railways plans to link southern Bhutan to its vast network under an agreement signed in January 2005.[12] 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 per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... The standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way these services and goods are distributed within a population. ... Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... A decidous beech forest in Slovenia. ... Hydroelectric dam diagram The waters of Llyn Stwlan, the upper reservoir of the Ffestiniog Pumped-Storage Scheme in north Wales, can just be glimpsed on the right. ... Like most farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, this Cameroonian man cultivates at the subsistence level. ... Shepherd with his sheep in FăgăraÅŸ Mountains, Romania. ... Indian Railways (Hindi भारतीय रेल), abbreviated as (Hindi भारे ) IR, is a Department of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Railways, and is tasked with operating the rail network in India. ... This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ... The industrial sector is in a nascent stage, and though most production is cottage-industry type larger industries are being encouraged and some industries such as cement, steel, ferro alloy, etc have been set up. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian contract labour. Agricultural produce includes rice, chilies, dairy (some yak, mostly cow) 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. The use of the term has expanded, and is used to refer to any event which allows a large number of people to lalalawork part time. ... For other uses, see Cement (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Wood (disambiguation). ... Calcium carbide is the chemical compound with the formula CaC2. ... 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. The ngultrum is the currency of Bhutan, subdivided into 100 chertrums. ... This page includes English translations of several Latin phrases and abbreviations such as . ... GDP redirects here. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... Haa Valley, September, 2006 Per capita income is around $1,1827, ranked 124th. Government revenues total €122 million, though expenditures amount to $190.5 million. 60% of the budget expenditure, however, is financed by India's Ministry of External Affairs.[13] Bhutan's exports, principally electricity, cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones and spices, total €128 million (2000 est.). Imports, however, amount to $256.1 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%)[citation needed] 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%). Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 589 pixelsFull resolution (2000 × 1473 pixels, file size: 818 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Haa Valley, Bhutan, Douglas J. McLaughlin, September 6, 2006 File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 589 pixelsFull resolution (2000 × 1473 pixels, file size: 818 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Haa Valley, Bhutan, Douglas J. McLaughlin, September 6, 2006 File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... This article is about the herbs. ... For other uses, see Gypsum (disambiguation). ... Timber in storage for later processing at a sawmill Timber is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for use—from the time trees are felled, to its end product as a material suitable for industrial use—as structural material for construction or woo