Jigme Singye Wangchuk

Became King:	July 21, 1972
Predecessor:	Jigme Dorji Wangchuk
Date of Birth:	November 11, 1955
Place of Birth:	Dechenchholing Palace, Thimphu, Bhutan

Jigme Singye Wangchuk, or in a pronunciation-based Romanization Jimi Singgê 'Wangchu (born November 11, 1955) is the king of Bhutan. He succeeded to the throne at the age of 17, in 1972, after the death of his father, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk (Jimi Dôji 'Wangchu). He was formally crowned on June 2, 1974. He is also called "Druk Gyalpo", meaning "Dragon King". He was partly educated in the UK. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Jigme Dorji Wangchuk (1929-July 21, 1972) was king of Bhutan. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thimphu (ཐིམ་ཕུ་), estimated population 50,000 (2003), is the capital of Bhutan and its largest population centre. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Jigme Dorji Wangchuk (1929-July 21, 1972) was king of Bhutan. ... 2 June is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ...

He has continued his father's policies of slow modernisation (while still trying to preserve Bhutanese culture), and in 1998 gave up some of his absolute powers, subsequently ruling with the advice of his government. In late 2003, he ordered Bhutan's first military campaign in well over a century, against Indian separatist rebel groups using Bhutanese territory as a base. Campaigns have also been launched against Nepali separatists in the south of the country. 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Separatism involves setting oneself or others apart. ... The Kingdom of Nepal, situated in the Himalaya, is the worlds only Hindu kingdom. ...

He projects the image of one who maintains a simple lifestyle—preferring to work in a small log cabin above the capital, Thimphu, rather than in the fortress-like palace used by his four wives, all of whom are sisters. Thimphu (ཐིམ་ཕུ་), estimated population 50,000 (2003), is the capital of Bhutan and its largest population centre. ...