Monarchy in Bhutan
King Ugyen Wangchuck (Monarch of Destiny) 1907 – 1926
Born in 1862 at the Wangdue Choeling palace.
His first involvement in military action came in 1877, when he accompanied his father to suppress the rebellion in Paro.
He was made Paro Penlop in 1879.
In 1885, after killing Trongsa Penlop Singye Namgyal to avenge the murder of his uncle, Ugyen Wangchuck declared himself as the Trongsa Penlop.
On December 17, 1907 with the signing and sealing of the Oath of Allegiance in a grand ceremony in Punakha dzong, His Majesty King Ugyen Wangchuck was installed as the first Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.
Treaty of Punakha, which was the new version of treaty of Sinchula, was signed in 1910 at Punakha between King Ugyen Wangchuck and the new British political officer in Sikkim, Sir Charles Bell.
In 1911, His Majesty the King Ugyen Wangchuck made a visit to India.
He introduced modern education as the first step towards development and started sending Bhutanese children to schools in Kalimpong.
In 1914, he built first modern school at Haa and 46 Bhutanese students had been enrolled.
In 1915, second school was opened in Bumthang for crown prince Jigme Wangchuck and some of his attendants.
By 1921, twelve students who had studied in India returned to form a small core of educated professionals in the Bhutanese civil service.
He also introduced first step towards improving internal communications and reduction of land taxes.
He also made conscious efforts to encourage trade and commerce with India.
He was presented with the insignia of the Knight Commander of the Indian Empire (K.C.I.E.) by the British and this gave him the title ‘Sir’.
King Jigme Wangchuck (The Consolidator) 1926 – 1952
Born in 1905 at Wangdue Choeling Palace.
In 1919, when he was only 14 years old, he was appointed as the Trongsa Droenyer, a Guest Master.
In1923, he was installed as the Trongsa Penlop.
On March 14, 1927, Prince Jigme Wangchuck was crowned the 2nd Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.
The coronation was presided over by Zhabdrung with the Je Khenpo, Paro Penlop and all the district Dzongpons of Bhutan in attendance. The British Government was represented by an official delegation led by F. M. Bailey, the Political Officer in Sikkim.
The new King of Bhutan was offered the Insignia of the Companion of the Indian Empire (C. I. E.) by the British Government.
He began a series of reforms towards fulfilling his father’s last wishes – to create a just and fair society.
The reforms mainly touched the areas of administration and taxation.
He adopted the strategy of lowering taxes by curtailing government expenditure through streamlining the district administration.
He led the country to its first step towards modernization by sponsoring a programme of education and training of the Bhutanese abroad.
King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (Father of Modern Bhutan)
1952– 1972
Born on May 2, 1928, at Thruepang Palace near Trongsa Dzong.
At the age 17, in 1945 he was awarded the red scarf and made Trongsa Droenyer, a Guest Master.
And at the age 22 in 1950 he was appointed Paro Penlop.
He married Ashi Kesang Choden in 1951.
He ascended the throne in 1952.
He instituted far-reaching political, social and economic reforms.
Launched a systematic effort to abolish the practice of slavery and serfdom, which had prevailed since the 17th century.
Instituted the National Assembly, the High Court, the Royal Advisory Council and a system of Government, which would be responsive to the social and economic requirements.
He started the planned development process in 1961.
He also guided Bhutan to membership in the United Nations in 1971, ensuring the Kingdom a place in the international community.
King Jigme Singye Wangchuck (A Monarch of the People) 1972
Born on November 11, 1955, at Dechencholing Palace.
At the age of 17, in 1972 he was appointed the Trongsa Penlop.
He succeeded to the Golden Throne on 5th day of the 10th month of the Bhutanese calender in 1972 at Punakha Dzong. However, he was only formally coroneted on June 2, 1974 in Trashi Chhoe Dzong in Thimphu
He became the youngest monarch in the world at the age of 17.
Since his coronation in 1974, he dedicated himself to defining and realizing a long-term vision and direction for the country.
He set up a system of Government, which is responsive to the political, social and development needs of the country.
The functions of the state were clearly defined and divided among the various organs of governance.
Also pursued a process of democratization and involvement of people in their own affairs from the national to the community level.
In 1981, he introduced a programme of administrative and political decentralization. This enhanced democratic powers, social responsibilities, transparent process and decision making at the grass root level.
In 1998, he dissolved the Cabinet and the National Assembly elected the members of the Council of Ministers by a secret ballot. Full executive powers were devolved to the Council of Ministers.
In July 1999, on the insistence of His Majesty, mechanism for a Vote of Confidence in the King was endorsed.
In September 2001, he commanded the drafting of a constitution.
The Political System
Bhutan has been an independent kingdom for centuries and is ruled by a hereditary monarch since 1907. The present King, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuk, initiated many reforms of the political system, the most significant being that he relinquished his post as the Head of the Government during the 76th National Assembly in 1998. His Majesty is now the Head of the State.
Members of the National Assembly are composed of 150 elected members and meets once a year for a month. It is a legislative body and discusses all the issues concerning the country and also passes laws and acts.
Council of Ministers is elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years and holds executive power. It is composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Health and Education, Agriculture, Home and Cultural Affairs, Trade and Industries, and Communication. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers is the head of the Government, a post that rotates on annual basis among the Ministers. The minister who gets the highest number of votes will be the first Chairman of the Council of Ministers and the post rotates following the sequence of the votes.
The Royal Court of Justice presided by a Chief Justice and composed of judges together with the district courts, forms the judiciary body in the country. District courts operate at the district level while at the village level; the Headman acts as a first level of conciliation process.
The country is composed of 20 districts (Dzongkhags) each headed by a provincial governor called Dzongda.
Since the decentralization process, which started in 1981, a lot of importance and full authority, especially in the field of development and local activities, has been given to the district and rural areas namely the DYT (Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogchung) at the district level and GYT (Gewog Yargay Tshogchung) at the village/block level. During Bhutan’s 9th Five-year plan (2002-2007), all development plans and activities are to emanate from and be implemented at the village/block level.
The government has started steps to decentralize further by giving more initiatives to the village assemblies, presided by the elected Gup (village headman). In today’s political system, Gups and Chimi’s (people’s representatives) play a very vital role in the development at village level. They are the bridge between the people and the government. Dzongda used to be the chairman of the DYT but now the elected Gups and Chimi’s have taken over the post. They by all means are the voice of the people in and out of the National Assembly.
A Chief Operations Officer with the rank of Lt. General heads the security forces, comprising of the army, police and the Royal Bodyguards.
Government restructured in July, 2003
With two ministries bifurcated and one new ministry created, the government of Bhutan will function with 10 ministries, most of them incorporating some additional responsibilities.
The existing Ministry of Health and Education has been bifurcated into Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education. Then Ministry of Communications is also split as the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement and Ministry of Information and Communication. The new ministry is the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources.
The Lhengye Zhungtsho (Council of Ministers) described the changes as “an effort to further streamline, consolidate, and strengthen the functioning of the executive and to address the emerging needs and challenges”, following the devolution of full executive powers to an elected council of ministers.
Following the changes in the political structure, the 81st National Assembly elected four new ministers through secret ballot. His Majesty the King awarded the auspicious dhar (ceremonial scarves) to the ministers in the throne room of Trashi Chhoe Dzong on July 9, the auspicious birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche. Bhutan travel packages, Bhutan travel package
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Bhutan information
General Information about Bhutan
The following notes are only intended for the Aman Bhutan staff to share with their guests in the future – training material
The Kingdom of Bhutan is a country nestled in the Eastern Himalayas. In Dzongkha, the national language of the Kingdom, the country is known as Druk Yul ‘’Land of the Thunder Dragon”, and its people are known as ‘Drukpas’. The term comes from its state religion, which is the Drukpa Kagyud. Bhutan, the last independent Himalayan Buddhist kingdom very fondly maintains its tradition. It has one foot in the past and one in the future. The high Himalayas in the north separate the kingdom from the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China, while the rugged eastern region borders the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, in the South by Assam and West Bengal, and in the West by Sikkim.
Roughly the size of Switzerland (46,500sq. km) and populated by less than 700,000 people, can be called a small and under-populated country when compared to its giant neighbors. Contrary to its size, Bhutan is composed of a large variety of people group, from the yak herders in the North and the orange growers in the south. The little Kingdom has an extraordinary ecological diversity. It is about 300 km West to East, and 150 km from North to South.
A conscious policy of isolation complemented by formidable geographical barriers has enabled the Kingdom to maintain its independence throughout its history. Ancient stone implements and other archaeological findings indicate that there were settlements in Bhutan dating back to 2000 B.C. The chronicled history of the Kingdom however begins with the advent of Buddhism in the 8th century.
Besides the Great Himalayan range, which runs east to west, the entire country is mountainous, and ranges in elevation from 100m to the 754m Gangkhar Puensum peak on the Tibetan border. Between each valley, passes are as high as 4000m, which has led to difficult communications between the different valleys. From South to North, Bhutan is roughly divided into three zones.
The Southern Foothills
A plain only a few kilometers wide forms the border with India (West Bengal and Assam). The plain rises swiftly to 2000m and this zone is covered with dense tropical jungles. The climate is hot, getting cooler only from November to February. The monsoon is very heavy from mid-June to the end of September. As it lies in the border area with neighboring India, business opportunity abounds. Favorable climate for growing rice, oranges and cardamom on large scale has contributed to the economic growth of the region. They are excellent agriculturist.
Majority of the Southern Bhutanese are called Lhotsampas ‘people from the southern border’. They are of Nepalese origin, and include Sherpas, Tamangs, Gurungs, Rais, Lepchas, and Limbus, who are Tibeto-Burmese people. Bahuns and Chetris are Indo–Nepalese. All of them originally spoke different language, but now they at large speak Nepali. Majority of them are Hindu, but Sherpas, Lepchas and Tamangs are Buddhist.
The first processed fruit and alcohol factories are established in the region. In the 1980s the south experienced an economic boom with the construction of several factories (cement, calcium carbide, ferro-alloys etc.), which were made possible by the cheap electricity produced by Chukha Hydroelectricity Plant.
The Inner Himalayas
This zone is the historical and cultural heartland of the country. It is situated between 2000m-3500m with some valleys lying lower. The climate is alpine with monsoon, but in the lower valleys it is semi-tropical. The night temperatures in the winter fall below zero degree. From June to September, in the monsoon the valleys become lush and green. Spring witnesses the bloom of thousands of rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and others. This zone is divided into three distinctive regions, each of them having its own characteristics.
Western Bhutan
This region comprises of five valleys; Haa, Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, and Wangdue Phodrang. Traditionally the inhabitants of these regions are called Ngalops, “The First Risen”. They speak Dzongkha, “language of the fortress”, which is now the national language. Haa is the highest valley (3000m and above). Rice cannot grow there, but in winter wheat, barley and buckwheat, potatoes are cultivated here. Yaks and cattle contribute to the economy. Paro and Thimphu situated between 2200m and 2600m are devoted to growing rice and have apple, plum and peach orchards. Thimphu became the capital in 1962 and its population has tripled in last 20 years reaching over 50,000 people. Settlements are slowing invading the rural landscape. Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang lie at about 1300m. Rice and vegetables are cultivated here. Punakha, the old capital, is still the winter capital of the state clergy, who come from Thimphu in search for winter climes.
Central Bhutan
Central Bhutan comprises of three districts of Trongsa, Bumthang and Zhemgang. Pele la at 3300m divides Western from the Central Bhutan. The people of these regions speak different dialects. People of Trongsa grow rice. Altitude of Bumthang at 2600m and higher is unsuitable to grow rice. Buckwheat, barley, wheat and potatoes are the main crops. Rearing of yaks and cattle are also important part of their income. People of Zhemgang district grow rice, wheat, corn and millet.
Eastern Bhutan
This region is made up of the districts of Lhuntse, Mongar, Trashiyangtse, Trashigang, and Pemagatsel. Generally, these regions have lower altitude than the rest of the central zone. The climate is warmer and the monsoon heavier. The most important crops are rice and corn. Millet is grown to produce alcohol. Cattle are plentiful. Yak rearing is confined to the higher valleys of Merak and Sakten at more than 3000m. These valleys have very distinct culture and way of life. People of east generally called Sharchops, “people of the east”. They speak Sharchopkha, but dialects vary from region to region. The women are known for their cotton and Bhutanese raw silk weaving which supplements the family income.
The Northern Belt
From West to East, this region is bordered to the north by the Great Himalayan range of 6800m to 7400m and forms the border with Tibet. The northern belt starts around 3400m and in summer inhabited until 5000m by the yak herders. The climate is difficult with cold snowy winter and short rainy summers. It is a conservation area of rare flowers and plants like the Blue Poppy, edelweiss and gentian. It is also home to the Snow Leopard, Takin, Blue Sheep, rare butterflies and Musk Deer. Large part of this region is now protected as National Park.
The regions of Lingshi, Laya, and Lunana, which make up the northern belt, are sparsely populated. The people are semi-nomadic herders and speak Dzongkha. Yaks and its crossbreeds are indispensable animals to this region. They trade yak products for rice, salt and tools of the lower valleys. Yak gives them meat, butter, cheese, and yogurt. Its hair is used to make clothes, bags, tents and ropes.
Monarchy in Bhutan
King Ugyen Wangchuck (Monarch of Destiny) 1907 – 1926
Born in 1862 at the Wangdue Choeling palace.
His first involvement in military action came in 1877, when he accompanied his father to suppress the rebellion in Paro.
He was made Paro Penlop in 1879.
In 1885, after killing Trongsa Penlop Singye Namgyal to avenge the murder of his uncle, Ugyen Wangchuck declared himself as the Trongsa Penlop.
On December 17, 1907 with the signing and sealing of the Oath of Allegiance in a grand ceremony in Punakha dzong, His Majesty King Ugyen Wangchuck was installed as the first Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.
Treaty of Punakha, which was the new version of treaty of Sinchula, was signed in 1910 at Punakha between King Ugyen Wangchuck and the new British political officer in Sikkim, Sir Charles Bell.
In 1911, His Majesty the King Ugyen Wangchuck made a visit to India.
He introduced modern education as the first step towards development and started sending Bhutanese children to schools in Kalimpong.
In 1914, he built first modern school at Haa and 46 Bhutanese students had been enrolled.
In 1915, second school was opened in Bumthang for crown prince Jigme Wangchuck and some of his attendants.
By 1921, twelve students who had studied in India returned to form a small core of educated professionals in the Bhutanese civil service.
He also introduced first step towards improving internal communications and reduction of land taxes.
He also made conscious efforts to encourage trade and commerce with India.
He was presented with the insignia of the Knight Commander of the Indian Empire (K.C.I.E.) by the British and this gave him the title ‘Sir’.
The following notes are only intended for the Aman Bhutan staff to share with their guests in the future – training material
The Kingdom of Bhutan is a country nestled in the Eastern Himalayas. In Dzongkha, the national language of the Kingdom, the country is known as Druk Yul ‘’Land of the Thunder Dragon”, and its people are known as ‘Drukpas’. The term comes from its state religion, which is the Drukpa Kagyud. Bhutan, the last independent Himalayan Buddhist kingdom very fondly maintains its tradition. It has one foot in the past and one in the future. The high Himalayas in the north separate the kingdom from the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China, while the rugged eastern region borders the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, in the South by Assam and West Bengal, and in the West by Sikkim.
Roughly the size of Switzerland (46,500sq. km) and populated by less than 700,000 people, can be called a small and under-populated country when compared to its giant neighbors. Contrary to its size, Bhutan is composed of a large variety of people group, from the yak herders in the North and the orange growers in the south. The little Kingdom has an extraordinary ecological diversity. It is about 300 km West to East, and 150 km from North to South.
A conscious policy of isolation complemented by formidable geographical barriers has enabled the Kingdom to maintain its independence throughout its history. Ancient stone implements and other archaeological findings indicate that there were settlements in Bhutan dating back to 2000 B.C. The chronicled history of the Kingdom however begins with the advent of Buddhism in the 8th century.
Besides the Great Himalayan range, which runs east to west, the entire country is mountainous, and ranges in elevation from 100m to the 754m Gangkhar Puensum peak on the Tibetan border. Between each valley, passes are as high as 4000m, which has led to difficult communications between the different valleys. From South to North, Bhutan is roughly divided into three zones.
The Southern Foothills
A plain only a few kilometers wide forms the border with India (West Bengal and Assam). The plain rises swiftly to 2000m and this zone is covered with dense tropical jungles. The climate is hot, getting cooler only from November to February. The monsoon is very heavy from mid-June to the end of September. As it lies in the border area with neighboring India, business opportunity abounds. Favorable climate for growing rice, oranges and cardamom on large scale has contributed to the economic growth of the region. They are excellent agriculturist.
Majority of the Southern Bhutanese are called Lhotsampas ‘people from the southern border’. They are of Nepalese origin, and include Sherpas, Tamangs, Gurungs, Rais, Lepchas, and Limbus, who are Tibeto-Burmese people. Bahuns and Chetris are Indo–Nepalese. All of them originally spoke different language, but now they at large speak Nepali. Majority of them are Hindu, but Sherpas, Lepchas and Tamangs are Buddhist.
The first processed fruit and alcohol factories are established in the region. In the 1980s the south experienced an economic boom with the construction of several factories (cement, calcium carbide, ferro-alloys etc.), which were made possible by the cheap electricity produced by Chukha Hydroelectricity Plant.
The Inner Himalayas
This zone is the historical and cultural heartland of the country. It is situated between 2000m-3500m with some valleys lying lower. The climate is alpine with monsoon, but in the lower valleys it is semi-tropical. The night temperatures in the winter fall below zero degree. From June to September, in the monsoon the valleys become lush and green. Spring witnesses the bloom of thousands of rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and others. This zone is divided into three distinctive regions, each of them having its own characteristics.
Western Bhutan
This region comprises of five valleys; Haa, Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, and Wangdue Phodrang. Traditionally the inhabitants of these regions are called Ngalops, “The First Risen”. They speak Dzongkha, “language of the fortress”, which is now the national language. Haa is the highest valley (3000m and above). Rice cannot grow there, but in winter wheat, barley and buckwheat, potatoes are cultivated here. Yaks and cattle contribute to the economy. Paro and Thimphu situated between 2200m and 2600m are devoted to growing rice and have apple, plum and peach orchards. Thimphu became the capital in 1962 and its population has tripled in last 20 years reaching over 50,000 people. Settlements are slowing invading the rural landscape. Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang lie at about 1300m. Rice and vegetables are cultivated here. Punakha, the old capital, is still the winter capital of the state clergy, who come from Thimphu in search for winter climes.
Central Bhutan
Central Bhutan comprises of three districts of Trongsa, Bumthang and Zhemgang. Pele la at 3300m divides Western from the Central Bhutan. The people of these regions speak different dialects. People of Trongsa grow rice. Altitude of Bumthang at 2600m and higher is unsuitable to grow rice. Buckwheat, barley, wheat and potatoes are the main crops. Rearing of yaks and cattle are also important part of their income. People of Zhemgang district grow rice, wheat, corn and millet.
Eastern Bhutan
This region is made up of the districts of Lhuntse, Mongar, Trashiyangtse, Trashigang, and Pemagatsel. Generally, these regions have lower altitude than the rest of the central zone. The climate is warmer and the monsoon heavier. The most important crops are rice and corn. Millet is grown to produce alcohol. Cattle are plentiful. Yak rearing is confined to the higher valleys of Merak and Sakten at more than 3000m. These valleys have very distinct culture and way of life. People of east generally called Sharchops, “people of the east”. They speak Sharchopkha, but dialects vary from region to region. The women are known for their cotton and Bhutanese raw silk weaving which supplements the family income.
The Northern Belt
From West to East, this region is bordered to the north by the Great Himalayan range of 6800m to 7400m and forms the border with Tibet. The northern belt starts around 3400m and in summer inhabited until 5000m by the yak herders. The climate is difficult with cold snowy winter and short rainy summers. It is a conservation area of rare flowers and plants like the Blue Poppy, edelweiss and gentian. It is also home to the Snow Leopard, Takin, Blue Sheep, rare butterflies and Musk Deer. Large part of this region is now protected as National Park.
The regions of Lingshi, Laya, and Lunana, which make up the northern belt, are sparsely populated. The people are semi-nomadic herders and speak Dzongkha. Yaks and its crossbreeds are indispensable animals to this region. They trade yak products for rice, salt and tools of the lower valleys. Yak gives them meat, butter, cheese, and yogurt. Its hair is used to make clothes, bags, tents and ropes.
Monarchy in Bhutan
King Ugyen Wangchuck (Monarch of Destiny) 1907 – 1926
Born in 1862 at the Wangdue Choeling palace.
His first involvement in military action came in 1877, when he accompanied his father to suppress the rebellion in Paro.
He was made Paro Penlop in 1879.
In 1885, after killing Trongsa Penlop Singye Namgyal to avenge the murder of his uncle, Ugyen Wangchuck declared himself as the Trongsa Penlop.
On December 17, 1907 with the signing and sealing of the Oath of Allegiance in a grand ceremony in Punakha dzong, His Majesty King Ugyen Wangchuck was installed as the first Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.
Treaty of Punakha, which was the new version of treaty of Sinchula, was signed in 1910 at Punakha between King Ugyen Wangchuck and the new British political officer in Sikkim, Sir Charles Bell.
In 1911, His Majesty the King Ugyen Wangchuck made a visit to India.
He introduced modern education as the first step towards development and started sending Bhutanese children to schools in Kalimpong.
In 1914, he built first modern school at Haa and 46 Bhutanese students had been enrolled.
In 1915, second school was opened in Bumthang for crown prince Jigme Wangchuck and some of his attendants.
By 1921, twelve students who had studied in India returned to form a small core of educated professionals in the Bhutanese civil service.
He also introduced first step towards improving internal communications and reduction of land taxes.
He also made conscious efforts to encourage trade and commerce with India.
He was presented with the insignia of the Knight Commander of the Indian Empire (K.C.I.E.) by the British and this gave him the title ‘Sir’.
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