Bhutan
Bhutan Travel Guide
It is always advisable to be at least slightly acquainted with any new country that you are traveling to. A quick look at Bhutan’s important statistics and facts will have you well prepared for your trip to Bhutan. You will find brief notes on Bhutan’s location, temperature and climate, hotel accommodation and transportation services, etc in the following section. So get ready for a quick look at the Land of the Peaceful Thunder Dragon!
Bhutan - Climate
The climate of Bhutan is variable from region to region. While it is tropical in the southern plains, in the central valleys one experiences cool winters and hot summers. On the other hand, in the Himalayas severe winters and cool summers are prevalent.
Flora & Fauna
Bhutan is a botanists’ paradise. One of the ancient names given to Bhutan was 'Southern Valley of Medicinal Herbs.' Rhododendrons, junipers, magnolias, carnivorous plants, rare orchids, blue poppy (the national flower), edelweiss, gentian, medicinal plants, daphne, giant rhubarb, high-altitude plants, tropical trees, pine and oak abound here.
Among the rare and exotic faunas found in Bhutan the golden langur, red pandas, black-necked crane, snow leopard, takin, musk deer, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan marten, tiger, hornbills, pheasants, mountain goats and timid blue sheep are some.
Bhutan - Geographical Information
Location
The kingdom of Bhutan lies in the eastern Himalayas, between Tibet to the north, and the Indian territories of Assam and West Bengal to the south, Arunachal Pradesh to the east and Sikkim to the west. The kingdom has a total area of about 47,000 square kilometers and spreads between meridians 89°E and 93°E, and latitudes 27°N and 29°N.
Physical Features
Located in the heart of the high Himalayan mountain range, Bhutan is a landlocked country surrounded by mountains. The sparsely populated Greater Himalayas, bounded to the north by the Tibetan plateau, reach heights of over 7,300 m, and extend southward losing height, to form the fertile valleys of the Lesser Himalayas that are divided by the Wang, Sunkosh, Trongsa and Manas rivers. The entire country is virtually mountainous, the 7554-m Kulha Gangri on the Tibetan border being the highest. North to south, Bhutan features three geographic regions, namely, the high Himalayas of the north, the hills and valleys of the interior, and the foothills and plains of the south. Its great rivers helped to carve its topography and their enormous potential for hydropower has helped shape the economy. Monsoon influences promote dense forestation in this region and alpine growth at higher altitudes. The cultivated central uplands and Himalayan foothills support the majority of the population. In the south, the Daurs Plain drops sharply away from the Himalayas into the large tracts of semi-tropical forest, savannah grassland and bamboo jungle. Forests and woodlands cover 70% of Bhutan’s total area.
History of Bhutan
Bhutan has been fortunate enough to never be colonized. It has therefore managed to retain a purity of culture that is entirely local with very few outside influences. Although recorded history mentions Bhutan in the 7th century, its existence as an independent entity was recognized even before that. In the 8th century, the great Tantrik mystic, Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche came to Bhutan from Swat, in present-day Pakistan, and spread the Buddhist faith.
The next defining event in Bhutan's history was the arrival of Ngawang Namgyal, the "Shabdrung" (literally, at whose feet one submits) in 1616. The Shabdrung was the father and unifier of medieval Bhutan. After repelling numerous Tibetan invasions, the Shabdrung subdued the many warring feudal overlords and brought all of Bhutan under the influence of the Drukpa Kagyud School. His 35-year reign also saw the establishment of a nationwide administration, aspects of which still endure, and the building of dzongs as easily defensible fortresses and seats of local government. In fact, many of the dzongs one sees today were built during the Shabdrung's reign.
The most recent watershed in Bhutan's history was the coming to power of Ugyen Wangchuk, the first hereditary monarch of Bhutan. Ugyen Wangchuk pacified the feuding Regional Governors who had plunged Bhutan into a state of almost perpetual civil war. Having consolidated his authority across the entire country by 1885, he played the key mediator role between the British and the Chinese. Finally, on December 17, 1907, Ugyen Wangchuk was unanimously elected by all Regional Governors and the Central Monastic Body, at the Punakha Dzong and crowned "Druk Gyalpo" (literally, precious ruler of the dragon people). The present king, the fourth hereditary monarch, is Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuk, upon whose coronation in 1974 Bhutan opened its doors to tourists.
Bhutan - Recent Political History
Lhotshampas, people of Nepali origin, and Drukpas, Buddhist Bhutanese of Tibetan origin are the two major ethnic communities of Bhutan. Both are distinctly different and differ in culture, language and religious traditions. They had been living without little interaction since the late 1800s when the Lhotshampas began immigrating to south Bhutan in search of farmland and economic prosperity where they retained their starkly different Nepali Hindu culture.
With the passing of a legislation in1985 that mandated Lhotshampas to adopt Drukpa culture, language and religion, tensions between the two groups grew. The use of the Nepali language and television viewing were banned, the national dress code, which consisted of the Drukpa bakkhoo, was enforced in public areas. A national program verifying citizenship of Bhutan's residents and deportation program was instituted where a large majority of Lhotshampas was declared illegal immigrant.
Protest, violence and killings ensued and the Lhotshampas organized demonstrations asking for repeal of the newly implemented laws. However, what followed was a series of arrests, atrocities, escalating violence and their forceful eviction. Between 1988 and 1994, more than a hundred thousand Lhotshampa refugees who had lived in Bhutan for generations fled their homes and sought refuge in refugee camps in south-eastern Nepal.
The most widely accepted reason for the differences and conflict between the Drukpas and the Lhotshampas is cultural friction. The Bhutanese government, which is predominantly Drukpa, feared that their Buddhism-based culture was gradually being swamped by the Hindu practices and cultural traditions of the Lhotshampas. In the early 1980's, roughly 30 percent of the Bhutanese population comprised of Lhotshampas, with their numbers steadily increasing.
However, it is also believed that the real reason for the conflict was that though Bhutan was a monarchy, educated Lhotshampas had begun infiltrating high-level positions in the government and advocating democracy. The neighbouring state of Sikkim, which used to be autonomous state 1973 (and is a part of India now), Lhotshampas were believed to have gradually replaced the aboriginal Lepcha and Bhutiya communities in the political structure. They had then been the primary reason for Sikkim's consolidation into India. The Drukpas feared a similar occurrence in Bhutan, and what followed was widespread eviction of the Lhotshampas.
In 1985, all forward looking socio-economic programmes that exposed Bhutanese to Western culture were brought to an abrupt halt in. Opposition to the monarchy was suppressed, contact with foreign countries was cut off, television was banned, tourism was reduced, Lhotshampas were identified as a threat to the Drukpa monarchy and attempts were made to destroy their cultural and religious identity. The Drig Lam Namsha (code of cultural correctness) decreed all Bhutanese (specifically Lhotshampas) to wear traditional Drukpa clothes in public. Use of Dzonkha, the Drukpa dialect, was made mandatory in all public areas despite the inability of a large number of Lhotshampas to speak it. The practice of Hinduism or any religion other than Mahayana Buddhism was prohibited.
When the Lhotshampas protested against these laws as violation of their human rights and defied the Drig Lam Namsha, they were accused of rebelling against the king, the kingdom and the government. Violent confrontations ensued and new laws stipulated that only those individuals who could provide proof of being a resident of Bhutan prior to 1958 were eligible for citizenship. The only acceptable proof of being a resident of Bhutan prior to 1958 was registration with the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, according to historians, the Ministry of Home Affairs did not exist in 1958 and was established only ten years later in 1968. Thus, the new legislation was one of intrigue and political deceit that made it impossible for Lhotshampas to claim Bhutanese citizenship.
The conflict reached its peak during the months of September and October in 1990 with a series of hunger strikes and public demonstrations that resulted in violence and killings. The army was deployed to stem the demonstrations and mass murder, rape, torture and imprisonment followed. Tens of thousands Lothshampas were forcibly evicted from the country, with arbitrary arrests, beatings, rape, robberies and other forms of intimidation being practiced by the police and army.
Bhutan – Polity
Bhutan is the only democratic theocracy in the world. His Majesty, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk is Bhutan's fourth elected king and follows a policy of benign paternalism.
Bhutan is divided into 20 dzongkhas or dzong districts, each with its own elected three-year representatives. The Tshogdu or National Assembly has 154 members who fall into three categories. The largest group with 105 members is the Chimis. They are the representatives of Bhutan's 20 dzongkhas. The regional monk bodies elect 12 monastic representatives, who also serve three-year terms. Another 37 representatives are civil servants nominated by the king. They include 20 Dzongdas, ministers, secretaries of various government and other high-ranking officials. The National Assembly meets in Thimphu once each year.
Economy
The GDP of Bhutan is US$85 million, while the GDP per head is at US$142. The current annual growth rate is 6.8%. The major industries are mining, timber, fruit processing, tourism, and the sale of hydroelectric power (to India). India and Bangladesh are the major trading partners of Bhutan.
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