KINGDOM OF BHUTAN Official name: 'Brug yul (Kingdom of Bhutan) Location: South Asia International organisations: Non-Aligned Movement, United Nations. Borders: China, India Coastline: None Land area: 47,000 Km2 Population: 2,000,000 (estimate)

Ethnicity: Bhote or Bhutanese 50%, Nepalese 35%, various minority tribes 15%
Languages: Dzongkha or Bhutanese is the official language but is spoken by less than half the population. A large minority speaks various forms of Nepalese, and various other Tibeto-Burman and Indian languages are spoken.
Religion: Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Hindu 25%
Form of government: Semi-constitutional monarchy. Bhutan is divided into 18 districts.
Capital: Thimbu
Constitution: None. The form of government is prescribed in various royal edicts.
Head of state: King Jigme Singye Wangchuck came to the throne on 24 July 1972.
Head of government: The Prime Minister, appointed by the King.
Legislature: Bhutan has a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly (Tshogdu) which has 150 members elected for three-year terms. Of these, 105 are elected from village constituencies, with each family having one vote. Ten members represent religious bodies, and 35 members are appointed by the King. There are no political parties.
Electoral authority: None
Freedom House 2005 rating: Political Rights 6, Civil Liberties 5

Political history

Bhutan has existed as a state since the 17th century, and was tradionally ruled by a Buddhist theocracy under Tibetan influence. In 1907 a stable monarchy was established under the influence of British India, headed by the Wangchuk dynasty who have retained power ever since. In 1910 Bhutan became formally a British protectorate, and in 1947 independent India succeeded the British in this role. In 1949 the protectorate was ended but under a treaty India continued to control Bhutan's foreign relations.

Since 1952 the day to day government has been in the hands of a Prime Minister, but the King has retained ultimate control. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck succeeded to the throne in 1972, and has carried out a programme of gradual modernisation while preserving Bhutanese traditions. The legislature is only partly democratic and its functions are limited. But in 1998 it voted to make royal appointments subject to legislative approval, restricting the King's political power for the first time. In December 2005 the King announced that he would abdicate in 2008, and that he would begin a gradual transition to democracy.

There are no legal political parties in Bhutan. The United Front for Democracy campaigns for political change from exile. The country's main problem is conflict between the Bhutanese and the large minorities of Nepalese and Indians. The Amicus Foundation has a useful collection of resources on Bhutan.