Population:

Male:364,482

Female:307,943

Total:672,425

Capital:Thimphu

National Tree:Cypress

National Flower:Blue poppy

National Bird:Raven

National Sport:Archery

National Animal:Takin

Official Language:Dzongkha

Life Expectancy:66years

Forest Coverage:72.5%

Country Code:975

Area:38,394sq.Km

Local Time:Six hours ahead of GMT and half an hour ahead of Indian standard time.

State Religion:The Trantric form of Mahayana Bhudhism

Currency:Ngultrum,same value as Indian Rupees.

There are many version as to how Bhutan got its name Bhutan.One theory suggests that the name evolved from "Bhotana"(End of Tibet) or from "Bhotana" (End of Tibet)or from "Bhu-Uttan" meaning "Highland".Some believe that the name is derived from the word "Bhot-stan",the land of "Bhotias"(In ancient indian language sanskrit,"Bhotia"means people originally from Tibet.Whatever may be the case,bhutanese proudly call their country as drukyul(The Land of the thunder Dragon)and themselves as Drukpas.Bhutan was also known by some other names as "Lhojong"(The southern region)and Lho Jong Menjong(The southern region of medicinal herbs).

Political System:

The establisment of monarchy in 1907 was the watershed event in the history of modern Bhutan.The country enjoyed peace and progress under successive reformist monarchs.The third king,His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck reformed the old pseudo-feudal system by the abolishing serfdom,redistributing land,and reforming taxation.He also introduced many executive, legislative,and judiciary reforms.The fourth kings, His majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, took decentralization t the people, and devolved all executive powers to a council of ministers elected by the people in 1998, besides introducinga system of voting no confidence in the King, which empowered the parliament to remove the monarch. The nayional constitution committee started drafting the constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan in 2001. The draft constitution was distributed to the people in 2005, which was followed by public consultation initiated by the 4th and 5th Kings. Its implementation will establish parliamentary democracy in the country.

The people in different villages of the gewog in turn elect the chimis (people's repressentatives). The King is now the head pf the state. The goverment or post of prime minister rotating amongst the ministers. At the district level, Dzongda function as the chief executive officer and the gup (gewog head man) elected by the people is the chief executive officer at gewog level.Under the policy greater decentralization and empowerment of the people, the Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu and the gewog Yargye Tshogchung have been given full administrative, policy making and financial powers in thier respective Dzongkhags. Therefore, the success of devolopment programmes will now be determinedby the decisions taken the people and the quality of thier participation in implementing them.

Aministrartive Division:

The country is divided into twenty administrative units called dzongkhags. The larger dzongkhags are further divided into sub-district called dungkhag.A group of villages are grouped to form a constituency called gewog and administered by a gup, who is elected by the people.

Judiciary:

His Majesty the king the final court of appeal.The royal High court is the apex of the judiciary system.It is supported by district courts in all 20 dzongkhags.There are sub-district courts called Dungthrim in larger dzongkhags.In villages the gup and chimis settle petty disputes.