Bhutan and Bhutanese News

Country Profile
 Bhutan officially the Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked country in South Asia.
Bhutan is divided into20 dzongkhags(districts), administered by a body called the Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
The Bhutanese name for Bhutan, Druk Yul, means "Land of the Thunder Dragon" and it only began to open up to outsiders in the 1970s.
Punakha Dzong, Bhutan's second oldest and second largest dzong, or fortress-monastery served as the seat of government until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu.

 It is estimated that between two thirds and three quarters of the Bhutanese population follow Vajrayana Buddhism which is also the State Religion.
The National Dress for Bhutanese Men is the gho, a knee-length robe tied at the waist by a cloth belt known as the kera.
 Women wear an ankle-length dress, the kira, which is clipped at one shoulder and tied at the waist.

In Bhutanese families, inheritance generally passes through the female rather than the male line. Daughters will inherit their parents' house.

Capital                                       Thimphu
Currency                                    Ngultrum
Official Language                        Dzongkha
Population                                  0.8 Million(2011 Estimate)

History
In 1907 Ugyen Wangchuck is chosen as hereditary ruler.
In 1952 Reformist monarch Jigme Dorji Wangchuck succeeds to throne.National Assembly established.
In 1972 King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck dies and is succeeded by his son, Jigme Singye Wangchuck
In Dec 2005 King Jigme Singye Wangchuck says he will abdicate in 2008, when democratic parliamentary elections are held and the crown prince will take over as monarch.
In Dec 2006 King Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicates; Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the crown prince, assumes the throne.

In March 2008 Pro-monarchy Bhutan Harmony Party wins 44 out of the 47 seats in the country's first parliamentary elections. Another pro-monarchy party wins the remaining seats.Jigme Thinley(leader of the Bhutan Harmony Party) became Bhutan's first elected Prime Minister.Bhutan became a two-party parliamentary democracy after elections in March 2008.
In Nov 2008 igme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is crowned king.
In Oct 2011 Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck marries 21-year-old student Jetsun Pema

Politics and Government 

King of Bhutan
The King of Bhutan is Head of State. Bhutan's Head of State is the Druk Gyalpo ("Dragon King"). Although his title is hereditary, he must retire by age 65, and he can be removed by a two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament followed by a national referendum, which must pass by a simple majority in all twenty districts of the country.

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck(DOB Feb 21,1980) is the 5th and Current Druk Gyalpo ("Dragon King")He became king on Dec 14, 2006 being crowned on Nov 06,2008.
He was the world's youngest head of state until 2011, surpassed by Kim Jong-un of North Korea.

Prime Minister of Bhutan
Executive Power is exercised by the Lhengye Zhungtshog  or Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister.Bhutan's Head of Govt is its Prime Minister who is nominated by the party that wins the most seats in the National Assembly and Heads the Executive Cabinet, called the Lhengye Zhungtshog (Council of Ministers)

Jigme Yoser Thinley is the Current Prime Minister of Bhutan in office from April 09,2008

Parliament of Bhutan

 

Legislative Power is vested in the Bicameral Parliament -
National Council(Upper House) and
The National Council consists of twenty-five members. Twenty members are elected by the electorates of the 20 dzongkhags, while 5 members are nominated by the Druk Gyalpo -King of Bhutan.
National Assembly(Lower House)
The current National Assembly has 47 members, who were elected in thefirst ever general elections held on March 24, 2008

Bhutan's First Democratic Election - March 24, 2008
Bhutan held its first general election for the National Assembly for which 2 parties were registered by the Election Commission of Bhutan to contest the election -
Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party(DPT)led by Jigme Yoser Thinley (which was formed by the merger of the previously established Bhutan People's United Party and All People's Party) and
People's Democratic Party(PDP).In the election, the DPT won by getting 45 seats polling 67% votes defeating the PDP which got only 2 seats polling 33% votes.
Jigme Thinley became Bhutan's first ever elected Prime Minister.