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1 1 (June 22, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govedti0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Inforrning the legislative debate since 1914 Updated June 22, 2021 The Kingdom of Bhutan Background The Kingdom of Bhutan, also known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, is a small, landlocked Himalayan country situated between India and China. The mountainous kingdom is about half the size of Indiana, with an estimated population of 857,423, approximately 115,000 of them in and around the capital city, Thimphu. Bhutan's economy has grown primarily as a result of hydropower, agriculture, and forestry development. Hydropower exports account for 40% of total exports and 25% of government revenue. The United States has no significant trade relations with Bhutan, and its foreign aid mission and bilateral consular affairs are handled by the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India. Geopolitical tensions between China and India along their Himalayan border have generally increased U.S. policymakers' interest in the region. Bhutan has participated in a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) regional program for South Asia directed at developing power infrastructure, and it has implemented programs intended to help mitigate some of the effects of climate change. With 70% forest cover and extensive hydropower, Bhutan is a carbon negative country. Ninety-three percent of eligible adults in Bhutan reportedly received COVID-19 vaccine by April 2021. The Constitution, Elections, and the King The constitution of Bhutan establishes three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. The bicameral legislature, or Chi Tshog, includes the National Assembly (Tshogdu), with 47 elected representatives, and the National Council (Gyelyong Tshongde), with 25 members, 5 of which are selected by the king. Legislators serve five-year terms. The executive branch includes the Dragon King (Druk Gyalpo), currently King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, as Head of State, and the prime minister, presently Lotay Tshering, as Head of Government. The king is hereditary and appoints the majority leader in the parliament as prime minister. The king can be forced to abdicate by a two-thirds vote in the National Assembly. There is also a Council of Ministers (LhengyeZhungtshog), whose members are nominated by the king, in consultation with the prime minister, and approved by the National Assembly. The judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, the High Court, District Courts (Dzongkhag), and Sub-District Courts (Dungkhag). Bhutan's path to democracy was not spurred by a popular movement but rather was initiated and encouraged by the fourth and fifth kings of the Wangchuck dynasty. According to Bhutan's first prime minister, Jigme Y. Thinley, who came to power in the country's first election in 2008, the Bhutanese people were apprehensive of the new system because in many of the countries, democracy had failed or was in the process of failing, and leading to tremendous upheavals, strife among the people. The king, however, insisted that the long-term interests of the people were best served by elected leaders. The 2008 election went smoothly. Parliamentary elections were also held in 2013 and 2018. In 2018, the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa Party won 30 of 47 seats. The next election is due in 2023. Figure I. Bhutan in Brief Source: CIA World Factbook, Economist Intelligence Unit, media. The birth of the hereditary Wangchuck dynasty in 1907 has shaped Bhutan's democracy. The first ruler, King Ugyen (1907-1926), introduced reforms and Western education. The second ruler, King Jigme (1926-1952), continued his father's moderation and centralization efforts by building more schools and roads and bringing public institutions under government control. Two generations later, the third ruler, King Jigme Dorji (1952-1972), established a high court, introduced a bicameral legislative branch, set up a planning commission, and created the Council of Ministers. The sudden death of the third king brought his son, King Jigme Singye (1972-2006), to power and King Jigme Singye continued his father's legacy. In 2006, the fourth King abdicated in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel, who started the top-down democratic transition. In July 2008, Bhutan's political system changed from an absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary form of government. Ethnic, Religious, and Refugee Issues Bhutan has four ethnic groups: the Ngalops (westerners), the Sharchop (easterners), aboriginal people, and the Lhotshampa (southerners). The Ngalops migrated from Tibet to Bhutan around the ninth century. They introduced Tibetan culture and Mahayana Buddhism to Bhutan. The Ngalops are the majority in central, western, and northern Bhutan, and they dominate cultural, religious, and political elements in modern Bhutan. The Sharchops are thought to have originated from Assam, in present-day India, or perhaps Burma, and they also practice Mahayana ittps://crsreports.congress.gc

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