It is believed that Bhutan was inhabited as early as 2000 B.C. due to the presence of early stone implements discovered in the region.

The country was originally known by many names including Lho Jong, ‘The Valleys of the South’, Lho Mon Kha Shi, ‘The Southern Mon Country of Four Approaches’, Lho Jong Men Jong, ‘The Southern Valleys of Medicinal Herbs and Lho Mon Tsenden Jong, ‘The Southern Mon Valleys where Sandalwood Grows’. Mon was a term used by the Tibetans to refer to Mongoloid, non-Buddhist peoples that populated the Southern Himalayas.

The country came to be known as Druk Yul or The Land of the Drukpas sometime in the 17^th century. The name refers to the Drukpas sect of Buddhism that has been dominant religion in the region since that period.

Initially Bonism was the dominant religion in the region that would come to be known as Bhutan. Buddhism was introduced in the 7^th century by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo and further strengthened by the arrival of Guru Rimpoche, a Buddhist Master that is widely considered to be the Second Buddha.

The country was first unified in 17^th century by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. After arriving in Bhutan from Tibet he consolidated his power, defeated three Tibetan invasions and established a comprehensive system of law and governance. His system of rule eroded after his death and the country fell into in-fighting and civil war between the various local rulers. This continued until the Trongsa poenlop Ugyen Wangchuck was able to gain control and with the support of the people establish himself as Bhutan’s first hereditary King in 1907. His Majesty Ugyen Wangchuck became the first Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) and set up the Wangchuck Dynasty that still rules today.

In 2008, Bhutan enacted its constitution and converted to a democracy in order to better safeguard the rights of its citizen. Later in November of the same year, the currently reigning 5^th Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was crowned.

Where is Bhutan?

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a small landlocked country located in the southern foothills of the Himalayan mountain range, sandwiched between the People’s Republic of China in the north and the Republic of India in the south.

It is a sovereign nation, with a total land area of 38,394 km² and a total population of 735553 (2017).