This self –sufficient population was never colonized and had limited contact to the outside world.Buddhism was established in the 8th century by the Indian saint padmasambhava,popularly know in the Tantric Tradition as a Guru Rinpoche ,Perhapa the most Dybamic era in Bhutanese history came in the 17th century with the arrival,in 1616 ,of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the great leader of the drukpa Schoolof Mahayana Buddhism. He unified the Country and established the foundations for national governance and the Bhutanese identity.
Bhutan - Happiness is a place!
In 1907 ,a historic Assembly of the clergy, the official administration and the people unanimously elected Gongsar ugyen Wangchuck as the first hereditary king of Bhutan thus beginning the glorious era of the wangchuck dynasty. In 2006,the Fourth king of Bhutan,jigme Singye Wangchuck announced that the would abdicate in favor of a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy in 2008,the year that market 100 years of the monarchy saw two important events ; the first democracy elections and the coronation of the fifth king Jigme Khesar namgyel Wangchuck.
Facts and figures
- Land Area: 38,394 square kilometers
- Forest area: 72.5%
- Altitude : Between 240 metres and 7541 metres above sea level
- Inhabitants :700000
- Language : official Language "Dzongkha",English widely spoken
- Religion :Vajrayana stream of Mahayana Buddhism (Also known as Tantric Buddhism)
- Currency :Ngultrum (equal to Indian Rupee)
- Capital :Thimphu
- National Tree :Cypress
- National Bird :Raven
- National Sports :Archery
- National Animal ;Takin
- Local Time :Six Hours ahead of GMT and half an hour ahead of Indian Standard Time