What is the capital of Bhutan?
Country Name | Bhutan |
Full Country Name | Kingdom of Bhutan |
Local - Long | Druk Gyalkhap |
Local - Short | Druk Yul |
Etymology- history of name | named after the Bhotia, the ethnic Tibetans who migrated from Tibet to Bhutan; "Bod" is the Tibetan name for their land; the Bhutanese name "Druk Yul" means "Land of the Thunder Dragon" |
Government Type | constitutional monarchy |
Capital Name | Thimphu |
Capital - geographic coordinate | 27 28 N, 89 38 E |
Capital Time Difference | UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
Independence | 17 December 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king); 8 August 1949 (Treaty of Friendship with India maintains Bhutanese independence) |
National Holiday | National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907) |
Constitution |
history: previous governing documents were various royal decrees; first constitution drafted November 2001 to March 2005, ratified 18 July 2008 amendments: proposed as a motion by simple majority vote in a joint session of Parliament; passage requires at least a three-fourths majority vote in a joint session of the next Parliament and assent by the king |
Who is the president of Bhutan?
Executive Branch: |
chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 to his son head of government: Prime Minister Lotay TSHERING (since 7 November 2018) cabinet: Council of Ministers or Lhengye Zhungtshog members nominated by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister and approved by the National Assembly; members serve 5-year terms elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary but can be removed by a two-thirds vote of Parliament; leader of the majority party in Parliament is nominated as the prime minister, appointed by the monarch |
Citizenship Criteria: |
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bhutan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years |
Legal System: | civil law based on Buddhist religious law |
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
Legislative Branch: |
description: bicameral Parliament or Chi Tshog consists of: non-partisan National Council or Gyelyong Tshogde (25 seats; 20 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 5 members appointed by the king; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly or Tshogdu (47 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies in a two-round system; in the primary round, contesting political parties are directly selected by simple majority vote; in the main round, the two top parties in the primary round field candidates who are directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms) elections: National Council - last held on 20 April 2023 (next to be held in 2028) National Assembly - first round held on 30 November 2023 with a runoff on 9 January 2024 (next to be held in 2028) election results: National Council - seats by party - independent 20 (all candidates ran as independents) and 5 appointed by the king; composition as of October 2023 - men 22, women 3, percent of women 12% National Assembly - percent of vote by party in first round - PDP 42.5%, BTP 19.6%, DPT 14.9%, DNT 13.1% DTT 9.8%; percent of vote in second round - PDP 55%, BTP 45%; seats by party PDP 30, BTP 17; composition as of January 2024 - men 45, women 2, percent of women 4.3%; note - total percent of women in Parliament 6.9% |
Judicial Branch: |
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has sole jurisdiction in constitutional matters judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the monarch upon the advice of the National Judicial Commission, a 4-member body to include the Legislative Committee of the National Assembly, the attorney general, the Chief Justice of Bhutan and the senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; other judges (drangpons) appointed by the monarch from among the High Court judges selected by the National Judicial Commission; chief justice serves a 5-year term or until reaching age 65 years, whichever is earlier; the 4 other judges serve 10-year terms or until age 65, whichever is earlier subordinate courts: High Court (first appellate court); District or Dzongkhag Courts; sub-district or Dungkhag Courts |
Regions or States: |
20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural) Bumthang, Chhukha, Dagana, Gasa, Haa, Lhuentse, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatshel, Punakha, Samdrup Jongkhar, Samtse, Sarpang, Thimphu, Trashigang, Trashi Yangtse, Trongsa, Tsirang, Wangdue Phodrang, Zhemgang |
Political Parties and Leaders: |
Bhutan Alliance Party or Druk Thuendrel Tshogpa or DTT (Kinga TSHERING) Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Dorji WANGDI] Bhutan Tendrel Party or BTP (Dasho Tema CHEWANG) People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY] United Party of Bhutan (Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa) or DNT [Lotay TSHERING] |
International Law Organization Participation: | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
International Organization Participation: | ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
Diplomatic Representation in the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Phuntsho NORBU (since October 2022) note - also the Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN telephone: [1] (212) 682-2268 FAX: [1] (212) 661-0551 email address and website: consulate.pmbny@mfa.gov.bt https://www.mfa.gov.bt/pmbny/ consulate(s) general: New York embassy: 343 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017 note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US |
Diplomatic Representation from US: | embassy: none; frequent informal contact is maintained via the US embassy in New Delhi (India) and Bhutan's Permanent Mission to the UN |