Bhutan, monarchy, southern Central Asia, in the eastern Himalaya, bounded on the north and north-west by Tibet and on the east, south, and south-west by India. It has a total area of 47,000 sq km (18,100 sq mi). The capital of Bhutan is Thimphu.
POPULATION
The largest ethnic group in Bhutan, constituting more than 60 per cent of the population, is the Bhote, or Bhotia, who live mostly in the east. Nepalese constitute the largest minority. Bhutan has a population of 2,185,569 (2004 estimate), which gives a population density of nearly 47 people per sq km (120 per sq mi). Thimphu (population, 2001 estimate, 32,000) is the capital and largest town.
LANGUAGE
The official religion is a form of Mahayana Buddhism; monasteries are numerous in Bhutan, and monks number some 6,000.
RELIGION
The official language is Dzongkha, a Sino-Tibetan language. Twenty-four indigenous languages are spoken in Bhutan, and there is no majority language although the government is trying to establish Dzongkha as the national language, while protecting the linguistic and ethnic diversity of the country. Nepali, an Indo-Iranian language, is possibly the majority language in the south, a mother tongue for almost as many Bhutanese as is the official language. Tshangla (Sino-Tibetan) is the first language for similar numbers of Schachop peoples in the east and south-east of the country. Other languages spoken include Khengkha, Bumthangkha, Nyenkha, and Tibetan.
POPULATION
The largest ethnic group in Bhutan, constituting more than 60 per cent of the population, is the Bhote, or Bhotia, who live mostly in the east. Nepalese constitute the largest minority. Bhutan has a population of 2,185,569 (2004 estimate), which gives a population density of nearly 47 people per sq km (120 per sq mi). Thimphu (population, 2001 estimate, 32,000) is the capital and largest town.
LANGUAGE
The official religion is a form of Mahayana Buddhism; monasteries are numerous in Bhutan, and monks number some 6,000.
RELIGION
The official language is Dzongkha, a Sino-Tibetan language. Twenty-four indigenous languages are spoken in Bhutan, and there is no majority language although the government is trying to establish Dzongkha as the national language, while protecting the linguistic and ethnic diversity of the country. Nepali, an Indo-Iranian language, is possibly the majority language in the south, a mother tongue for almost as many Bhutanese as is the official language. Tshangla (Sino-Tibetan) is the first language for similar numbers of Schachop peoples in the east and south-east of the country. Other languages spoken include Khengkha, Bumthangkha, Nyenkha, and Tibetan.
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