Results of Poupulation and Housing Census of Bhutan 2005

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

Bhutan is situated in the Himalayas bordered by India in the south and China in the north. With an area of 38,394 square kilometers, Bhutan is entirely a mountainous country rising from the southern foothills of 160 m above sea level extending into the northern mountain peaks of over 7,500 m high.  Over seventy percent of the country is covered with natural forests. These high rise mountains form the watershed to the river systems of Bhutan.

The northern range consists of an arc of glaciated mountain peaks with an artic climate at the highest elevations. Watered by snow fed rivers, alpine valleys in this region provide pasturage for livestock raring. The inner Himalayas are southward spurs of the Great Himalayan Range. The Black Mountains, in central Bhutan, form a watershed between two major river systems, the Mo Chhu and the Drangme Chhu. Peaks in the Black Mountains range between 1,500 meters and 2700 meters above sea levels, and the fast flowing rivers have carved out spectacular gorges in the lower foothills. The woodlands of the central region provide most of Bhutan’s valuable forest production Eastern Bhutan is divided by yet another southward spur. Western Bhutan has fertile, cultivated lands and populations settlement along the broader river valleys.

Climate and Vegetation:The country may be divided into three distinct climatic zones corresponding to the three main geographical divisions. Bhutan’s climate is as varied as its altitudes and is affected by monsoons. Western Bhutan receives monsoon rains that bring 90 to 60 percent of its total rainfall. The climate is humid and subtropical in the southern plains and foothills, temperate in the inner Himalayan valleys of the southern and central regions, and cold in the north, with year-round snow on the main Himalyan summits.

Temperatures vary according to elevation of a geographical area. Temperatures in Thimphu, located at 2,200 meters above sea level in west-central Bhutan, range from approximately 15 to 26 degree Celsius during the monsoon season of June to September but drop to between about -4 to 16 degree Celsius during January to February. Most of the central portion of the country experiences a cool, temperate climate year round. In the south, a hot, humid climate helps maintain a fairly even temperature range of between 15 to 30 degree, although temperatures sometimes reach beyond 35 degree Celsius during the summer.

Annual precipitation ranges widely in various parts of the country. In the severe climate of the north, there is only about forty millimeters of annual precipitation- primarily snow. In the temperate central regions, a yearly average of around 1000 millimeters is more common, and 7800 millimeters per year has been registered at some locations in the humid, subtropical south, ensuring the thick tropical forest. Thimphu experiences dry winter months (December through February) and almost no precipitation until March, when rainfall averages 20 millimeters a month and increases steadily thereafter to a high of 220 millimeters in August for a total annual rainfall of nearly 650 millimeters.

Bhutan’s generally dry spring starts in early March and lasts until mid-April. Summer weather commences in mid-April with occasional showers and continues through the early monsoon rains of late June.

River system: Bhutan has four major river systems: The Drangme Chhu; the Puna Tsang Chhu; the Wang Chhu; and the Amo Chhu. Drangme Chhu is the largest river in Bhutan. The 320 km long Puna Tsang Chhu flows from northwestern Bhutan, with its tributaries - Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu and exits into Indian state of West Bengal. The Wang Chhu, which is 370 kilometers, flows southeasterly through west-central Bhutan, drains the Haa, Paro, and Thimphu dzongkhags. Amo chhu, the smallest river system flows through western Bhutan and drains out through border town of  Phuentsholing.

Local government: To meet the requirement of decentralized administration and development activities, Bhutan is divided into 20 dzongkhags each administered by a dzongda who is responsible for civil administration and development activities. A dzongda is assisted by a dzongrab in carrying out the administration. The larger dzongkhags are sub-divided into dungkhags headed by a dungpa. A dzongkhag and dungkhag is sub divided into gewogs administered by a gup. A gewog is further sub divided into chiwogs that is formed by one or a more villages. A chiwog has one mang-mee, a chupen, a tshogpa and other representatives who look after the administration and developmental activities.

In the dzongkhags, the dzongda is assisted in discharging his development functions by the Dzongkhag Yargye Tshogchhung (Dzongkhag Development Committee) which consists of people’s representatives and government officials in the dzongkhags, representing various sectors. At the gewog level, the Gup is assisted in development functions by Gewog Yargye Tshogchhung (Gewog Development Committee).

The GNH concept of development: Bhutan is the only country, pursuing the unique and profound concept of Gross National Happiness. This concept, propounded by His Majesty the King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is the foundation of Bhutan’s approach to development. The ultimate goal of development in Bhutan is to maximize happiness of the people, which takes into account the values of spiritual and emotional needs more than just satisfying material. Gross National Happiness comprises four goals; economic self reliance, environmental preservation, cultural promotion and good governance. These four goals are mutually linked, complementary and consistent. They embody national values, aesthetics and spiritual traditions.

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