Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form:
Bhutan
Data code:
BT
Type of government:
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Capital:
Thimphu
Administrative divisions:
18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
Independence:
8 August 1949 (from India)
National holiday:
National Day, 17 December (1907) (Ugyen Wangchuck became first hereditary king)
Constitution:
no written constitution or bill of rights
note:
Bhutan uses 1953 Royal decree for the Constitution of the National Assembly
Legal system:
based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
each family has one vote in village-level elections
Executive branch:
Chief of State and Head of Government (Druk Gyalpo):
King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972) is a hereditary monarch
Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde):
was nominated by the king
cabinet:
Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) was appointed by the king
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National Assembly (Tshogdu):
members serve for three years; seats - (150 total, 105 elected from village constituencies, 12 represent religious bodies, and 33 designated by the king to represent government and other secular interests)
Judicial branch:
the Supreme Court of Appeal is the king; High Court, judges appointed by the king
Political parties and leaders:
no legal parties
Other political or pressure groups:
Buddhist clergy; Indian merchant community; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign
International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO
Diplomatic representation in US:
none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by Ugyen TSERING; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US
consulate(s) general:
New York
honorary consulate(s):
San Francisco; Washington, DC
US diplomatic representation:
the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)
Flag:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
