The Kingdom of Bhutan

Podcast Transcript

Bhutan is a small country nestled in the heart of the Himalayas.

Best known for its stunning location and its practice of Tibetan Buddhism, Bhutan was one of the most isolated and undeveloped countries in the world.

However, over the last 30 years, it has experienced rapid development and has taken steps to integrate itself into the global community. In the process, they have introduced several policies that are not found anywhere else.

Learn about the history and development of Bhutan on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

There is a good chance that most of you have heard of Bhutan, but probably don’t know much about it. It is seldom in the news, receives very few visitors, and hasn’t had many events that have put it in the history books.

There is a reason why it has traditionally been called the Hermit Kingdom.

Bhutan is a landlocked country located between China to the North and India to the South. The country sits in the heart of the eastern Himalayas. Tall mountains, deep valleys, and fast-paced rivers define the country’s geography. Bhutan’s location makes it the most mountainous country in the world, with 98.8% of its land covered by mountains.

The highest point in Bhutan is Gangkhar Puensum, situated in the northwestern part of the country, on the border with China. The summit is 7,570 meters or 24,836 feet above sea level, making it the 40th highest point on Earth.

This mountain remains the tallest unclimbed mountain in the world. Climbers have attempted four expeditions in the past, all of which failed. Since Bhutan now bans mountaineering, successful ascents seem unlikely anytime soon.

The lowest point in Bhutan is located in the southern part of the country and has an elevation of just 97 meters or 318 feet above sea level.

Most of the 727,000 people in Bhutan reside in the central portion of the country, as it is more accessible and has more arable land compared to the rest of the country. Additionally, the four main rivers within Bhutan are all located within this region, providing fertile river valleys for food production.

Bhutan’s climate varies based on elevation. The northern portions of the country experience an environment similar to that of polar regions, characterized by year-round snow and colder temperatures, whereas the southern part of the country is more sub-tropical.

Bhutan has five different seasons: spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, and winter. The western portion of Bhutan experiences the heaviest monsoon seasons, characterized by high humidity and heavy rainfall.

As for animals in Bhutan, there is a large number of primates such as lemurs and monkeys, as well as species such as the clouded leopard, the snow leopard, the Bengal tiger, the red panda, and the sloth bear.

Much of Bhutan’s early history is shrouded in mystery.

There is evidence that Bhutan was inhabited as early as 2000 BC. Archeological evidence includes tools, remnants of stone structures, elephant tusks, and weapons.

Some theories suggest that the ancient states of Lhomon or Monyul may have been located in modern Bhutan between 500 BC and 600. This originates from ancient Tibetan and Bhutanese chronicles, which spoke of such a state, but it has never been confirmed.

We know that by the 7th century, people were already present in modern Bhutan’s borders, as the Tibetan King Songsten Gampo expanded his empire into Bhutan.

When the empire expanded into Bhutan, two Buddhist temples were created, which were used to promote and spread Tibetan Buddhism.

In the 9th century, Tibet faced a period of political turmoil. Because of the instability, many Tibetan Buddhist monks fled to safety in Bhutan.

Tibetan Buddhism had a profound impact on the country’s historical and political development, as the religion significantly shaped the country’s politics and culture.

In the twelfth century, a Buddhist school called the Drukpa Kagyupa was established. This school played a pivotal role in preserving Tibetan Buddhism as the primary religious practice in Bhutan.

The formation of modern-day Bhutan dates back to the 17th century. This government was founded by a Drukpa monk named Ngawang Namgyal, also known as Zhabdrung Rinpoche.

Drukpa monks in Bhutan practice a form of Tibetan Buddhism founded by a monk named Drukpa Kagyu, who had unusual Buddhist practices. He was nicknamed the “mad monk” due to his more open-minded perspective on enlightenment.

Drukpa Kagyo believed that the constraints many Buddhists held themselves to were too constrictive. He felt that vices like alcohol and sex, which were normally considered taboo, could be embraced by monks.

Ngawang Namgyal arrived in Bhutan in 1616 after leaving Tibet. He had left Tibet after having a vision in which the deities of Bhutan were said to offer him a home. In reality, he was fearful of being arrested following a misunderstanding with religious artifacts, which is why he fled Tibet.

Upon arriving in Bhutan, Ngawang Namgyal began to consolidate power, starting with the Western region of the country before unifying the remainder of Bhutan. For this, he is viewed as the first “great” historical figure of Bhutan.

As a leader, he created a code of law and built a network of forts. These forts helped bring the local lords into a centralized power structure. Within this central power structure, the country was better equipped to defend itself against potential invasions from Tibet.

Although he was a Drupka monk, Ngawang Namgyal still allowed some of the other Buddhist sects to practice. The most notable of which was the Nyingma school.

The Nyingma school differs from the Drupka Kagyo lineage in that it uses the earliest translations of the Buddha’s teachings into Tibetan and emphasizes the traditional path to enlightenment. Today, the Nyingma school accounts for about 30% of Bhutan’s Buddhist monks.

The earliest records of Western countries in Bhutan date back to 1627, when the Portuguese arrived.

The Portuguese were en route to Tibet when they encountered Bhutan. Bhutan and Tibet were at war, so the Portuguese offered to support Bhutan in the conflict. Ngawang Namgyal refused to take the Portuguese up on their offer.

As for Bhutan, they continued to face invasions from Tibet in 1629, 1631, 1639, 1647, and a joint Mongol-Tibetan Invasion attempt in 1643. The invasions were due to Tibet’s fear of Ngawang Namgyal’s popularity.

Unfortunately for Tibet, these invasions were repeatedly thwarted by Ngawang Namgyal. These failures actually made his Drukpa Buddhist practices more popular and strengthened his power.

During Ngawang Namgyal’s rule, he established a dual political system. One head of the political system would be called the Je Khenpo, who would be the main religious authority. The political head was called the Druk Desi. The Druk Desi was responsible for administrative oversight of the country..

Bhutan also had a head of state; the first of which was Ngawang Namgyal himself. They would be the ultimate authority in both state and religious matters.

As for Bhutan’s laws, they were developed around the Buddhist dharma, which serves as the country’s religious foundation. Bhutan’s legal code was known as the Tsa Yig, which remained in place until the 1960s.

Ngawang Namgyal died in 1651 at the age of 57, but the news wasn’t announced to the public until 54 years later. This was due to fear that Bhutan would simply fall apart if his death were made public.

They instead claimed that he was in a religious retreat for that time. Ngawang Namgyal’s brother and stepbrother did most of the leadership duties during this period..

In the early 18th century, the British arrived.

Bhutan and the British faced issues over the principality of Cooch Behar, which is a city located in modern-day India. Bhutan had aided the principality in a past conflict against the Indian Mughals, and so had political influence over the area.

During a succession crisis in the 1770s, the Bhutanese nominee for the throne faced a rival backed by British troops. The city became dependent on the British East India Company, ultimately resulting in the Bhutanese being driven out of town.

The British then went further, launching an invasion of Bhutan. This forced Bhutan to sign a peace treaty with the British East India Company, requiring it to make concessions.

There were plenty of disputes between the Bhutanese and the British. Most of these disputes stemmed from Bhutan’s desire to maintain and protect its independence. This led to military conflicts in 1834 and 1835, resulting in Bhutan temporarily losing some territory.

Conflicts between Bhutan and the British continued throughout the 19th century. However, in the early 20th century, there was a significant improvement in relations primarily due to trade.

Much of the improvement in relations was due to the next major Bhutanese leader, Ugyen Wangchuck, who held the title Druk Gyalpo or “Dragon King.”

Ugyen Wangchuck realized that the dual political system within Bhutan wasn’t working. It was too ineffective at its job to continue.

In 1907, a gathering of government officials, Buddhist monks, and prominent family leaders convened to establish an absolute monarchy, with Ugyen Wangchuck as its leader. He is considered the first King of Bhutan in the Wangchuck dynasty that still rules today.

This actually aligned with British interests as well due to the conflict between China and Tibet. At this time, China, under the Qing Dynasty, had laid claim to Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sikkim in India, a move with which Bhutan resisted.

In exchange for no interference in Bhutan’s internal affairs, Bhutan agreed to take British advice on external relations. It also meant that the British would defend Bhutan against China. This resulted in China backing down from attempting to control Bhutan.

The reign of Ugyen Wangchuck led to the modernization of Bhutan. These reforms led to improved education, Western-style schools, enhanced trade relations, as well as a revitalization of their religious system.

After Ugyen Wangchuck died in 1926, his son assumed the throne. He continued many of the modernization policies of his father, building more schools and roads while simultaneously consolidating power.

The third Bhutanese king, Jigme Dorgi Wangchuck, who ascended to the throne in 1952, continued to modernize the country. One of his first reforms was developing a National Assembly, making the country more of a Constitutional Monarchy. He later reformed the judiciary, separating it from the executive branch, and expanded the power of the prime minister.

Other modern reforms Jigme Dorgi Wangchuck enacted included land reforms, the abolition of both slavery and serfdom, the construction of roads, the declaration of a national language, and the creation of a national museum, library, and archives.

In the 1970s, Bhutan adopted a policy of Gross National Happiness. Rather than focusing solely on material wealth, Bhutan’s government uses Gross National Happiness as a guide for policy decisions and to assess whether development projects genuinely enhance citizens’ quality of life.

However, it has remained controversial because some say it is just a distraction from actual economic growth.

In 1999, Bhutan became one of the last countries in the world to allow television. For the first time, the average Bhutanese was able to see what the rest of the modern world was like.

In 2005 and 2006, Bhutan underwent a transition to democracy, which was unusual because it was a top-down movement rather than a grassroots one.

In December 2005, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck surprised the nation by announcing that Bhutan would transition to a constitutional monarchy with democratic elections. The King argued that Bhutan’s long-term stability required a system not dependent on a single monarch’s personality or wisdom. He wanted to institutionalize good governance before the country faced internal or external crises that might destabilize it.

In December 2006, the king abdicated in favor of his 26-year-old son, Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, to ensure that the new democratic system would begin under the next generation of leadership.

One of the largest aspects of Bhutan’s economy today is its vast hydropower resources. Because they produce so much power, they often have surplus power that they are unable to use or export due to low prices.

To reclaim value from this excess power, in 2019, the country began mining bitcoin.

Reports indicate Bhutan’s mining generates something on the order of 55 to 75 BTC per week using current operations, which, as of today, is worth about $6.8 to $9.3 million per week.

Recent reports suggest that Bhutan has accumulated over 12,000 BTC in reserves, worth around US$1.5 billion, representing a significant portion of the country’s GDP.

Bhutan is an enigma. It is not well known or understood. It remains one of the most traditional countries on Earth, despite its efforts to modernize, and it has few links to the global economy; yet, it is a leader in bitcoin mining.

All of these things makes Bhutan one of the most interesting countries on Earth.