According to thereligionfaqs, Bhutan is a country located in the Himalayan Mountains and has a population of around 800,000 people. The vast majority of Bhutan’s population practice Buddhism, with approximately 75% of the population following the Drukpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. This form of Buddhism is closely related to Mahayana Buddhism and emphasizes Vajrayana practices such as meditation and tantric rituals. Additionally, there are small pockets of Hinduism present in Bhutan, primarily among some ethnic groups living in the southern region. Hinduism is believed to have arrived in Bhutan during the 16th century when refugees from India settled in the region. The two religions have coexisted peacefully for centuries and both are respected by Bhutanese citizens. In addition to Buddhism and Hinduism, there are also several animistic beliefs prevalent in Bhutanese society. Animism is an ancient belief system that holds that all aspects of nature possess spiritual power and that there are spiritual forces at work in all aspects of life. Animistic beliefs include ancestor worship, tree worship, mountain worship and other forms of reverence for natural phenomena or spirits associated with them. Such beliefs have been around since ancient times in many parts of Asia but remain particularly strong today in Bhutan where they are often intertwined with Buddhist and Hindu beliefs among certain communities. In 2011, Bhutan was a small, landlocked country in South Asia. It was bordered by India and China and had an estimated population of 708,427 people. The country was divided into four districts: Thimphu, Paro, Punakha and Bumthang. The capital city of Thimphu is the largest city in Bhutan, with a population of around 100,000 people. The main language spoken in Bhutan is Dzongkha and the currency is the Ngultrum. Bhutan has a rich cultural heritage which is reflected in its architecture and art forms such as painting and sculpture. Traditional Bhutanese art forms include thangkas (religious paintings), textiles such as kiras (silk scarves) and rachus (traditional dresses), wood-carving, mask-making and weaving. Buddhism is the main religion practiced in Bhutan but Hinduism also has some adherents. The government promotes Gross National Happiness which emphasizes spiritual development as well as material well-being for its citizens. The economy of Bhutan is largely dependent on agriculture which employs around 75% of the country’s workforce; other industries include hydroelectric power production for export to India and tourism. In 2011, Bhutan began to open up to foreign investment with the establishment of several industrial parks that provide tax incentives for foreign companies setting up business there. The government also launched initiatives to promote entrepreneurship among young people through various training programs designed to foster innovation among budding entrepreneurs. Check philosophynearby for Bhutan in 2019.
Bhutan – the land of the thunder kite Bhutan’s name probably comes from Indian Sanskrit. There, the word Bhu-uttan denotes a high-lying landscape. In fact, the relatively small monarchical state of Bhutan is located on the border between Central and South Asia in the Himalayan area. In the local language, however, one calls Bhutan Druk […]
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Attractions More Attractions In the Paro Valley you can admire the Takstang (»Tiger’s Nest«) monastery, which seems to be glued to the cliff face of a 900 m deep gorge. Further up the hill are the ruins of the fortified monastery of Drukgyul Dzong, which was sadly destroyed by an earthquake in 1954. From here […]
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