The Land of The Thunder Dragon
The culture name for Bhutan is Bhutanese. While the alternatives name for Bhutan is The Kingdom of Bhutan or Druk-Yul. Druk-Yul means “ The Land of The Thunder Dragon “. Most Bhutanese refer to their homeland as Druk-Yul, the original and still official name. Bhutan the name given to the country by the British is the name used for most official and international business and reference. The name Bhutan may be derived from the ancient Indian term “Bhotania”, which means “end of the land of Bhots” (Tibet).
Bhutanese culture is one of the distinctive cultures in the world. As a tiny country with a very small population the need to preserve culture and tradition is amplified. This unique culture is a means of protecting the sovereignty of the nation. The distinctiveness of the culture and tradition is visible in the everyday life of the Bhutanese. The culture of Bhutan is among the oldest in the world - carefully guarded and well preserved.
PEOPLE: Bhutan essentially has three main ethnic groups: the Sharchop in the east, who originated from the tribes of northern Burma and northeast India; the Ngalops in the west, who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan after migrating from Tibet; and the Lhotsampas in the south, originally belonging to Nepal. The overall population of Bhutan is around 700,000. Bhutan is a rich mosaic of cultures, lifestyles, languages and belief systems. In a country with a population of just over half a million, as many as 19 different dialects and a few languages are spoken. This is attributed to the fact that in the past, Bhutanese communities settled in the valleys with limited communication. It is for the same reason that the sense of individuality and independence emerges as a strong characteristic of the people.
The Bhutanese are, by nature, physically strong and fiercely independent with an open and ready sense of humor. Hospitality is an in-built social value in Bhutan. People wear