Mongar Gewog

Kuri-Gongri Hydropower Project

The 2,640 MW Kuri-Gongri Hydropower Project is a planned reservoir-based hydropower scheme on the Kuri Chhu and Gongri Chhu in eastern Bhutan, currently in extended planning. Originally conceived in the 2008 India–Bhutan agreement to develop 10,000 MW by 2020, the project has been redesigned from run-of-river to reservoir, with the most recent Detailed Project Report estimating capital costs of approximately Nu 306–307 billion. As of mid-2025 no construction agreement has been signed.

SIM Cards and Internet Access for Visitors to Bhutan

A practical guide for tourists visiting Bhutan on obtaining SIM cards, choosing between B-Mobile and TashiCell, data plan options, WiFi availability, and mobile coverage across the country including rural and trekking areas.

Druk Green Power Corporation

Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) is a state-owned enterprise of Bhutan responsible for operating and managing the country's major hydropower plants. Established in 2008, DGPC is Bhutan's largest revenue-generating entity and plays a central role in the national economy through the export of surplus electricity, primarily to India.

Dramitse Ngacham (Drum Dance of Dramitse)

Dramitse Ngacham is a sacred drum dance originating from the Dramitse monastery in eastern Bhutan. Inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008, it is one of the most celebrated cham dances in Bhutan, featuring sixteen dancers wearing animal masks and playing large frame drums.

PEMA — Secretariat for Mental Health and Wellness

The PEMA — His Majesty's Secretariat for the Promotion of Mental Health and Wellness — is an autonomous body inaugurated in June 2022 by Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema. It coordinates mental-health policy across ministries and is the parent body of a planned 60-bed mental-health hospital and 200-bed national rehabilitation centre in Thimphu.

Kinley Dorji

Dasho Kinley Dorji is Bhutan's first professionally trained journalist and the longtime editor-in-chief of Kuensel, the national newspaper. A graduate of Columbia University's journalism program, he shaped Bhutanese media over three decades and later served as Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications.

2024 Bhutanese National Assembly Election

The 2023–24 Bhutanese National Assembly election was the fourth general election held under the 2008 Constitution. The primary round on 30 November 2023 eliminated both former governing parties DPT and DNT; the general round on 9 January 2024 returned the People’s Democratic Party to power with 30 of 47 seats, restoring Tshering Tobgay as Prime Minister for a second, non-consecutive term.

Dungkhag Courts of Bhutan

The Dungkhag Courts are the lowest tier of Bhutan's four-level formal judiciary, functioning as sub-district trial courts of first instance in selected dungkhags (sub-districts) below the twenty dzongkhag courts.

Nyingma Tradition in Bhutan

The Nyingma school, the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, has deep roots in Bhutan through the legacy of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) and the great treasure revealer Pema Lingpa. Particularly prevalent in eastern Bhutan, the Nyingma tradition coexists with the state Drukpa Kagyu school and is constitutionally recognised as part of the nation's spiritual heritage.

Buddhism in Bhutan

Buddhism is the state religion of Bhutan, practised by approximately 75 percent of the population. The Drukpa Kagyu school of Vajrayana Buddhism is the dominant tradition, with the Nyingma school also widely practised. Buddhism permeates every aspect of Bhutanese society, governance, architecture, festivals, and daily life.

Hor Technique

Hor is a supplementary weft weaving technique from eastern Bhutan that produces bold, geometric patterns in contrasting colours. Distinct from the finer kushuthara brocade, hor textiles are characterised by larger pattern units and a more graphic visual style.

Pema Gatshel Town

Pema Gatshel Town is the administrative capital of Pema Gatshel District in southeastern Bhutan, known as the "Land of the Lotus." Situated at approximately 1,700 metres elevation on a mountain ridge, the small town is home to Pema Gatshel Dzong and serves as the hub for one of the more isolated districts in eastern Bhutan.

Trashi Yangtse District

Trashi Yangtse District (Dzongkha: བཀྲ་ཤིས་གཡང་རྩེ་རྫོང་ཁག) is a district in northeastern Bhutan, carved out of Trashigang District in 1992. It is renowned for Chorten Kora, one of Bhutan's most sacred Buddhist monuments, and for its thriving tradition of wooden bowl and container craftsmanship.

Ministry of Health (Bhutan)

The Ministry of Health (MoH) is the ministry of the Royal Government of Bhutan responsible for the public-health system, the three-tier referral network, traditional Sowa Rigpa medicine, and the regulatory framework for medicines and food safety. Free essential health care is a constitutional commitment under Article 9 of the 2008 Constitution.

Trashi Yangtse Town

Trashi Yangtse Town is the administrative capital of Trashi Yangtse District in far-eastern Bhutan, famous for the magnificent Chorten Kora stupa, traditional wood-turning and handmade paper crafts, and its proximity to the Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary where endangered black-necked cranes winter.

First Hospital in Bhutan

The first modern hospital in Bhutan opened in Thimphu in the 1950s, growing out of a single-room dispensary and establishing the foundation for a healthcare system that today provides free medical services to all Bhutanese citizens.

Thimphu and the question of traffic lights

The story of why Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, has no functioning traffic lights, including the brief mid-1990s installation at the Norzin Lam junction, the public reaction that led to its removal, and the use of a hand-signalling traffic policeman as the city's central traffic-control system today.

Ethnic Groups of Bhutan

Bhutan is home to several distinct ethnic groups, principally the Ngalop of the western highlands, the Sharchop of the east, and the Lhotshampa of the southern foothills. Smaller indigenous communities, including the Kheng, Bumthap, and nomadic Brokpa, contribute to a diverse social fabric shaped by geography, migration, and state policy.

Thirteenth Five-Year Plan of Bhutan (2024–2029)

The Thirteenth Five-Year Plan (13th FYP) of Bhutan covers the period 2024-2029 under the theme of "Narrowing the Gap." It represents Bhutan's first development plan after graduating from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in December 2023, and outlines strategies for economic diversification, youth employment, sustainable development, and managing the transition from concessional international financing.

Traditional Architecture of Bhutan: A Guide

Bhutanese traditional architecture encompasses a distinctive building tradition characterised by rammed earth and timber construction, elaborately carved wooden windows (rabsel), sloping roofs, and symbolic decorative elements rooted in Buddhist cosmology. A national building code requires that all new construction — including modern commercial and government buildings — incorporate traditional architectural elements, making Bhutan one of the few countries in the world where vernacular building traditions are legally mandated. Regional variations between western, central, and eastern Bhutan reflect different climatic conditions, available materials, and cultural influences, while modern adaptations seek to reconcile traditional aesthetics with contemporary functional requirements.