December 17: National Day in Bhutan
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of Bhutan.
Map by Peter Hermes Furian / Shutterstock.com.
History Note
Bhutan is a landlocked kingdom located between China and India in the Himalayan region of Asia. The people of Bhutan refer to their country as Druk Yul, “Land of the Thunder Dragon.”
Though surviving historical records are scarce, tradition says that Buddhism arrived in Bhutan in the 7th and 8th centuries AD. A Tibetan lama, a religious and political leader, began introducing the modern structure of Bhutan in the 17th century. Until the 20th century, the country largely resisted foreign influence.
Regional leaders fought for control until Ugyen Wangchuck unified the country under his rule in 1907. His official election as monarch was on December 17, the date now celebrated as National Day in Bhutan. Ugyen Wangchuck’s descendants have ruled ever since. The country became a constitutional monarchy in the 2000s.
Bhutan has a population of about 900,000. The largest ethnic group are the Ngalop, though Nepalis and Indigenous groups make up about half of the population. Buddhism is the official religion and plays a significant role in the country. There is a sizeable Hindu minority.
Buddhist monastery in Bhutan (2024). Photo by DebashisK / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
This video shows footage from Bhutan and features a recording of “Druk Tsenden” (“The Thunder Dragon Kingdom”), the national anthem adopted in 1953. The author of the words may be Dolop Droep Namgay or Dasho Gyaldun Thinley. The music is attributed to Aku Tongmi.
Find more resources at Homeschool History.
