People:

The people of Bhutan are known as Drukpas, derived from the name of the country, DRUK YUL, land of the Thunder Dragon. The Drukpas are comprised of a wide range of ethnic mosaic, from the Yak Herders in the High and mighty Bhutan Himalayas to the Lhotsampas of the Southern foothills.

The Population of Bhutan can be categorized into three major ethnic groups. The Ngalops of the west, ngalops are believed to be of Tibetan origin that settled in Western Bhutan before the ninth century. The Sharchops are believed to be the earliest inhabitants of the country. The sharchops of the East are of indo-Mongoloid origin, the question of their descent remains unsolved. The Lhotsampas of the south are of Indo-Aryan stock. Several other minority ethnic groups make up a fraction of the population.

More than 85% of Bhutan’s population lives on subsistence farming, scattered in sparsely populated villages across the rugged mountainous terrain of the Himalayas. One theory to subsistence farming practiced in Bhutan could be because of adherence to the Buddhist belief of limiting desires and producing only what is needed. Rice is the staple diet in the lower valleys and maize, wheat, buckwheat in the higher valleys. The people farm on narrow terraces cut into the slopes of the mountains. Topography largely determines the settlement patterns.

The rugged mountainous terrain and extremes of climate have made the Bhutanese a hardy, well built, independent people, accustomed to hard work. Despite the strong marital spirit which has enabled them to retain their national Independence, Identity and sovereignty over the centuries. Hospitality and a good sense of humour are traditional characters of the Bhutanese people.

Population:

In 1999 the estimated population of Bhutan was 6,57,548 persons. Male figure was 3,32,029 and Female figure was 3,25,519.The population density was 14.1 persons per square kilometer .The growth rate was
3.1%.

Language:

Bhutan’s official language is Dzongkha, a dialect similar to Tibetain, which has acquired many distinctive national characteristics, particularly in pronunciation. Dzongkha is written in classical Ucan script.In schools, English been the medium of instruction since the sixties, while cheokay, classical Dzongkha,is used in traditional and monastic schools. Nepali is spoken in the south.

In respect of the geographic isolation of many of Bhutan’s highland villages, it is not surprising that a number of different dialects have survived. In Eastern Bhutan alone there are atleast 11 dialects, and it is not unusual for people of one region to have difficulty in communicating with those from other region. Dzongkha is still the most widely spoken language in the country.