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Bhutan is one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with 79 percent of 672,425 people living in the rural areas.
The kingdom’s independent history explains the nature of its people who are natural, confident, and gentle. Bhutanese people share a good sense of humour and are widely accepting of different cultures.
People from the western region of the country are often referred to as “Ngalops” descendents of Tibetan immigrants who arrived in Bhutan from the 9th century. In the east, are Sharchops, widely believed to be the original inhabitants of the country. To the south are Lhotsmpas, largely descendents of immigrants from Nepal who settle in Bhutan in the 19th century.
Bhutanese people are strongly independents in spirit and outlook. Not ever having been colonized, traditional Bhutanese society was charactersied by small scattered communities living in isolation with little contact with one another. The first motor road was built in Bhutan only in 1961, linking Bhutan to India in the south and eventually developing into a national highway that stretches across the country.
Bhutanese communities, therefore, retain a strong sense of individualism. We have the “Bumthap” or the people from Bumthang, and the “Mandheps” in Trongsa, the Khengpas in the central region of Zhemgang, the nomadic “Layaps” in the North West, the “Brokpas” in the eastern Bhutan villages of Merak and Sakteng, the “Doyas” or “Lhops” in the southern Bhutan of Samtse, and the “Lepchas” in the south.
While Dzongkha is the Bhutan’s national language, and English is widely spoken, Bhutan has registered 10 languages and dialects. This diversity in language and culture is an indication of the cultural richness and heritage of the Bhutan.
People in Bhutan, no matter how simple their rural lives are, have a welcome smile for every visitors or travelers to Bhutan. The Bhutanese people are gracious hosts and treat all visitors as guests. Bhutanese hospitality is even more evident in the rural villages where the local people genuinely welcome visitors or travelers to Bhutan as honoured guests.
Bhutan People
Bhutan is one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with 79 percent of 672,425 people living in the rural areas.
The kingdom’s independent history explains the nature of its people who are natural, confident, and gentle. Bhutanese people share a good sense of humour and are widely accepting of different cultures.
People from the western region of the country are often referred to as “Ngalops” descendents of Tibetan immigrants who arrived in Bhutan from the 9th century. In the east, are Sharchops, widely believed to be the original inhabitants of the country. To the south are Lhotsmpas, largely descendents of immigrants from Nepal who settle in Bhutan in the 19th century.
Bhutanese people are strongly independents in spirit and outlook. Not ever having been colonized, traditional Bhutanese society was charactersied by small scattered communities living in isolation with little contact with one another. The first motor road was built in Bhutan only in 1961, linking Bhutan to India in the south and eventually developing into a national highway that stretches across the country.
Bhutanese communities, therefore, retain a strong sense of individualism. We have the “Bumthap” or the people from Bumthang, and the “Mandheps” in Trongsa, the Khengpas in the central region of Zhemgang, the nomadic “Layaps” in the North West, the “Brokpas” in the eastern Bhutan villages of Merak and Sakteng, the “Doyas” or “Lhops” in the southern Bhutan of Samtse, and the “Lepchas” in the south.
While Dzongkha is the Bhutan’s national language, and English is widely spoken, Bhutan has registered 10 languages and dialects. This diversity in language and culture is an indication of the cultural richness and heritage of the Bhutan.
People in Bhutan, no matter how simple their rural lives are, have a welcome smile for every visitors or travelers to Bhutan. The Bhutanese people are gracious hosts and treat all visitors as guests. Bhutanese hospitality is even more evident in the rural villages where the local people genuinely welcome visitors or travelers to Bhutan as honoured guests.