Mental health in Bhutan

Abstract

The Kingdom of Bhutan lies in the folds of the eastern Himalayas, sandwiched between India to the south and China to the north. It has a total area of 38394 km2, which is roughly the size of Switzerland, and a population of a little over 70 0000 (Royal Government of Bhutan, 2002). It is a mountainous country, except for a small flat strip in the southern foothills. The official language is Dzongha, but English is widely spoken. English is the medium of instruction from pre-primary level onwards. In 1999 Bhutan allowed viewing of television and use of the internet, as a step towards modernisation. In the early 20th century, Bhutan came into contact with the British Empire; Bhutan maintains strong bilateral relations with India. Business Week magazine in 2006 rated Bhutan the happiest country in Asia and the eighth happiest in the world, based on a global survey. Bhutan is in fact the only country where happiness is measured in the form of an index, ‘Gross National Happiness’. The main religion practised in the country is Buddhism, with Hinduism as the second most prevalent. The capital and largest city is Thimphu. In 2007, Bhutan made the transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy, and held its first general election in 2008. Bhutan is a member of the United Nations and of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC); it hosted the 16th SAARC summit in April 2010.