Government

Bhutan's hereditary monarch, the Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King), is assisted by two advisory councils. In 1953 a national assemby (Tshogdu) was created; 35 of its 150 members are appointed by the king, 10 monastic representatives are selected by the ecclesiastical bodies, and the rest are elected by the people; all serve 3-year terms. The national assembly is empowered to select and remove the king and to veto his legislation. The assembly must also give the king a periodic vote of confidence. Political parties are banned; the Bhutan Congress party, led by Nepalese, operates from India. Bhutan is divided into 18 administrative districts.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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