emale: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

7% of GDP (2005)

Government
Bhutan

Country name:

conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form: Bhutan
local long form: Druk Gyalkhap
local short form: Druk Yul

Government type:

in transition to constitutional monarchy; special treaty
relationship with India

Capital:

name: Thimphu
geographic coordinates: 27 29 N, 89 36 E
time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha,
Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro,
Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang,
Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang

Independence:

1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)

National holiday:

National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17
December (1907)

Constitution:

ratified 23 July 2008

Legal system:

based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14
December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the
throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him
head of government: Prime Minister Jigme THINLEY (since 9 April 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the
monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,
five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council
(Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch
elections: the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July
1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch
with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly occurred
in March 2008; the leader of the majority party is nominated as the
prime minister

Legislative branch:

new bicameral Parliament consists of the non-partisan National
Council (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 electoral
districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members nominated
by the King); and the National Assembly (47 seats; members elected
by direct, popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: National Council elections last held on 31 December 2007
and 29 January 2008 (next to be held by December 2012); National
Assemb