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Beyond Imagination.
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Travelers' Choice
Beyond Expeditions. Beyond Business.
Beyond Imagination.
Beyond Expeditions. Beyond Business.
Beyond Imagination.
Beyond Expeditions. Beyond Business.
Beyond Imagination.
Bhutan has fewer than a million people, yet within its valleys live many distinct communities, each with its own language, dress and customs. What unites them is a shared monarchy, a common national language and a strong sense of being Bhutanese.
| Population | About 785,000 (official projection for 2025). The 2017 census counted 727,145 people |
| Largest town | Thimphu, the capital, home to over 110,000 people |
| National language | Dzongkha |
| Languages spoken | More than 20, many of them found only in Bhutan |
| Faith | Mostly Vajrayana Buddhist; Hinduism is widely practised in the south |
Ngalop. The people of the western and central valleys, whose ancestors are thought to have come from Tibet many centuries ago. Their language, Dzongkha, became the national language.
Sharchop. The people of the east, often considered the earliest major population of the country. Many speak Tshangla, also called Sharchopkha.
Lhotshampa. “People of the south”, descendants of Nepali-speaking settlers who arrived mainly from the late 19th century onward. Most are Hindu, and Lhotshamkha (Nepali) is widely spoken in southern towns.
Smaller groups. Bhutan is also home to the semi-nomadic Brokpa of Merak and Sakteng, the herders of Laya, the Lepcha and Doya (Lhop) peoples of the south-west, the Monpa of the central forests, and the Kheng and Bumthap communities of central Bhutan, among others.
Dzongkha, meaning “the language of the dzong”, is written in a script derived from classical Tibetan and is used in government, ceremonies and national life. English is the medium of instruction in schools, so most younger Bhutanese speak it well. Hindi is widely understood thanks to Indian films and television. Many people speak three or four languages.
Vajrayana Buddhism is the country’s spiritual heritage. The Drukpa Kagyu school is the official state tradition, and the Nyingma school, closely linked to Guru Rinpoche, is especially strong in central and eastern Bhutan. Hinduism is practised mainly in the south, and the constitution protects freedom of belief.
Bhutan’s population is young, and more people move each year from farms to towns, especially Thimphu and Phuentsholing, for education and work. Many young Bhutanese also study and work abroad, particularly in Australia. Even so, family ties to home villages remain strong, and most people return for festivals, family rituals and the harvest.
Figures are rounded and based on Bhutan’s National Statistics Bureau.