Factbook
Histoire de Bhoutan — Chronologie
Dates clés de l'histoire de Bhoutan, d'après le Factbook Magna et l'Encyclopédie universelle.
1865After Britain’s victory in the 1865 Duar War, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding land to British India.
1907Independence: 17 December 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king); 8 August 1949 (Treaty of Friendship with India maintains Bhutanese independence).
1907Ugyen WANGCHUCK -- who had served as the de facto ruler of an increasingly unified Bhutan and had improved relations with the British toward the end of the 19th century -- was named king in 1907.
1949Bhutan negotiated a similar arrangement with independent India in 1949.
1971Under a succession of modernizing monarchs beginning in the 1950s, Bhutan joined the UN in 1971 and slowly continued its engagement beyond its borders.
2005In 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the draft of Bhutan's first constitution -- which introduced major democratic reforms -- and held a national referendum for its approval.
2005Languages: Sharchopkha 28%, Dzongkha (official) 24%, Lhotshamkha 22%, other 26% (includes foreign languages) (2005 est.) Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75.3%, Indian- and Nepali-influenced Hinduism 22.1%, other 2.6% (2005 est.) Urban population: 44.4% of total population (2023).
2006The King abdicated the throne in 2006 in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK.
2007In 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty, eliminating the clause that stated that Bhutan would be "guided by" India in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate closely with New Delhi.
2008In 2008, Bhutan held its first parliamentary election in accordance with the constitution.
2013Bhutan experienced a peaceful turnover of power following a parliamentary election in 2013, which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent party.
2018In 2018, the incumbent party again lost the parliamentary election.
2018Major urban areas: 203,000 THIMPHU (capital) (2018) hydropower investments spurring economic development; Gross National Happiness economy; sharp poverty declines; low inflation; strong monetary and fiscal policies; stable currency; fairly resilient response to COVID-19; key economic and strategic relations with India; climate vulnerabilities Inflation: 2.8% (2024 est.).
2023Generation mix — hydroelectricity: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) Energy use: 64.082 million Btu/person (2023 est.).
2023Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism Agriculture: rice, milk, potatoes, root vegetables, maize, oranges, areca nuts, chillies/peppers, pumpkins/squash, carrots/turnips (2023) Electricity access: 100% (2022 est.).
2024In 2024, of the more than 100,000 ethnic Nepali -- predominantly Lhotshampa -- refugees who fled or were forced out of Bhutan in the 1990s, about 6,500 remain displaced in Nepal.
