Nepal And Bhutan, Country Studies

478 Pages·1993·33.862 MB·English

by  Federal Research Division

area handbook series
Nepal and Bhutan
country studies

7
o

Nepal and Bhutan
country studies
Federal Research Division
Library of Congress
Edited by
Andrea Matles Savada
Research Completed
September 1991
On the cover: Mountains and monasteries are typical of both
Nepal and Bhutan.
Third Edition, First Printing, 1993.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Nepal and Bhutan : country studies/ Federal Researc—hDivision, Library
of Congress ;—edited by Andrea Matles Savada. 3rd ed.
p. cm. (Area handbook series, ISSN 1057-5294)
(DA pam 550-35)
;
"Supersedes the 1973 edition ofArea handbook for Nepal,
—
Bhutan, and Sikkim written by George L. Harris, et al." T.p.
verso.
"Research completed September 1991."
Includes bibliographical references (pp. 369-393) and index.
ISBN 0-8444-0777-1
1. Nepal. 2. Bhutan. I. Savada, Andrea Matles, 1950- . II.
Library of Congress. Federal Research Division. III. Area hand-
book for Nepal and Bhutan. IV. Series. V. Series: DA pam
;
550-35.
DS491.4.N46 1993 93-12226
954.96—dc20 CIP
Headquarters, Department of the Army
DA Pam 550-35
ForsalebytheSuperintendentofDocuments, U.S. GovernmentPrintingOffice
Washington,D.C 20402
Foreword
This volume is one in a continuing series ofbooks prepared by
the Federal Research Division ofthe Library of Congress under
the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the
Departmentofthe Army. The last page ofthis booklists the other
published studies.
Most books in the series deal with a particular foreign country,
describingand analyzing its political, economic, social, and national
security systems and institutions, and examining the interrelation-
ships of those systems and the ways they are shaped by cultural
factors. Each study iswritten by a multidisciplinary team ofsocial
scientists. The authors seek to provide a basic understanding of
the observed society, striving for a dynamic rather than a static
portrayal. Particular attention is devoted to the people who make
upthe society, theirorigins, dominantbeliefsandvalues, theircom-
mon interests and the issues on which they are divided, the nature
andextent oftheirinvolvementwithnational institutions, andtheir
attitudes toward each other and toward their social system and
political order.
The books represent the analysis ofthe authors and should not
be construed as an expression ofan official United States govern-
ment position, policy, or decision. The authors have sought to
adhere to accepted standards ofscholarly objectivity. Corrections,
additions, and suggestions for changes from readers will be wel-
comed for use in future editions.
Louis R. Mortimer
Chief
Federal Research Division
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C. 20540
iii

Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the various individuals and organi-
zations that provided assistance in the preparation of this book.
Allen W. Thrasher, Asian Division, and Lygia M. Ballantyne and
the staffofthe New Delhi Field Office ofthe Library ofCongress
provided useful and timely research materials from Bhutan. Karl
Ryavec of the Defense Mapping Agency verified hard-to-locate
Nepalese and Bhutanese place-names and spellings. Staff of the
Royal Nepalese Embassy in Washington provided photographs,
statistical data, and the clarification of information. Staff of the
Permanent Mission to the United Nations ofthe Kingdom ofBhu-
tan kindly provided maps, photographs, and documentary infor-
mation on Bhutan.
Special thanks goes to Brian C. Shaw for lending his expertise
on Nepal and Bhutan in serving as reader of the completed
manuscript. Additionally, Thierry Mathou, a memberofthe staff
ofthe Embassy ofFrance in Washington, who is preparinghis own
manuscript on Bhutan, reviewed the Bhutan text and providedhelp-
ful research materials and insights. Gopal Siwkoti, then an attor-
ney with the Washington-based International Human Rights Law
Group, also provided materials and shared his insights on the de-
velopmentofNepalese politics duringthe prodemocracymovement.
Tshering Dorji, director ofthe Department ofTelecommunications
of the Kingdom of Bhutan, graciously allowed the author of the
Bhutan chapter to interview him when he visited the Library of
Congress and reviewed and suggested corrections to the section
on Bhutan's telecommunications. Thanks are also due Ralph K.
Benesch, who oversees the Country Studies/Area Handbook Pro-
gram for the Department of the Army.
Thanks also go to staffmembers ofthe Federal Research Divi-
sion ofthe Library ofCongress who directly assisted with the book.
SandraW. Meditz reviewed the entire manuscript and made use-
ful suggestions; David P. Cabitto prepared the layout and graph-
ics; Marilyn Majeska supervised editing and managed production;
Andrea Merrill provided invaluable assistance in preparingthe ta-
bles; Timothy L. Merrill reviewed the maps and geography and
telecommunications sections; Ly Burnham reviewed sections on
demography; Alberta King provided secondary-source research
J.
assistance in the preparation of Chapter 6 and bibliographic as-
sistance for other chapters; and Izella Watson and Barbara Edg-
erton performed word processing.
v
The following individuals are gratefully acknowledged as well:
Harriett R. Blood forpreparingthe topography and drainage maps;
Barbara Harrison and BeverlyJ Wolpert for editing the body of
.
the book; Catherine Schwartzstein for prepublication editorial
review; Joan C. Cook for preparing the index; Joyce L. Rahim
for word-processing support; and Malinda B. Neale and Linda
Peterson ofthe Printing and Processing Section, Library ofCon-
gress, for phototypesetting, under the direction of Peggy Pixley.
Finally, the authors acknowledge the generosity oftheindividuals
and the public and private agencieswho allowed theirphotographs
to be used in this study.
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