The Socio-Economic and Historical Background of the Nepalese in Bhutan
Bhutan is a small land locked Himalayan kingdom located between Tibet to the north and India to the south, east and west, with a population of less than 800,000. The geographical features have highly influenced the settlement pattern of the people. So, the people live scattered around in the valleys and hills across the country. During the ancient times, the country was known by several names, but from 17th century it was known as Bhutan to the outside world.1The country practice Tibetan Buddhism from 7th century, Hinduism came along with the immigrant Nepalese form 1865 and Christianity began to grow in minimal rates since the 1960s. Historically, scholars have agreed that the people in Nepal have come in migratory waves from her two great neighbouring countries Tibet and India, while Nepal became the meeting ground. The Nepalese includes not only the people who are inside Nepal but also descendants of Nepalese who may not have ever visited their fore-father’s origin place, regardless of their birth place or citizenship.
