COUNTRY BACKGROUND - Gross National Happiness Commission

I. Basic Situation
A. Settlement Patterns
CHAPTER 14
HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
14.1 It is estimated that 90% of Bhutan's population of 600,000 lives in rural areas, although no studies on rural
and urban populations have been undertaken to date. No survey has ever been carried out to establish the pace of
urbanization or the rate of rural-urban migration. A clear methodology on the distinction between rural and urban
settlements remains to be developed in the context of Bhutan. Without a well developed methodology and regular
census focused on rural and urban settlements, such estimates of rural population mentioned above are mere
approximations.
Rural Settlements
14.2 In general, rural houses are highly scattered. The dispersal of houses has many advantages for the households
in terms of proximity of arable and grazing land, and forest areas for the collection of firewood. However, this
increases the per capita cost of providing social services by the Government. Settlements are more clustered in colder
alpine regions than in the sub-tropical parts of country. The houses on average tend to be bigger in Central and
Western Bhutan than in other parts of the country due to climatic and historical reasons as well as availability of
building materials. The rural houses are built with a strong emphasis on traditional architecture. The average size of
the houses in rural areas ranges between 600 to 900 sq ft and are mostly 2 storeys high. The upper storey is used for
living and the lower storey is used in most of the cases for storage of equipments and keeping domestic animals.
Timber, mud and stone are predominant building materials. Carpenters and masons are responsible for the design of
houses, and the estimation of required construction materials. The reliance on contribution of community labour for
the construction of houses as well as subsidy on timber for the construction of rural houses enables people to build
large houses. This kind of mutual help arrangement is crucial for construction of houses because of a lack of rural
credit facilities.
14.3 It is estimated that village size varies from 2 houses to 100 houses and the average village consists of about
43 houses. Each house is usually occupied by one household. Assuming that there are 8.5 members per household,
the number of households or housing stock can be estimated as approximately 70,000.
Urban Settlements
14.4 Urban settlements for taxation purposes are classified as having a population between 500 and 25,000. In
1989, 32 urban centres were classified as towns, including Thimphu and Phuntsholing (see Map 14.1 Towns and
Roads). Urban housing is characterised by a large proportion of rented accommodation, although this situation has
changed with the introduction of a new housing policy for RGOB civil servants in 1988. Civil servants are now paid
a housing allowance as part of their salaries, whereas the Government had previously paid the allowance directly to
the landlord. This has resulted in a decreased demand for rented accommodation, with public servants reducing their
expenditure on housing. The urban areas, particularly Thimphu, are also characterised by a fairly large proportion of
informal sector houses or huts, for foreign and national manual workers. The Thimphu City Corporation demolished
237 of these dwellings in 1990.
B. Cadastral and topographical surveys
14.5 Land records form the biggest body of official written information in Bhutan. A system of land records was
introduced as early as the 17th century with the issuing of land record documents known as Mathram Chems (a land
certificate with a red seal issued by the highest authority). The Land Revenue Survey Division began its first ever
cadastral survey (survey of boundaries of individual land holdings, collection of information on rights of ownership
and landuse) in Paro Dzongkhag using modern techniques. Until then plots were measured using Chain Surveys.
Since 1980, the Division has completed cadastral surveys in Paro, Chirang, Bumthang, Samchi, Geylegphug and
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