COUNTRY BACKGROUND - Gross National Happiness Commission

COUNTRY BACKGROUND
personnel policies in the civil service. The civil service strength was 11,228 as of late 1991 (see Chapter 12).
The country is divided into 18 Dzongkhags (see Map 1.V : Bhutan Administrative Map ) During the
7th Plan, Tashigang dzongkhag may be split into two Dzongkhags namely Tashigang and Tashi Yangtsi.
Larger Dzongkhags are sub-divided into Dungkhags (sub-districts). The Dzongkhags, and where they exist
Dungkhags, are further sub-divided into 191 gewogs (blocks). Dzongkhags are governed by Dzongdags and
Dungkhags by Dungpas. Gewogs are administered by Gups who are elected by the community. The Gups
assist the Dzongdags and Dungpas in collection of taxes, mobilization of labour for community services and
public construction, settlement of disputes and many other local activities including implementation of some
development programmes.
Five dzongkhags in Eastern Bhutan, namely Tashigang, Samdrup Jongkhar, Mongar, Pema Gatshel
and Lhuntsi are grouped under Zone IV which is headed by the Zonal Administrator, based in Yongphula. The
Zonal Administration has sectoral officers who co-ordinate, plan, and monitor the activities in the zone. The
Zonal Administration was established to enhance the process of decentralisation, begun in 1981.
Bhutan's legal system was previously based on codes laid down by spiritual rulers in the 17th century.
The present laws as they exist in Thrimshung Chenmo (Supreme Laws) were legislated by the Tshogdu
(National Assembly) in 1957 under the aegis of His Late Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (1928-1971), the
Third King. Disputes are usually settled by Gups. Disputes which fail to be resolved out of the court by the
Gups go to the District Courts. Each Dzongkhag has a court head by a Thrimpon. A Dzongkhag court has
both original and appellate jurisdictions. The next level of jurisdiction is the High Court in Thimphu. (see
Chapter 21)
VI. Constraints to Development
Since the 1960s, the Royal Government has recognised that Bhutan's economic future is linked to its
neighbours and to the world economy. Having abandoned a strategy of self-isolation, Bhutan now looks to
increasing economic interaction with other countries as an avenue for development. The development of
Bhutanese economy is however constrained by several factors:
a) Bhutan is geographically isolated from other countries in the region being a landlocked country, and is
distant from the nearest sea port in Calcutta, India. This isolation makes the transport of goods into and from
Bhutan costly.
b) Because of the extremely mountainous terrain, the area of land which is suitable for agricultural production