The Druk Gyalpo is the head of state of the Kingdom of Bhutan. In the Dzongkha language, Bhutan is known as Drukyul which translates as "The Land of the Thunder Dragon". Thus, while kings of Bhutan are known as Druk Gyalpo, the Bhutanese people call themselves the Drukpa, meaning "people of Druk (Bhutan)".
King of Bhutan
Image: Ugyen Wangchuck, 1905 (cropped)
Image: Bhutan Jigme Wangchuck
Image: 4th King of Bhutan, HM Jigme Singye Wangchuck at a Royal Banquet, at the Taschichhodzong, in Thimphu, Bhutan
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia situated in the Eastern Himalayas between China in the north and India in the south. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of 38,394 square kilometres (14,824 sq mi), Bhutan ranks 133rd in land area and 160th in population. Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy with a king as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government. Vajrayana Buddhism is the state religion and the Je Khenpo is the head of the state religion.
The dzong in the Paro valley, built in 1646
The Portuguese cannons in the National museum of Paro.
Trashigang Dzong, built in 1659
Sketch of Bhutan's interior, 1783