Bhutan is officially called the Kingdom of Bhutan.
Bhutan is a landlocked Himalayan kingdom located between India and China. Its constitutional name, the Kingdom of Bhutan, reflects its political system: the country is a constitutional monarchy headed by a hereditary Druk Gyalpo, or “Dragon King.” The capital is Thimphu, which is also the country’s largest urban center.
The name Bhutan is commonly linked to historical Sanskrit and Tibetan descriptions of the Himalayan region, although the country’s traditional name, Druk Yul, means “Land of the Thunder Dragon.” The dragon is a central national symbol and appears on Bhutan’s flag. Bhutan’s national identity also draws heavily on Tibetan Buddhist traditions and distinctive architecture, dress, and cultural festivals.
A common mix-up is confusing Bhutan with Nepal, another Himalayan country. Nepal is a federal democratic republic, whereas Bhutan remains a constitutional monarchy. Bhutan changed from an absolute monarchy toward parliamentary democracy in the early 2000s, and it held its first parliamentary elections in 2008.