The history of Bhutan

The history of Bhutan is the history of the territory of the present-day Kingdom of Bhutan. The political history of the country is closely intertwined with its religious history. The predominant religion in Bhutan is Buddhism (75%). Bhutan is one of the few countries that has remained independent throughout its entire history. It has never been conquered, occupied, or dominated by external powers, although such invasions may have occurred in prehistoric times. In 1907, Ugyen Wangchuck became the first king, founding the current royal dynasty, and the day of his coronation on December 17th is celebrated as Bhutan´s National Day. The current king is Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the fifth king in the Wangchuck dynasty, who initiated the adoption of a new constitution in 2008. The new constitution declares the form of government as a constitutional monarchy, with the king as the head of state.