Bhutan Geography Notes (X) Rural and Urban Settlement

Bhutan Geography Notes (X)
Chapter 1
Rural and urban settlement
Meaning of Settlement:-
Settlement means cluster of dwellings of any type or size where human beings live and use the area to
fulfill their needs.
In our country, settlements are generally found in places such as:-
• Relatively gentle hillsides.
• Terraces on the mountain slopes
• Flatter valley bottoms
THREE DIFFERENT PATTERN OF SETTLEMENT IN BHUTAN
1. THE NUCLEATED SETTLEMENT
2. THE DISPERSED SETTLEMENT
3. THE LINEAR SETTLEMENT
1. The Nucleated Settlement

Here, farmers live in close community from where they travel to their farm in the morning
and return mostly at night.
In such settlement, people traditionally 2 to 3 storey houses, so that the ground floor can be
used for livestock.
The ground floor can be used for livestock mainly for four reasons:
• To protect the animals from rain and cold
• To keep away predators such as leopards, wolves, tigers and bears.
• To collect dung for preparing manure for the field
• For economic use of space and labour.
However, nowadays, people realize the health hazards related to keeping livestock in their houses.
Thus, they build separate shelter for animals.
Nucleated settlements are found mainly in regions where winters can be quite harsh.
E.g. in Northern, Central, North western and north-eastern parts of Bhutan
Ura in Bumthang
- In the past they practice seasonal migration.
Copyright © 2014 Karma Dorji JHSS Page 1

2. The Dispersed Settlement
- Dispersed settlement is a pattern of settlement in which houses are scattered over a vast area.
- Here, people built simple, one or two storeyed houses on their isolated farmsteads which may not be
very far from next neighbors.
- The materials used for building houses are mainly bamboo, stones and mud.
Wild banana leaf and thatching grass are commonly used for roofing.
- The animal sheds are building close to individual houses.

- These settlements are found in southern Bhutan, some parts of Kheng and in eastern Bhutan.
- Every village has a temple/monastery often serving as a school and religious centre
- Nowadays, many new features like BHU, agricultural extension unit, a veterinary service unit for
livestock and motorable roads have come up in these settlements.
3 The Linear Settlement
- In the beginning, some people built few temporary huts at the terminal points which later
increases in number and becomes permanent linear settlement.
- Some people began to cultivate along the roadside but majority set up restaurants and shops to
serve both travelers and inhabitants of the area.
 GROWTH OF TOWN
- Town or a city can be a best example of urban centre and one of the chief characteristic of town or
urban centre is the large crowd of people.
- In the olden days (before 1960’s) there were no towns in Bhutan and thus, the only characteristics
of town can be seen occasionally in dzong.
 IMPORTANCE OF DZONG
- Dzong serve as functional points for almost all services provided to people.
- Some parts of the dzongs are devoted to monastic studies.
Some part of dzong serve as temple of different:--

- Saints
- teachers
- deities
- Some rooms or chambers in dzong are used as administrative offices, court of justice, official
residences, storage, granaries and kitchen.
- Dzong also provide defense for the people during war.

- People gather in the dzong mainly during festivals and important ceremonies.
- Majority comes to dzong during festivals to watch dances but some to take part in it and others
like traders and peddlers come for easy trading.
- Gathering of large number of people from different villages in dzong during some festivals is
known as Mi-Thorm

 URBANIZATION
Urbanization refers to a process in which people from rural areas move to urban centers and
their traditional society is transformed.
1. Large crowd of people

2. Tall concrete buildings concentrated in small areas.
3. Criss-cross of streets and the presence of many shopping centers, hotels, restaurants, hospital
and schools.
Rate of Urbanization
- The change over time in the percentage of population living in town is known as Rate of
Urbanization.
- Rate of urbanization have increased drastically. During 19th century, only 1 person out of every
40 people lived in town but by 2000 nearly half of the world’s populations are living in town.
 Urbanization in Bhutan
- Urbanization in Bhutan is a recent phenomenon.
- There was no urbanization in Bhutan until 1960’s.
- The rate of urbanization in Bhutan has been very rapid in Bhutan
Three important factors affecting the establishment and growth of urban centers in Bhutan are:
1. Site and Situation of the place.
2. Increased Service Facilities.
3. Growth of Trade and Transport
In Bhutan, urbanization started mainly from in and around the dzong.
 TYPES OF TOWN / URBAN CENTRE

Based on the functions of the towns, there are four different types of towns existing in our
country. They are:-
 ADMINISTRATIVE TOWN: Mongar
 TRADE TOWN: Phuntsholing
 INDUSTRIAL TOWN: Gomtu
 EDUCATIONAL TOWN: Kanglung
- Thimphu is situated in a narrow valley on the bank of the Wang Chu.

- Development of Thimphu as a Town is very recent.
- Before 1960’s, Thimphu valley consist of terraced field where people cultivated rice
- In the early 1960’s, there were 13 villages in Thimphu.
- Our government turn their focus on the town development only after the completion of
Tashichhodzong’s construction
- Thimphu began to emerge in its present location in 1970, but without any detailed plan to guide
the location of roads and streets, residence and office buildings.

 Functional Zones of Towns
- Interior of most towns and cities of the world can be divided into distinct functional zones.
- Each zone maybe defined by the specific role it plays in the daily activities of the people living or
working there.
 Five functional Zones of any Towns.
1. Central Business District.
2. Residential Area.
3. Industrial Area.
4. Shopping Centres.
5. Recreational Areas.
The Central Business District
(CBD)
Residential zone
Industrial
Area
Shopping
Centres
Recreational Areas

 The Central Business District (CBD)
- The Central Business District (CBD) is centrally located zone of the city which is characterized
by tall buildings, big shopping complexes and administrative offices.
- It has easy access from any part of the city. Many people will set up business here and hence, the
prize of the land will be higher.
There are two CBDs in Thimphu.
1. The Administrative Area in and around the Tashichhodzong.

2. The Commercial District Area around the clock tower.
 Industrial zone is usually located at some distance from actual residential zone.
If you see in this map or in your book page 81, Changzamtok is identified as Industrial zone.

 HIERARCHY OF SETTLEMENT
- It means the organization or arrangement of settlement into successive ranks in ascending or
descending order based on population.
- Example: - The hierarchy of settlement with one or two large cities, some towns and many
villages.
HIERARCHY OF SETTLEMENT
villages
 Central Place
- A settlement which provides goods and services is called a central place.
- The idea of central place was first put forward by the German Geographer, Walter Christaller in
1933 in his theory known as Central Place Theory.
- He tried to explain the relationship between size, function and distribution of towns and cities in
his central place theory.
- Settlement (market place) which provides goods and services to certain number of people is
known as Central Place.
Small
Central Place
- Each settlement is a central place but the goods and services provided will be different at different
central place.
 Difference between the small and large central place.

Catchment
- Small central place provide more general and lower Area
order goods with a small range of choice.
- Large central place offer more specialized and high order goods with greater range of choice.
- Small central place has small Catchment area but larger central place has larger Catchment area.
 Catchment area is an area which depends on central place for its goods and services.
- Each Catchment area has threshold population.
 Threshold population means the minimum number of people needed to support a central place
for it to operate with sufficient profit.
 Thimphu is a larger central place and has larger Catchment area while the Dechencholing is a
small central place and has smaller Catchment area.

 People in urban area are not able to pay taxes.
No proper urban development due to lack of finance in the urban municipality corporation.
 Problems of Urbanisation
1. urban sprawl
- As population increases, built up areas tend to spread out onto the farming lands and beyond, thus
more areas are brought under urban settlement.
2. Social Problems
- People living in tower blocks feel lonely and suffer from mental stress. Improving the traffic system
encourages more vehicles to use the roads. This leads to greater pollution and increased frequency of
accidents which makes the traffic situation even worse.
3. Housing Problems
- Urban centres attract migrants from the village. Thus, more people will be added to the urban
population. The centre will not be able to provide jobs for every person which suffer from proper
earning and thus leads to housing problem.
4. Economic Problems
- An increase in urban population with no improvement in the number of job opportunities will mean
that many people will have little or no income. This leads to economic problems.
5. WASTE DISPOSAL PROBLEM
- Non-degradable waste (tin, plastics, glass etc) which takes hundreds of years to degrade spoils the
quality of land / soil making it unfit for cultivation.
6. Problem of water supply
- Due to rapidly increasing population in urban area, there always exist the problems of water shortage
and water borne diseases.
- Where ever population is concentrated in a small area, diseases caused by untreated water spreads
rapidly, leading to more sickness and even death. Thus, water must be boiled or chlorinated before
drinking.
7. Sewage problem
- Most of the urban areas has sewage problem (esp. sewage produced from human excreta).
- Untreated sewage affects river ecosystem.
- A POLLUTION SURVEY OF THE WANG CHU (FAECAL COLI COUNT PER 100 ML) CARRIED OUT
BY THE STUDENTS OF THIMPHU IN 1992, SHOWED THAT WHERE MORE PEOPLE LIVE,
POLLUTION IN RIVER IS HIGHER.
- Faecal coli are harmful bacteria that come from human faces.

- If the concentration of faecal coli in one millilitre of water is found to be over 10, then the water is
considered polluted and unfit for consumption.
*Green Belt Zone: A green belt zone is an area on the outer edge of the city in which it is illegal to
build. It is thus left as forest or farmland. It is also a boundary beyond which the city does not expand.
*Squatter Settlement: the temporary sheds made of tins, mats and torn clothes where proper
electricity, drinking water and proper sanitation will not be available. These are called squatter
settlement.
CHAPTER 2
AGRICULTURE
(Agro-ecological zonations and Farming Practices)
- Farming and animal husbandry has been the main occupation of our early inhabitants.
- Farming continues to remain as chief supporter of our economy and employment as almost 69.1%
of rural population depends on agriculture as a source of livelihood, employment and income.
- After realizing the importance, our government came out with the agricultural development
policies and programmes during the five year plan of 1961 focusing mainly on sustainable use of
renewable resources linking with environmental conservation and bio-diversity protection.
- Sustainable land management program is one good example which focuses on conserving and
promoting of production potential of our land through proper land management system including
various erosion control methods.
- Other examples of production potential are:-
- Use of high yielding varieties of crops and animals.
- Use of good feed and fodder seed varieties.
- Use of fertilizers and chemicals for controlling insect pest and disease.
- Health care for animals for increasing yield and quality.
- Such a very active developmental activities in the field of agriculture has greatly increased the
speed and process of evolution of our new farming practices.
- Thus, leading to the change of our farming system from traditional subsistence to an active
market oriented farming (commercial farming).
Farming in the past
 In the past, farming is a way of life and livelihood.
 Farming practices were culture inherited from generations. People follow traditional religious
ceremonies for appeasing deities for bountiful harvest rather than adoption of scientific use of
fertilizer, pesticides etc.
- Religious ceremonies performed for appeasing deities for bountiful harvest

- Bartering of goods and services were also common practice in the past.
The Landscape of Bhutan
- Bhutan is situated in the eastern Himalayas at a longitude range of 88°7 minutes east to 92°15
minutes east and latitude range of 26°7 minutes north to 28°4 minutes north.The aerial distance
from north to south is approximately 172 km and from east to west is about 336 km. Within this

latitude range altitude varies from 200 metres above sea level to 7500 metres above sea level at an
average.
- There is great variation of climatic conditions ranging from hot and humid subtropical conditions
in the south to tundra conditions with perpetual snow and ice in the high Himalayas.
- Bhutan also has great diversity of flora and fauna.

- Different vegetation in different climatic belt.
- Bhutan has highly conserved and protected bio-diversity and environment.
- Bhutan has great potential for producing high value crops, such as medicinal and aromatic plants.
- Some important medicinal plants grown in Bhutan are Ruta, Pipiling, Jatig and Yatsra Guenboob.
- Aromatic plants grown in Bhuatan are Honglen, Pangpoi, Lemon grass and Ruta.
- Various vegetables, wild fruits and flowers are also grown in Bhutan.
National Biological Asset Endowment
- Internationally, Bhutan is recognized as one of the hot spot of biodiversity due to the presence of
great diversity of flora and fauna, which many countries have already exploited before knowing
the consequences.
- Health of the environment is directly connected with the human health because we depend
directly on environment for water, air and food.
- After recognizing and appreciating the value of the great diversity that country posses,
government adopted “Middle Path” development philosophy ( i.e. balancing economic return with
the conservation of environment and cultural heritage which is synonyms with sustainable
development).
- Including 46 recorded species of rhododendron Over 700 species of birds and More than 165
species of mammals.
- To safeguard and to promote such diversity, under nature conservation programmes, the
government has set aside 26.23% of the total land area under protected area system and 9% under
biological corridors.
Additionally, the government has also declared that Bhutan will maintain 60% of the total land
area under forest cover at all times to come.

- Such commitments of government will directly ensure the preservation, protection and promotion
of the biodiversity. As a result, the environmental health will be ensured which will provide
aesthetic nature for generation and contribute greatly to the goal of Gross National Happiness.
Farming System in Bhutan
- A farming system is defined as a unique arrangement of farming enterprises that a household

manages according to well-defined practices in response to physical, biological and socio-
economic environment and in accordance with the household goals, preferences and resources.
- A farming system maybe simply defined as managing farm resources in a profitable and
sustainable way under the given condition by the farm household.
Type of farming system in Bhutan

- Type of farming system in Bhutan is highly integrated, substance oriented mixed farming that is
typically characterized by the presence of three main components that includes crops, livestock
and forest resources.
- It also includes the farm household and the environment under which the household functions.
Environment includes socio-cultural and administrative environment and Bio-physical
environment like the landscape, soil and climatic conditions.
- Forest plays as an integral part within our mixed farming by connecting livestock to crop.
- Use of fodder and leaf litter as bedding material.
- Farming communities also use timber, fuel wood and non-timber products from forest.
- Water resources are also directly connected to the sustainable utilization of the forest resources.

- Within a farming system, there are more than one production system operating
Example:-
• Farmers in warm temperate zone will cultivate on wet land, some on dry land, some grow
orchard and some rear livestock and use forest resources.
Based on how land is being used and for what purpose, there are six production systems:
1. Wet land production system

• Here the paddy lands that are irrigated, remains flooded for most part of the growing season.
2. Dry land production system

- Here the lands maybe irrigated or rain fed, but does not remain flooded.
3. Pastoral production system

• Here rearing of livestock predominates with huge area under pasture
4. Tseri production system

• Here people slash / clear and burn bushes and young trees after a period of fallow and
cultivates for 2 to 3 years
5. Orchard production system

• Here people grow orchard plantation as a source of income
6. Forest production system

- Here people use fodder, fuel, timber and non-timber products from forest as a part of the mixed
farming
 The mixed farming system in Bhutan is always combined with different production system.
In many cases, one or few production system predominates in mixed farming.
Production systems prevailing in different zones are greatly influenced by climatic conditions of
the region.
AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONATION
- Based on altitude, rainfall and temperature, six agro-ecological zones are identified in Bhutan.
Different agro-ecological zones have the dominance of particular production system.

1. Alpine
2. Cool Temperate Zone
3. Warm Temperate
Zone
4. Dry Sub-tropical Zone
5. HUMID SUB-TROPICAL ZONE
6.WET SUB-TROPICAL
ZONE
1. Alpine Zone
- Lies in the altitude range of 3600 – 4600 metres above sea level.
- It has annual rainfall less than 650 mm with mean temp.5.5°c.
- Here, pastoral production system dominates with yak as the main source of livelihood to semi-
nomadic people.
- Only high altitude barley, buckwheat, mustard and few vegetables like turnip, radish, potato,
cabbage and cauliflower are grown.
- Herders either barter or sell their yak products to people in lower areas.
- The main areas include Laya and Lunana (Gasa), Merak and Sakteng(Trashigang) and Soe, Naro
and Lingshi (Thimphu).
2. Cool Temperate Zone
- It lies between 2600 – 3600 metres above sea level.
- It has annual rainfall ranging 650 – 850 mm, with maximum temp. 22.3°c and minimum of 0.1°c.
- Here farmers rear both cattle and yaks besides other livestock like sheep and horses.
- Buckwheat, barley, mustard and wheat are traditional crop but potato and apple has become an
important cash crop recently.
- Most crops are grown in kamshing (dry land) but buckwheat and barley are also grown in
pangshing where crops are grown after fallow period of about 2 -8 years. Most of the land are
used for grazing during fallow period.
- The main areas include Haa, Bumthang and Gasa.
3. Warm Temperate Zone

- It lies in the altitude range of 1800 – 2600 metres above sea level and has annual rainfall ranging
between 650 – 850 mm with maximum temp. 23.3°c and minimum temp. 1°c.
- It is the most productive zone of the country.
- A wide variety of crop is grown from paddy in irrigated areas to barley and potatoes on dry land.
- Fruits like apple, pears and peaches and vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, chili, broccoli,
tomatoes etc. are also grown.
- Farmers in this zone use farm machinery and chemical fertilizers besides using livestock as main
source of drought power and manure.
- The main areas in this zone include Paro, Thimphu, Parts of Mongar and Trashiyangtse.
4. Dry Sub-tropical Zone

- Lies in the altitude ranging between 1200 – 1800 metres.
- It has annual rainfall 850 -1200 mm with maximum temp.28.7°c and minimum 3.1°c.
- Here most important cereal crop is maize followed by millet and pulses.
Recently cultivation of fruits and vegetables are gaining importance.
- Lemon grass harvesting was important source of income.
Cattle, pig and poultry rearing are also common.
- Main areas include Punakha, Wangdi, Trashi Yangtse, Trashigang, Lhuentse and Mongar.
5. HUMID SUB-TROPICAL ZONE

- It lies in the altitude of 600 – 1200 metres above sea level.
It has minimum temperature 4.6°c and maximum 33°c with the annual rainfall between 1200 –
2500 mm.
- Here, paddy cultivation dominates due to increase in wetland areas.
- People also grow mandarin orange and cardamom as main cash crops.
Mustard, wheat, pulses and vegetables are also grown in rotation with rice.
- Cattle rearing are also common as fodder is available in abundance.
The main areas are Tsirang, Trashigang, Pema Gatshel, Samtse, Sarpang and Chukha.
6. WET SUB-TROPICAL ZONE
- Lies in the lower altitude of 150 – 600 metres above sea level.
It receives maximum rainfall of about 2500 – 5500 mm with the temp ranging between 11.6°c –
34.6°c.
- Here paddy is the main cereal crop with number of tropical fruits like mandarin orange, mango,
pineapple, banana, guava, etc.
- Areca nut is also grown as cash crop.
Vegetables are grown in autumn or early spring with irrigation.
- Livestock like cattle, sheep and goats are common.
- Use of forest resource/products like timber and num-timber products is common in all the agro-
ecological zones.

Major crops of Bhutan
There are four categories of crops:-
1. Cereals.
2. Legumes and oil seeds.
3. Vegetables
4. Fruit trees
- Among the cereals rice and maize are the most important.
- Potato and chili dominates as cash crop vegetables.
- Among fruits trees, citrus in the subtropical and apple in the temperate.
- The present level of crop yield obtained is much below the production potential of the crop. E.g.
rice and wheat
- In Bhutan rice production is below 3 MT /ha but the world average is above 3 MT/ ha. Same for
wheat. Production potential can be increased by increasing the level of input (quality of fertilizers
and seeds) and adopting new technologies like irrigation, maintaining proper plant density,
management of insect pests, diseases and weeds, use of HYV, etc.
CROPPING PATTERN
- Cropping pattern means distribution or cultivation of crops in time and space.

- In time means crops are grown one after another. E.g. Vegetable after rice.
- In space means growing either single or varieties of crops together in a vast land. E.g. only maize
over the entire land or maize along with beans and potato.
In the arable agriculture sector we have two predominant production systems:
1. The wet land production system
2. The dry land production system
- Rice based cropping pattern where rice is the main crop exist in wet land production system.
- Maize based cropping pattern where maize is the main crop prevails in dry land production
system.
 Rice based cropping pattern

- Other type of rice based cropping pattern are:
1. For high altitude areas:-
a. Rice – Vegetables.
b. Rice – Potato
c. Rice – Fallow
2. For Mid-altitude areas:-
a. Rice – Mustard
b. Rice – Vegetables
c. Rice – Chili / Fallow
3. For low altitude:-
a. Rice – Rice
b. Rice – wheat
c. Rice – chili / legumes

 Maize based cropping pattern
1. For high altitude zones (Drepong, Mongar):-
Maize – Fallow
Maize – Barley
Maize – Mustard
2. For Mid-altitude zones ( Chaskar, Yadi, Mongar)
Maize/Potato – Mustard
Maize – Rajma beans.
Maize/Legume –Mustard.
3. For low altitude zones (Udzrong,T/Gang):-
Maize – Legume (Rajma)
Maize/Millet – Legumes
Maize – Maize
- Orchard / Plantation crops are also grown in combination with other crops.
E.g. apple orchards, fodder grasses, potato, legume crops and chili are grown in combination.
Similarly citrus orchards, maize, chili, legumes and vegetables are grown.
Farming Practices
- At a broader level farming practices include use of agricultural resources like land, water, soil and
inputs like seeds or animal breeds, fertilizers etc. to enhance production.
Distinctively, there are four farming practices:-
1. Livestock farming.
2.Organic farming- farming of forest products like medicinal, aromatic plants and herbs or
farming done without using chemicals.
3. Conventional crop production (including horticulture and cereals crops)
4. Aquaculture-(includes fish farming and farming of aquatic plants).
At a micro-level within the farming system, crop production can be broadly classified into two:-
1. Modern Agriculture.-following the modern concept of Good Agriculture Practice (GAP)
principle for producing quality and safe products by ensuring sustainability.
2. Traditional Agriculture.-following the good old methods of farming with minimum
disturbance to environment.
Limitations
Looking at the geographical and physical structure of our country, it has both strengths and
weaknesses with regard to agricultural production.
Strength:
- Great diversity of flora and fauna (huge potential for exploiting biological resources).
Weaknesses/limitations:
- Posed by geo-physical features.

Example.-cultivation with heavy machineries not possible, the land needed for commercial
production is limited and many other limitations.
Some of the major limitations are:-
a) Socio-cultural limitation:
1. Low level of literacy.
-Not able to take risk for adoption of new technologies.
- To solve it, increase literacy rate (to increase the risk bearing capacity, awareness and want for
information)
2. The subsistence nature of farming.
- Resources at the farm are allocated for various and varied activities
- Limits the focused production in a particular commodity.
3. Inheritance system with regard to land.
-led to land fragmentation.
b. Technological limitation
1. Options available to farmers in various eco-zones.
- Different agro ecological zones have different micro-ecosystem suited to that locality.
- Developing a technology suited to that particular locality is difficult
1. Adoption of technological packages.
- Recommended technological packages for production of crop or rearing livestock are rarely taken
in totality.
- For chili: row-row & plant – plant distance, no. of weeding, no. of fertilizer to be applied during
critical period are seldom followed.
3. Pest causing damages and loss.

- Maximum damage and loss of crops by pest and disease.
- Ways & means of managing such problems are often beyond the affordability of farmers.
- Credit or lending schemes are not favorable.
c. Institutional limitations
1. Availability & access to agricultural inputs.
-Population is spread over mountainous terrain
-Delivery and distribution of agri.inputs like seeds, fertilizers, chemicals, tools and implements is
difficult.
-Problems of getting the needed inputs in time.

2. Access to market for the surplus produce.
- Market and market network (both for internal & external) is still at infancy.
- Farm road construction is a big task.
- Fund mobilization is difficult task.
d. Farm labour issue
1. Rural to urban migration.
- Younger generation move to urban areas.
-rural areas need to develop into a “life and living friendly” environment.
e. Limited environment awareness
1. Manmade disaster.
-environment More landslides and soil erosion due to over grazing, timber extraction and improper
farming practices awareness amongst the rural population is low.
CHAPTER 3
THE GROWTH OF INDUSTRIES
WHAT IS INDUSTRY?
- INDUSTRY CAN BE DEFINED AS THE PRODUCTION OF GOODS FROM RAW MATERIALS
- INDUSTRY CAN ALSO BE DEFINED AS THE PEOPLE AND ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN
PRODUCING A PARTICULAR GOODS, OR IN PROVIDING A PARTICULAR SERVICE
THREE DIFFERENT SECTORS OF INDUSTRY:

1. PRIMARY INDUSTRIES:-
- Those industries which have direct involvement in collecting raw materials. E.g.- agriculture,
forestry and mining
2. SECONDARY INDUSTRIES (MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES): Those industries that
process raw materials, causing it to undergo a physical change. E.g.:- all the large,
medium and small scale industries. Large scale industry. E.g. – BCCL
- Medium scale industry. E.g. – Bhutan Agro-Industry

- Small scale industry. E.g. – Traditional Paper factory
3. TERTIARY ( SERVICE ) INDUSTRIES:

- Those industries which provide service to people are called as Tertiary or Service industry.
E.g- Hotel manager, Doctor, Teacher, Transporter, etc.
 Modern and Pre-Modern Industries

- INDUSTRIES WHICH EXISTED IN BHUTAN BEFORE 1950’S ARE CALLED AS PRE-MODERN
INDUSTRIES AND

- THE INDUSTRIES THAT WERE DEVELOPED AFTER THE CRONATION OF 3RD DRUK GYALPO TO THE
GOLDEN THRONE IN 1952 ARE CALLED AS MODERN INDUSTRIES IN BHUTAN
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MODERN AND PRE-MODERN

INDUSTRIES:
MODERN INDUSTRIES PRE-MODERN INDUSTRIES
1. Goods are manufactured by using 1. Goods are handmade.

machines.
2. Produce general goods. 2. Produce mainly agricultural goods.
3. Produced lager quantity of goods. 3. Produced small quantity of goods.
4. Goods are produced in large or medium 4. Goods are produced in small or cottage
scale industry. industry.
5. Employ more labour. 5. Employ only few labours.
 SOME OF THE COMMON PRE-MODERN INDUSTRIES OF BHUTAN WERE:

1. TEXTILE WORKS.
- HOME BASED TEXTILE WORK HAS BEEN A POPULAR INDUSTRY IN BHUTAN FOR A
LONG TIME.
- MUCH OF THE WORK LIKE SORTING, CLEANING, SPINNING, WEAVING, WAS
PERFORMED BY WOMEN, ALONG WITH MUCH OF THE OTHER FARM WORK.
- THE TYPES OF CLOTHES THEY WOVE DEPENDED ON THE RAW MATERIALS
AVAILABLE. FOR EXAMPLE in high altitude people are ENGAGED IN WOOLEN TEXTILE
PRODUCTION like Merak, Sakteng, Dur, Busa and Sephu.
- People also cultivated cotton as annual crop and thus made cotton clothes in:- Eastern Bhutan
and Kheng valleys.
- People also raised silk worms in Bhutan. And made cloth from raw silk called bura IN
SAMDRUP JONGKHAR AND ORONG
 Home-based textile industry

- Most materials used for weaving was available locally. The yarns and dyes, which are used to
make the cloth and the wood and bamboo for the looms, are also found within Bhutan. The
textile industries in Bhutan are still home based.
- There are two non-home based textile industries in Bhutan and they are located in
Phuntsholing.
- Home-based textile production is mainly for the house holds use and only minimum is sold.
- In spite of stiff competition from cheap factory made cloth, traditional hand-woven cloth has
maintained its great popularity the country.
- The beauty of the intricate patterns has made Bhutanese weaving famous throughout the
world.

2. BAMBOO WORKS.
- People of Kheng use bamboo to make baskets, hats and other useful kitchen items.
- Skilled basket makers can be found in both foothills and the high altitude regions. Making of
bamboo article in foothills.
- People in both the region barter their goods for cereals and other agricultural products with
people from other parts of the country in the past.
- Now, made for sale in markets. Thus, they are available even in market.
- Due to the presence of abundant forest resources, wood work has always been an important
craft of the Bhutanese.
- Different types of wood are used to make tools, containers and decorative items.
Some important wood crafts are:-
- Decorative items, Alter, Cup, Container, Buildings, Agricultural tools.
- Every farmer knows how to make the wooden tools needed on the farm.
- Some specialized crafts people in eastern Bhutan are skilled to use lathes to make beautiful
cups and bowels.
- CUPS CALLED DZA-SHING PHOB, ARE MADE FROM THE NODULES OF POPLAR, MAPLE OR
WORMWOOD.
- Dza-shing phob are very popular among the Bhutanese and such cups cost as much as
ngultrum 5000.
- Other popular kinds of wood work are the decorative wood carvings which embellish
buildings, and the carving of xylographs or printing blocks.
3. Wood Works
TRADITIONAL PAPER (DESHO) WORK
• Desho is the traditional paper made in Bhutan. Paper making in Bhutan is a living tradition.
• It is not known when and who introduced the skill in Bhutan.
• When Samuel Turner visited Bhutan in 1783, he found desho making a well established
tradition and he described desho as the strongest paper he had ever seen.
The biography of Guru Padma Sambhava mentions that during the 8th century A.D, Bhutan exported
desho to Tibet.
- Desho is made from the bark of Daphne, commonly known as “de shing”.
- Two types of Daphne plants grown in Bhutan
- It is a plant with fibrous bark, growing at elevation between 1200 and 3000 metres above sea
level and is found across the entire country.
 Process of making desho paper.

i. First, basts are removed from the Daphne plants and cut into short pieces.
ii. The basts are soaked, cleaned and beaten into a soft pulp.
iii. The pulp is mixed with water and then spread over the mat covered by cotton cloth.
iv. The mat is then shaken from side to side until the pulp is evenly spread.
v. It is then dried by the sun and wind or over metal heater

USE OF DESHO PAPER
- Due to its strong fibre, desho is mainly used for important documents and religious scripts
that need to be preserved for ages.
- Nowadays, it is also used for wrapping parcels and gifts.
- It can also be used for making bags, envelope, books, cards etc.
- Desho making has now assumed a commercial scale in Thimphu and Trashigang.
- No chemicals are used for making desho and thus, it does not cause any environmental
pollution.
IRON AND GOLD SMITHIES
- Tradition of working with iron in Bhutan goes back many centuries.

- Proof or evidence to support.
- During 8th century, Sendha Gyap of Bumthang is said to have built an iron castle at
Chag-khar on the bank of Chamkhar Chu.
- One of the 84 Buddhist Siddhas, known as Drubthob Chagzampa, visited Bhutan in 12th or
13th century, is said to have built seven iron bridges in our country.
- Iron, silver and gold smiths have a long history in Bhutan and their traditions are now deeply
embedded in our culture.
- In our country, crafts such as wood and metal working are considered professional
occupations open to any person with sufficient interest and talent.
- They supplied utensils, tools, weapons and ornaments to people.
- A person who possessed the skills of the all the crafts that have been described so far and
other such as painting, sculpting and carpentry used to earn high regard in our society in the
past.
- They are collectively known as Zorig Chusum (the 13 crafts). Amongst the few who achieved
all the 13 skills were the 15th century saint Pema Lingpa And Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel
- These are also the traditions that all Bhutanese feel proud of and thus they make every
attempt to ensure their continuity.
Modern Industries
- The highway (motor road) made it possible to transport heavy machines from India.
- As road transport has expanded over the past 30 years, the number of factories has grown
steadily.
REASONS FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN BHUTAN ARE:
1. To increase the people’s level of income, this then increases their ability to purchase
goods and services, leading to economic development.
2. To encourage entrepreneurship among as many people as possible.
3. To produce goods of good quality by using local materials, so that they can be sold
abroad.
4. To help reduce our dependence on imported goods.
5. To create jobs for the people who are unemployed.

DISTRIBUTION OF INDUSTRIES:
1. Firstly the national highway helped in transporting bulky machines and raw materials to
the factory site since the highway was first developed in this area.
2. Secondly, the hydroelectric power station at Chukha has become a reliable source of
power to run machines in the factories.
3. Thirdly, the communication facilities are also developed in this region first, which helped
the industrialists to contact partners in different parts of the world.
Bhutan’s two largest industries are 1.Bhutan Board Products Limited (BBPL) at Tala and 2.Bhutan
Carbide and Chemicals Limited (BCCL) at Pasakha.
SERVICE INDUSTRIES
- The industries that creates services rather than tangible objects are called as service industry
e.g.-----
- Service industry is growing quickly throughout Bhutan due to opening of more schools,
shops, banks etc.
- Bhutan’s most important service industries in terms of income are Tourism.
- People travelling for all such purposes have given rise to the industry called Tourism.
- Tourism involves those activities undertaken by people who stay away from home for 24
hours or more on holidays.
Development of tourism mainly depends on three factors:
1. ATTRACTIONS
WHAT IS ATTRACTION?
 SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE.
 Different things attract different people.
 Foreign tourists are attracted to our rich cultural and natural heritage.
 They come to Bhutan to trek through areas of pristine natural beauty as well as to learn about
our unique culture by visiting dzongs, villages, festivals and religious sites.
2. ACCESSIBILITY
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ACCESSIBILITY?
 IT MEANS HOW EASILY ONE CAN REACH TO A PLACE.
 Tourist must be able to get easily from their home country to the area they are visiting within
the limited holidays.
 With the starting of Druk Air, accessibility has been increased esp. from Calcutta, New Delhi,
Dacca, Kathmandu and Bangkok.
3. ADEQUATE SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE

WHAT IS SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE?
 IT INCLUDES ACCOMODATION, FOOD AND TRANSPORT.
 In Thimphu alone there are more than 30 travel agencies and 10 tourist hotels have come up
during the last 20 years further enhancing the service infrastructure.

Impact of tourism
Negative:
1. POLLUTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
2. LOSING OF TRADITIONAL, CULTURAL OR NATIONAL IDENTITY
3. SPREADING OF DISEASES.
Positive:
1. EDUCATING LOCAL COMMUNITIES
2. RECEIVING CHARITY AND DONATIONS
3. DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONS OR FRIENDSHIP
CHAPTER 4
SOURCE OF ENERGY
- POWER MEANS THE ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING OR THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE ENERGY.
ENERGY IN THE EARLY DAYS

- Before the generation of hydro-electricity, our people used dried bamboo torches for outdoor
light and mebchi(pine wood) for indoor light.
- The mebchi gave poor light and produced much smoke which made the homes unhealthy.
- In pre-modern industrial time, humans and animals provided the main source of power.
- Only simple machine like the “lathe” and the “leather bellow” were used during pre-modern
time.
- A woodworker need the help of another person to move the lathe and a blacksmith need to
use his hands to blow the coal fire, using leather bellow.
- Kerosene lanterns were used in schools and offices and even in few villages from 1950s
onwards.
- But transporting kerosene all the way from the border towns to the interior of the country was
difficult and expensive. Because at that time pack animals and people carried all the needed
supplies. The journey sometimes took a very long time.
TYPES OF ENERGY
- We use different types of energy in Bhutan today. We use liquid fossil fuel such as kerosene,
petrol, and diesel. Diesel and petrol are mainly used for vehicles.
- However, in some places diesel is still used to generate electricity.
- Liquid fuels have to be imported from India. They are also difficult and dangerous to
transport.
- Kerosene is used in stoves, room heaters and lamps
- In the past, the main solid fuel we use for cooking and heating is wood.
- In Bhutan, 97 percent of our people depend on wood for heat energy. We are the highest
consumer of fuel wood on a per capita basis in the world.
- In the towns and cities of Bhutan, it has now become popular to cook on gas stoves.
- In 1993 it was reported that in Thimphu more than 100 cylinders of gas were sold each day.
- Gas is cleaner and easier to use than wood or kerosene but the problem are: we have to import
it from India. Gas stoves are more expensive than other types of stoves.
- Energy from water has been in use for a long time in Bhutan. E.g. running prayer wheels and
flour mills.
- Now the energy produced by running water is also being used to make hydro-electricity.

Energy used in Bhutan
-
Generation of electricity
- Though electricity can be produced from a number of different forms of energy but for
Bhutan, water power is the single most important source for electric power.
- In 1982, for example only 3.45 MW of electricity was produced from six micro-hydel power
station and 3.05 MW from seven diesel power stations.
- Now we have 1020 MW Tala HEP, 336 MW Chukha HEP, 64 MW Baso Chu HEP and 60
MW Kuri Chu HEP. But we still have diesel power stations and micro hydel stations
generating power in different parts of our country.
- Without electricity, we have to continue depending on fuel wood and other fossil fuel which
we have to import from India.
Two great advantages of hydro electricity over oil and wood were:
1. It does not emit pollutants into the atmosphere.
2. Running water is a renewable resource available abundantly in nature.
Electricity is useful to us in many different ways
1. It provides heat and light to our houses.

2. It provides light in streets at night
3. It runs machines in offices and factories.

Electricity from Diesel
Generation of electricity from diesel generator has the following disadvantages:
1. It requires constant supervision.

2. The maintenance of generator is difficult.
3. The fuel needs to be imported since our country doesn't produce diesel.
4. Transportation of fuel is expensive.
- But still we have about 16.404 MW of electricity produced from diesel.
Potential of Hydro-Electricity
- Torrential rivers and streams, that drop from an altitude of more than 6000 metres to about
200 metres within a distance of less than a 150 kms., provide us with a great potential source
of energy.
- This has been estimated to be approximately 30,000 MW.
- Hydro-electricity from different power stations is now running our factories, lighting all the
towns and many villages.
- About 27.5% of the total tapped energy is used in Bhutan and the rest (72.5%) is sold to
India.
Hydro-Electric Power
- Hydro-electric power is produced by dropping water from a great height through large pipes
called penstocks.
- When water drops from great heights, it has tremendous force which sets the turbine (rotor )
into motion.
- Field poles are mounted on the rotor, which rotates inside the stator. The movements of the
field posts in the stator produce electricity.
ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF POWER:
Besides running water other alternative sources of energy available in Bhutan are: - wind, solar,
thermal, geo-thermal and bio-gas.
1. Wind energy
- Wind energy has been in our country since from the olden days. People use wind energy
mainly to remove husks from cereals.
- There is a large contrast in temperature between the deeper valleys and the surrounding high
mountains.
- The morning sun warms up the air in the valleys, causing it to expand and rise
- The cold and heavy air rushes down the valley to take the place of the displaced air, creating
strong wind
- These strong winds have great potential source of energy, which can be harnessed to produce
electricity to light many houses through the use of wind mills
- Such strong winds have been used for producing electricity by installing windmill.
- E.g. few years back in Bumthang , one of the resort used to produce electricity by installing
windmill .

- Lots of labour and resources for making and maintaining irrigational channels can be saved
by using this technology.
- Windmills such as one used in Wangdue Phodrang, which draws 2000 gallons of water in an
hour can improve our irrigation system in future as it cost very less in maintenance.
2. SOLAR ENERGY
- Many hill slopes of Bhutan faces south, and are exposed to direct rays of the sun during the
day. Rays are stronger particularly during the summer. Southern, eastern and western regions
are more suitable for tapping solar energy.
- High altitude settlements are not ideal for tapping solar energy because they are often cloudy,
foggy and have little sunshine. E.g. Saktang.
- Solar energy can be trapped by using photovoltaic cell, which then convert it into electricity.
- Although the initial expense is slightly high, they are cheap to maintain and relatively easy to
transport to rural areas.
- A four point photovoltaic system, sufficient to light a house may cost just around Nu.10,000.
- Main parts of 4 point photovoltaic system includes solar penal, controller, storage battery,
bulb and wire.
- Solar energy can be used for heating water for washing purposes, especially in cold places.
- Solar energy has been in use in Bhutan since from ancient times to preserve food such as
meat, vegetables and mushrooms
A new technique has been introduced to improve the traditional system of preserving food.
- This involves a simple dome like container with racks inside it. Meat or mushrooms can be
spread on a tray and kept on the rack. The air inside is heated up as the solar rays are absorbed
by the iron roof. There are outlets below the room through which hot air escapes and an
entrance at the side through which cool air enters.
- The glass panel in the front also helps to heat the air which then flows into it.
3. BIO-GAS
- Bio gas means a gas produced from decayed plant and animal waste. This gas can also be
burned same like any other fuel.
- Almost all Bhutanese households own livestock.
- Thus, enough dung can be collected for individual household to produce gas which can be
used as cooking fuel or to light the house.
Production of bio-gas
- The use of bio-gas is not feasible for settlement above 1000 metres in elevation because the
climate is not warm enough to ensure a constant production and supply of gas.
- The use of bio-gas is more possible in some part of the central valley and in the southern
foothills.
4. Thermal energy
- Thermal energy means the heat energy produced by burning coal or wood.
- Thermal energy means the heat energy produced by burning coal or wood.
- Coal is burned to heat water to produce steam, which turns the turbines to make electricity.
- However, in Bhutan we do not use coal to produce electricity because of the following
reasons.

- 1. Coal is found only in Samdrup Jongkhar dzongkhag and that too only in small area.
- 2. It is non-renewable and exhaustible resource.
- 3. It is difficult to use coal as it produce smoke which pollutes the air.
5. GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
- The hot water and steam from the hot spring can be distributed through pipeline system and
used directly to heat houses or the heat can be used to produce thermal electricity.
- The use of hot springs available in Bhutan as a source of energy is not feasible due to
following reasons:
i. They are small in size.
ii. They are located far away from the main settlement.
iii. They are considered sacred and used mainly for healing our ailing
- Energy produced by harnessing the steams of hot springs and geysers is known as Geothermal
energy.
- Geothermal energy is commonly used in nations like Iceland and New Zealand as an
important source of energy.
FUTURE OF POWER IN BHUTAN
- Power generated from alternative sources will not be sufficient to run industries but are
cheaper to use for domestic purpose, mainly to provide heat and light.
- If we use these alternative sources of energy then we don’t have to depend on fuel wood and
thus the quality of life even in rural areas will be improved.
- The lighting and heating facilities have changed very less in remote places mainly because of
mountains which stand as physical barrier to the construction of large power stations and
power distribution network.
- Some of the nucleated settlements which are close to the roads (e.g. Yadi in Mongar and Ura
in Bumthang ) now have power supplied from micro-hydel power station.
- This is because the construction of micro-hydel stations do not require major road and also
the equipments needed for their construction can be easily transported along the existing
roads.
- For most of the remote villages the alternative source of power like wind or solar is best for
producing heat or light energy.
- Hydro-electricity is also the main source of revenue for our nation.
- With the development of more and more major (macro) power stations our country’s revenue
generated will further increase, which will then lead to further development of our nation and
improving our living standard.
CHAPTER 5
TRADE, TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
- TRADE MEANS A SYSTEM OF EXCHANGING GOODS WITH GOODS OR GOODS WITH

MONEY.
- Trade is an important part of our economic system because it allows us to make use of our
available resources, thus increasing our national wealth.
- Trade transactions have been going on in our country for many years.

- One of the most important items traded in the past was the brown salt from Tibet.
- At that time salt was so expensive that it was traded at par with rice.
- Items of Bhutan taken to Tibet for trading were: rice, wheat flour, dried fruits, desho, barley
flour
- Items from Tibet brought to Bhutan after trading were: silk, brocades, brown salt, jewels
- With India our traders traded handicraft items for metal utensils, sugar and soap.
TRADE TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION ARE INTERLINKED

- Through the communication networks traders acquire information on the demands and
availability of supply of certain goods. This allows them to react immediately to the market
situation
- Trading in the past has been limited.
- Our traders travelled to Tibet in the north and to the northern towns of India in the south.
- Some traders used mule caravans
- But majority travelled on foot carrying goods on their backs, often taking a month to make a
round trip.
- Modern transport system did not exist in Bhutan until the 1960s.
- Due to the rugged, mountainous terrain, our people did not make use of wheels to transport
goods unlike in many other countries.
- People of Bhutan did not use even carts drawn by animals for transporting goods.
- During the monsoon season the hot and humid conditions and malarial infested jungles posed
great threat or difficulties in the southern parts.
- The northern passes into Tibet were sealed off by snow during the long winter.
- In other parts of the year, robbers instilled fear in travelers along these northern routes.
MODERN TRADE
Modern trade involves the exchange of goods with money in large quantities and, is a complex
network of interactions amongst a large number of countries.
BALANCE OF PAYMENT:
• It means the relationship between the amount of money a nation spends abroad and the
income it receives from other nations.
• Balance of payment can be either negative ( unfavourable ) or positive (favourable) for any
nation.
Favourable Balance of Payment:
– Is a situation in trade when the volume of export exceeds import and hence, the amount earned from
exported goods would be higher than the amount paid for imported goods.
When does the balance of payment becomes unfavourable?
The balance of payment becomes unfavourable when the volume of import exceeds the export and the
amount paid on imported goods becomes higher than the amount earned from exported goods.

 Bhutan’s Trade
- India has remained Bhutan’s trading main trading partner since from the last so many years
till today.
- Bhutan’s traders depend on imported goods instead of exporting manufacturing goods.
The main items imported from India are:- FUEL, FOOD ITEMS, BUILDING MATERIALS,
TOILETRIY AND COSMOTICS, MOTORCARS AND MOTORCYCLES, AGRICULTURAL
MACHINERY, MEDICINES, ELECTRICAL GOODS, TEXTILE GOODS.
 Till now the balance of trade has always been negative for Bhutan.
- This means what we are able to sell is far less than what we buy. Thus, the balance of
payment is unfavourable for us.
- At present, we pay out more than what we earn and hence, we have trade deficit.
Our export items are mainly raw materials which are cheaper while our import consist of
finished goods which are expensive.
The main goods imported from Bhutan are:-

- BLOCK BOARD, FOOD, FRUITS, ELECTRIC ENERGY, CEMENT, CARBIDE, TIMBER.
- To reduce this unfavourable trade balance, we need to increase our exports or reduce our
imports.
- We have the potential to increase the exports of some goods in order to improve the balance
of foreign trade that is mainly through the sale of electricity particularly to India.
COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORT
- Before the modernization period in Bhutan, exchange of information and goods depended on
humans and animals. That was a slow process of transportation and communication.
- The revolution of sending information from one place to another began when wireless
communication was established in 1955.
- Second important modern communication used in Bhutan was Telephone which came in early
1960s with the completion of construction of first motorable roads.
- First lines connected from P/ling to Thimphu and Paro, Gelephu with Trongsa and Samdrup
Jongkhar with Trashigang.
- By mid-1960’s telephones were also used by various offices of the Royal Government.
- In 1969, Telegraph service was opened in Phuentsholing and Thimphu to enhance
communication.
- Until the mid-1980’s, wireless, telegraph and telephone were the fastest means of
communication within Bhutan but communication with other countries was mainly through
postal services.
- By 1984, Bhutan was linked with other countries through the Indo-Bhutan micro-wave
telecommunication via India.
- In 1986 telex communication was started in Bhutan.
- Telex means system for sending and receiving typed messages electronically.
- Telex is primarily a point-to-point system that uses a keyboard to transmit typed text over
telephone lines.
- In 1988, the satellite earth station was commissioned in Thimphu giving us more access to the
rest of the world.
- People in Bhutan can now communicate directly with many countries of the world.

- The digital micro-wave system installed in Thimphu marked a revolution in the
communication history of Bhutan.
- In August 1993, the internal telephone network expanded when Thimphu’s telephone links
with Trongsa, Bumthang, Mongar and Trashigang.
Now entire kingdom is connected by telephone.
- The Internet Service and National Television started in Bhutan was started on 2 June, 1999.
- B Mobile service in Nov.2003
Importance of Communication
 Strengthen the social relationship among the people
 Helps in exchange of ideas and knowledge
 Helps in bringing diverse people of the world close together
 Development of trade, commerce and industry
 Helps in carrying out relief operations immediately
 Plays very important role to provide and support health care when distance separates the
participation.
Mass Communication
- It is a type of communication network which can spread information quickly among the
masses across the globe.
- Under the mass communication, the news and information's of the world can be informed to
the masses of the world through the form of media called mass media.
Some of the examples of mass media are:-
- Radio. E.g. radio.
- Television. E.g. BBS Television
- Internet
- Mobile Phone. E.g. B.Mobile
- Newspaper. E.g. Kuensel.
- They are called as Mass Media because these communications reach a very wide audience.
- Mass media spreads information quickly from its point of broadcast or publication to its
audience.
- The speed at which the information travels and the depth of coverage provided on particular
topics or events depends on the form of media used.
Comparison between T.V and Radio

1. One can see as well as listen to the news and other information given in television but
can just listen through radio.
2. Television is mostly used in urban areas or the areas where high volt electricity is
available but radio can be used any where since it is just operated by low volt cells
(battery).
3. Television is expensive but radio is cheap.
4. Televisions are less portable and can be operated with the connection of cable line or disc
but radio are highly portable and do not need any cable connections.
Similarity

1. Both can provide important and current news.
2. Both needs power to run or operate.
3. Both can provide entertainment like music or song besides news and information.
Comparison between Radio and Newspaper
1. News and information given in Print Media/ news paper can be understood only by literate
person but the one given in radio can be understood even by illiterate people.
2. Speed of reaching news and information to the masses through newspaper is slow but the one
given in radio is faster.
3. News paper cannot reach every corner of the country but radio can be heard every where,
even across the border.
4. Besides the written news even visual information like pictures are printed in news paper
which will make the people more clear on the given news but through radio people just get
audio information and had to imagine.
Similarity
1. Both Newspaper and radio gives important and current news.
2. Besides the news, the other important information on health, culture, new technology etc are
provided through both newspaper and radio.
3. Both newspaper and radio are cheaper comparing to other mass media like television and
internet etc.
- In the absence of Mass Media, information is spread through conversation.

For instance, one person tells the news about an archery tournament in Thimphu to two other
people, each of whom tells two more persons and so on. But the process of spreading
information, distance covered and the correctness of the information are limited.
Importance of Mass Media

1. It helps us in understand the world around us.
2. It informs and advises people about new techniques in farming, raising livestock and health
care.
3. It provides us with up-to-date news.
4. It provides us with an enjoyable form of entertainment at the end of the day.
Transport Networks in Bhutan
- Transport is the system in which the passengers and goods move from one place to another.
Three main transport system existing in the world are land (road and railway), water and air
transport.
- There are only two types of mechanized transport system in Bhutan. They are:
1. Road transport
2. Air transport
1. Road transport

- Bhutan depends heavily on the road networks mainly because of being mountainous
landlocked countries.
- The number of vehicles on the roads of Bhutan has been increasing at an alarming rate.
As per 2006, record if all the vehicles in Bhutan including two wheelers were put on the road
at the same time, there would be approximately 8 vehicles for every 1 km of road.
- Bhutan’s entire road network is linked with the Indian road system.
Some of the towns are closest to India and they serve as entry point into Bhutan. These
towns are:-
i. Phuentsholing
ii. Samdrup Jongkhar
iii. Samtse
iv. Gelephu
- Roads from these nodes (towns) proceed into the interior of the country. They follow the river
valleys and connect most of the settlements and districts.
- Although Bhutan has been able to build a substantial network of roads since the first road was
built between Phuentsholing and Thimphu in the early 1960s, the mountainous terrain makes
the cost of transportation very high within the country.
- The average cost of transporting one ton of material for one kilometre was about Nu.8,
whereas it cost about Nu.3 to transport the same amount of material over the same distance in
India.
- Because of the transportation cost added to the final cost of goods sold in market, the prices
of goods are higher in Bhutan.
TRANSPORT EFFICIENCY
- The efficiency of the road network depends on the factors such as:
1. The number of settlements they link.
2. The distance between two settlements.
3. The number of people that use the network.
TWO ELEMENTS IN THE TRANSPORT NETWORK:

1. LINKS
2. NODES
• “LINK” MEANS THE LINE OF TRANSPORT.
• “NODE” MEANS THE JUNCTION WHERE TWO OR MORE ROADS JOIN OR A SETTLEMENT
THROUGH WHICH THE ROAD PASSES.
• e.g. TRONGSA IS A JUNCTION OF THREE HIGHWAYS AND ZHEMGANG IS A SMALL
TOWN ON THE GELEPHU-TRONGSA HIGHWAY. BOTH ARE NODES.
• IF WE DIVIDE THE NUMBER OF LINKS BY NODES, THE ANSWER SHOWS THE
EFFICIENCY OF TRANSPORT NERWORK.
E.g. There are six links and seven nodes between Phuentsholing and Sarpang.

3rd N 4th N 5th N
6th N
2nd N
7th N
1st Node
- The efficiency OF ROAD NETWORK BETWEEN PHUENTSHOLING AND SARPANG =

6/7 or 0.85.
- This measurement is high, and indicates that the road is well connected (have high
efficiency). The higher the value, better connected is the network.
- We can also measure the efficiency of road network in terms of the accessibility, meaning
how easily a node can be approached from another node.
- This can be measured by using the accessibility matrix and index.
- The accessibility matrix shows the number of links between each pair of nodes.
- By adding up the total for each row, we get the total number of links which shows the relative
accessibility of that town or node from other towns in the country. This number is called the
accessibility index.
- The node with the lowest index number is the most easily accessible and the one to which
more people are likely to travel because of short distance.
- The higher the index number, the less accessible a node is, and thus fewer people are likely to
travel as it will be more expensive.

- Thus from the Table we know that Thimphu is the most accessible town from other parts of
the western Bhutan.
IMPACT OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
- Good transport and communication systems help to strengthen and expand trading network.
- People now spend relatively less time to travel in their own localities than they did in the past
due to the existence of road transport. This allows them to move more easily from place to
place and also makes them easier and cheaper for the exchange of goods and information.
- This exchange of goods and information between different places amongst the people,
bringing changes in both the places is called as “spatial interaction”.
- In the past, trade and transport had not developed to a great extent and hence there was little
interaction among the people.
- At present, the transport and communication systems had improved greatly and hence there is
more interactions between people.
- As people interact with those from other regions to trade goods, to see places and to carry out
other business, it brings changes in both the sides in terms of new food habits, clothing and
ideas.
-
CHAPTER 6
PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
WHY DOES POPULATION GROW SO RAPIDLY?
- In 2006, the world population has reached 6.55 billion.

- That day was marked as World Population day, to be an annual reminder that the size of the
population and the rate at which it is increasing are formidable problems for the future of the
world.
- Around 1850, the world population was about 1 billion only, by June 1992, it has reached to
5.48 billion and is expected to reach 7.6 billion sometime in 2020.
- At present the population of the world is growing at an staggering rate of three people per
second. This adds 250,000 people to world every day.
- Three most important factors responsible for increasing rate of population of a country were:
1. Reduction in death rate as a result of better medical facilities and improved standard of
living due to increase in per capita income.
2. Increase in the survival of children due to the availability of better medical care for
mother and babies during and after pregnancy.
3. Beliefs and economic conditions-High rate of illiteracy in many developing countries
where the general. For instance, some people think many children are God’s gift or more
children will bring extra income to the family.
NATURE OF POPLATION GROWTH

- Although the population increased between 1981 and 2006 varies from country to country but
no country has maintained a stable population.
- In countries like China and India the increase has been immense since both had population
increased by more than 100 million during the period.
- Our world is caught in similar population spiral.
- Although many countries have reduced their annual growth rate from more than 2.5 percent
in the 1960s to about less than 2 percent at present, the growth of the population is much
higher because of the sheer size of the population base.
The world population is said to be growing at an exponential rate.
- This means, if the population grows at the rate of 2 percent per year, the total population will
double in in 34 years.
- But if the increase is 3 percent, the doubling period will be only 20 years.
- This is similar to increasing the total amount in a fixed deposit account in the bank where the
compound interest is calculated every year on the gross total.
- The total will grow faster if the capital is large and more slowly if the capital is small.
 The government and people all over the world have been working hard to improve the living
conditions of their people.
 They help to improve living standard by providing:-
i. Better medical facilities
ii. Educational services
iii. Encouraging the development of new farming techniques.
- It is the achievement in these areas that have contributed to the rapid growth of population.
- The death rate has decreased and the birth rate has increased, because people now can afford
better food and medical care.
- Earlier many children used to die before completing one year of age but now many of them
survive.
- Thomas Malthus, who lived in the 18th century, predicted that the population of the earth
would grow faster than its food supply and beyond its carrying capacity.
NATURAL ECOSYSTEM
- Living organism does not exist on their own as individuals or as a single group.
- Their existence depends upon the presence of many other biotic organisms and abiotic
substances.
- Biotic organisms and abiotic substances interact to produce and exchange food and energy for
living organisms to grow within a particular boundary. Such a unit is called an “ecosystem”.
- An ecosystem includes both producers and consumers. Abiotic substances interact with biotic
organism to produce food and energy.
- For instance, light energy from sun interacts with plants to convert carbon dioxide and oxygen
through process called photosynthesis. This makes the plants the producers of food.
- Other living organisms that eat plants are the consumers of carbon dioxide and oxygen.
- Such consumers who get their food from plants directly are called herbivores- e.g. deer.
- There are other consumers who get their food from the flesh of plant eaters are called
carnivores. E.g.- Tiger
- Some consumers eat both plants and flesh and are called omnivores. E.g.- Bear

- When animals and plants die, their bodies are broken down and the nutrients stored in them
are consumed by macro-organisms (e.g. insects) and micro-organism (e.g. bacteria) that
causes decay.
- Nutrients are finally returned to soil through their decay.
- The soil returns the nutrients to the plants, which will be eaten by herbivores.
- Food and energy transformed from one organism to another in an ecological unit is called as
food chain.
Interaction between Humans and Natural Systems
- Biologically, humans are similar to animals and are part of the natural ecosystem.
- Human are the largest gluttonous consumers in the eco system.
- We consume soil nutrients through various types of farming and raw materials.
- Much of our food comes directly from forests in the form of vegetables and herbs
- A large number of wild and domestic animals are the source of food and income for the
human population.
Human cannot survive without the four main elements of the natural environment, which we call
them as Jungwa Zhi. They are:-
i. The soil
ii. The water
iii. The air
iv. Heat energy
- Large forested areas have been cut down to be used as farmland. Such change is deliberate.
- In areas affected by severe landslides, the alder tree or gama shing dominates the vegetation,
as it grow faster than other trees in such places.
- Such changes are accidental because this is not the main intention of the people when they cut
down the trees.
Some of the changes to the natural environment brought by people are listed below:
1. Cutting down forests has sped up soil erosion.
2. Grazing by domestic animals has changed the structure and fertility of soils.
3. Pollution from automobiles and factories and use of fertilizers and pesticides has brought
undesirable changes to the life in:- Air, Water and Ground.
4. The building of large dams
5. Cutting down of extensive areas of forests
6. The emissions from factories have brought changes to the local and global climate.
 In the ancient times, the growth of population was controlled by epidemics, crop failure and
war.
 Over the centuries, humans have developed new technologies to combat natural calamities.
 The human population has grown many times during the last hundred years and its
consumption capacity has also increased greatly over the time.
 DEVELOPMENT IN TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY.

- Development in science and technology has provided a tremendous amount of comfort and
luxury to people.
- Now, people can lengthen their lives with the help of advanced medical services, travel from
one place to another faster than before and adjust their working conditions by heating or
cooling the workplace.
- Even the farm works are done easily and efficiently by machine. A single machine can do the
farm work in a day much more than what we can do in a month. Now machines have made
our work easier, faster and comfortable.
- Traveling from place to place has also been made faster and comfortable by modern
automobiles and planes.
- Although we do not manufacture any vehicles in Bhutan but we import large number of
vehicles.
- The economic appetite of humans can be compared with that of a young caterpillar in our
vegetable garden.
- Today, people build houses not only for their own shelter but also to earn money.
- To build these extra shelters, they ravage the earth, digging out rocks and minerals to
manufacture cement and cut down forest for timber.
- With the help of modern technology, the process of carrying out this work has been made
many times faster.
 IMPACT OF POPULATION ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

- Our earth is like a bus. If the population is about the size it can manage to carry, we live in
prosperity and comfort.
- But if the number grows beyond its carrying capacity, it will collapse in terms of food
production and in terms of its ability to provide shelter and adequate space.
- Through our day to day activities we are unintentionally damaging the environment of the
“bus” on which we are traveling through space.
 THE OZONE DEPLETION

- Harmful short wave radiation (also called ultra-violet rays) from the sun is absorbed by the
ozone and clouds present in the atmosphere. Thus, only solar radiation with longer wave
lengths is allowed through to the earth’s surface.
- Ultra-violet rays are harmful to humans because they can cause skin cancer and also damage
our eyes.
- Although ozone is a very minor substance found usually between 10 – 50 kilometres from
above the earth’s surface, it has tremendous capacity to absorb the ultra-violet rays emitted by
sun.
- This makes it an important shield for all living thing on the earth’s surface and this shield
should not be broken.
- However, recently, scientists studying the ozone layer have discovered the hole in this
protective cover (ozone) above Antarctic.
- This hole is getting larger and areas such as New Zealand and Southern Australia are now
receiving marked increases in ultra-violet radiations.
- An image based on satellite data shows the “hole” in the ozone layer over the Antarctic in
September 2005. Red represents the highest concentrations of ozone within the image, and
blue and purple represent the lowest concentrations.

- Scientist believes this hole in the ozone layer is largely caused by the increased amount of
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that are released into the atmosphere.
- CFCs are a substance used as coolant in refrigerators and air conditioners.
- CFCs are also released when some type of aerosol sprays are used and through the burning of
plastics.
- Once in the atmosphere, the CFCs break down the ozone molecules on contact through
chemical reactions.
CLIMATE CHANGE
- Temperature is an important element of the climate. During the ice age, the temperature was
just 5° C below the present global temperature.
- This decrease in temperature was sufficient to create ice caps in many parts of the earth.
- Combustion of the carbon based fuels, such as coal, petroleum, natural gas and wood is
believed to increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the in the atmosphere.
- In the past, any amount of carbon dioxide released by human activities was transformed into
oxygen by vast cover of vegetation on our earth.
- increased combustion of fuels
- This increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes what has come to be
known as the “Green House Effect”.
- It is called so because carbon dioxide behave like a glass in a green house.
- It allows the short wave radiation of the incoming solar energy to pass through it but, traps the
long wave heat radiation emitted from the earth surface. This causes an increase in the
temperature of the lower layer of the atmosphere.

- The greenhouse effect is like the man sweating because of the heat trapped in the car
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN BHUTAN

- In terms of population and environment, Bhutan at present seems in a much better position
than many countries.
- We still have the natural forest cover more or less in its primary form and population density
is just 16 persons per square kilometres, which is very low compared to many countries.
a) Hydroelectricity, which is the main source of power, does not release pollutants into the
atmosphere.
b) Industrial development is a recent feature in Bhutan and most of the industries are wood-
based, using hydroelectricity as the main source of power. Industrial plants are also very
few in number and not concentrated in a small areas.
c) Most Bhutanese people are governed by Buddhist beliefs, which prevent them from
causing widespread destruction of trees and wildlife. Besides, our rural communities have
not yet picked up the habit of wasteful lifestyles. Thus, use of resources has been slow
and sustainable.
- Nevertheless, there are some practical problems, which will need immediate attentions.
i. Improvement in health services and incomes of the people saved many children from
early death and lengthen our life span, leading to rapid growth of population.
ii. Moreover, many of our farmers own less than 2 hectares of land, which will further
become smaller when farm land is distributed among successive children of the family.
iii. Ruminants such as cattle, sheep, goats and yaks also emit methane gas. If their population
grows, there will be an increased output of methane into atmosphere leading to ozone
depletion.
iv. Bhutan also use too much of forest resources. In 2006, there are as many as 414 wood
based industries.
Our per capita consumption of fuel wood (3.5 cubic metre per annum) is one of the
highest in the world. This would eventually lead to the devastation of forest.
v. Consumption of fossil fuels is also on rise in Bhutan annually, leading to more
atmospheric pollution.
 Sustainable use of the resources simply means sharing them among ourselves and with those
who follow us.
- It is always better to prevent the problems before they occur rather than try to solve them
later.
- Bhutan is presently in a situation where prevention is possible.
- Conservation is one way of preventing possible disaster in future.
SOME POSSIBLE WAYS OF CONSERVING RESOURCES ARE:

• Minimizing family size.
• Following Government Policies. And
• Increasing literacy esp. for women.
More population, more problems

- Reducing family size can be done by delaying marriages or keeping a gap between the first
and second child or having just one to two children and so on.
- Better opportunities for getting jobs and a better place in society.
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
- The Royal Government of Bhutan has worked out programmes and policies which will help
sustainable use of resources.
- The Department of Forestry has estimated that in order to keep the balance between human
activities and the natural environment, 60 percent of the country's geographical area should be
preserved in forest cover at all times.
- In order to achieve the set target, government has come up with policies and acts like:
- The Forest and Nature Conservation Act of 1995.
- The Mines and Mineral Management Act of 1995.
- The Biodiversity Act of 2000
- The Environment Impact Assessment Act of 2000.
- The main purpose of all such acts is to forestall ( prevent ) any negative impact on the natural
environment that would result from economic and developmental activities.
- An environmental trust fund called the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation
(BTFEC) is already in operation, supporting education programs in the country.
- It was started in 1991 with an initial amount of 10 million US dollars contributed by WWF,
World Bank/Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Government of Netherlands, Norway
and our own contribution in it.
- Now it has grown to 30 million US dollar and the investment income from this principal is
used to fund conservation of the environment and educational program related to
environment.
- It also help us to set up parks and programmes to increase the awareness of the public
regarding the importance of environment.
- The Government has reserved as much as 26 percent of the country as protected areas and
another 9 percent as biological corridors for the preservation of Bhutan’s wildlife and
biodiversity.
- It is said: “If you educate a man, you educate a member of the family. But if you educate a
woman, you educate the whole family”.
- Awareness of the environment and the impact of various activities on natural environment can
be made possible only through education.
- Education is the most effective tool for reshaping our minds and attitude.
- It is through education that we will come to realize how important nature is to our very
survival.
- The density of population is not the criterion to rate a country rich or poor.
- A country is poor and overpopulated when the resources available cannot support the existing
population, in spite of low density.
- But rich if they have more resources to support the existing population, in spite of high
population density.
- Bhutan’s density may be low, but the resources are limited and we are still developing. We
have no reason to be complacent.

- All the knowledge you have learned on environment and human interaction should be used
while making any decision.
- Remember, what you do at present will greatly affect the well being of our future generations.

Bhutan Geography Notes (X) Rural and Urban Settlement

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Bhutan Geography Notes (X)

Rural and urban settlement

In our country, settlements are generally found in places such as:-

• Relatively gentle hillsides.

• Terraces on the mountain slopes

• Flatter valley bottoms

THREE DIFFERENT PATTERN OF SETTLEMENT IN BHUTAN

1. THE NUCLEATED SETTLEMENT

2. THE DISPERSED SETTLEMENT

3. THE LINEAR SETTLEMENT

1. The Nucleated Settlement

• To protect the animals from rain and cold

• To keep away predators such as leopards, wolves, tigers and bears.

• To collect dung for preparing manure for the field

• For economic use of space and labour.

E.g. in Northern, Central, North western and north-eastern parts of Bhutan

- In the past they practice seasonal migration.

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- The animal sheds are building close to individual houses.

3 The Linear Settlement

Some part of dzong serve as temple of different:--

- Dzong also provide defense for the people during war.

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1. Large crowd of people

1. Site and Situation of the place.

2. Increased Service Facilities.

3. Growth of Trade and Transport

In Bhutan, urbanization started mainly from in and around the dzong.

 TYPES OF TOWN / URBAN CENTRE

- Thimphu is situated in a narrow valley on the bank of the Wang Chu.

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The Central Business District

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There are two CBDs in Thimphu.

1. The Administrative Area in and around the Tashichhodzong.

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 Difference between the small and large central place.

- Each Catchment area has threshold population.

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5. WASTE DISPOSAL PROBLEM

6. Problem of water supply

- Untreated sewage affects river ecosystem.

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Farming in the past

 In the past, farming is a way of life and livelihood.

- Religious ceremonies performed for appeasing deities for bountiful harvest

The Landscape of Bhutan

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- Bhutan also has great diversity of flora and fauna.

National Biological Asset Endowment

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Farming System in Bhutan

- A farming system is defined as a unique arrangement of farming enterprises that a household

Type of farming system in Bhutan

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1. Wet land production system

2. Dry land production system

3. Pastoral production system

4. Tseri production system

5. Orchard production system

6. Forest production system

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2. Cool Temperate Zone