BHUTAN, An independent State of India, situated on the southern slope of the Himalayas (Map: India, F 3). It is bounded on the south by Bengal. and on the north and east by Tibet. Some of the mountains attain an altitude of over 16.000 feet. The area is esti mated at 16,000 square miles, and the popula tion at 200,000. Some portions of the territory are fertile, and produce millet, wheat, and rice. The supply, however, is insuffieient to meet the domestic demand. Cattle are reared and consid erable numbers of a peculiar breed of ponies are exported. The manufactures comprise coarse cloths, silks, arms, and the production of musk. The natives are linguistically and physically of Tibetan stock, with some infusion of Aryan, and possibly also of Dravidian blood. Polygamy and polyandry prevail. The common religion is Buddhism in its Lamaii.tic form. with added su perstitions of local origin. The administration of the State consists of a spiritual and ieeular ad mixture, divided between the secular Del Raja, who nominally is elected for a term of three years by the penlops, or magnates, from their midst, but in reality is the nominee of the predominat ing chieftains, and the Dharm Raja, the pre sumed reincarnation of Buddha, who is supposed to interest himself solely with the spiritual control of the State. The capital is Punakha, or
Dosen, a strong natural fortress. Bhutan for merly comprised considerable tracts of territory now included in Bengal and Assam, which have been annexed by the British Government in re taliation for outrages committed by the na tives. After an attack by the natives in 1S65, a punitive expedition was sent by the British Government, with the result that a treaty was concluded with the ruler of Bhutan, by the terms of which he was to receive a subsidy of 50,000 rupees (about $16,000) as a guarantee against further aggression.