Was Bhutan a Colony Prior to Independence? Did It Exist As Part of An Empire?

While compiling information for this blog, I began to wonder about Bhutan’s history as a country…Was it ever part of the British Indian Empire or the Chinese empire, due to its placement between these two countries? Was it ever conquered by another country or has it always existed as the independent country of Bhutan? Interestingly enough, through my research, I discovered that Bhutan is one of the only countries in the world that has remained independent throughout its history. Thus, Bhutan has never been conquered or colonized, and it was never considered part of the Indian or the Chinese empire. I also found out that Bhutan has been in existence since the 1600s, and it was unified as one country by a Tibetan leader who sought refuge in Bhutan in 1616, and it was at this time that the first form of government was established. This first form of government was a dual form under which control of the country was shared by an administrative leader and a spiritual leader. However, in 1907, monarchy replaced this initial form of dual government, and the first King of Bhutan was crowned in this year. In the 1960s, the Bhutanese government implemented several initiatives to further develop the country, including expanding trade with India and expanding social services and education throughout the country. Bhutan officially became a member if the United Nations in 1971. So, there you have it, a brief history of Bhutan as a country!