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Global Sourcebook for International Data Management
by Graham Rhind
For supplementary information, see links to post office home pages here , to postal code pages here and to other personal name and addressing issues pages here .
Table of Contents |
Note: This section last updated 30th March 2021
1,234.45
(where . indicates the decimal separator and , the thousands separator)
Note: This section last updated 30th March 2021
yyyy-mm-dd
14:32
In Dzongkha, dates and times may also be written with tokens before and between the numbers. For example:
སྤྱི་ལོ་yyyy ཟླ་mm ཚེས་dd
Dzongkha also has a different numeral set to that used in Latin script.
The official language is Dzongkha , spoken by about two thirds of the population in many different dialects. 14 other languages are spoken, the most important being Kebumtamp (250 000 speakers), Nepali (300 000 speakers) and Sharchagpakha (300 000 speakers).
Most Bhutanese names are gender-neutral. Bhutanese society is matriachal and most people only have a given name. Where a person attempts to Westernize their name by taking a second name, this is often the name of the village of birth, but it is not passed on from generation to generation. This has obvious implications for database management and householding methodologies.
Forms of address are not used at all in Bhutan except for the nobility and government ministers.
Note: This section last updated 18th May 2020
Deliveries are mainly to post office boxes.
A standardised addressing format was introduced to Bhutan on 21st February 2010. The formats are:
For urban addresses:
Contact name {Organisation name} {Flat/Apartment/Shop name/number} {Street Name}[, ]{Building Name} {Zone}[ - ]{Sub-zone} Place name[ - ]POSTAL CODE
For example:
For rural addresses:
Contact name {Organisation name} House number Village[, ]Gewog {Zone}[ - ]{Sub-zone} Dhongkhag[ - ]POSTAL CODE
A gewog is a group of villages and a dhongkhag is a district.
For example:
For military addresses:
Contact name Company and Wing information Type of military organisation {Zone}[ - ]{Sub-zone} Place name[ - ]POSTAL CODE
For example:
Wherever possible address components should be written in full, but if this is not possible these abbreviations may be used: Apt for Apartment, Rm for Room, Div. for Division, Dpt. for Department and Shp for Shop.
A table containing information about the relevant position of elements within address blocks can be acquired
Bhutan introduced a 5-digit postal code (known locally as Postcode) on 21st February 2010.
The first digit indicates the Region
The second digit indicates the Dzongkhag (district)
The third digit indicates the Dungkhag (sub-district) within a Dzongkhag (0 if there are none)
The last two digits indicate the delivery point such as a General Post Office (GPO), Post Office (PO) or Community Mail Office (CMOs)
Post codes currently do not exist commencing: 0, 10, 17-20, 23-30, 37-40, 47-99.
Metadata containing postal code formatting rules, exceptions and regular expressions can be acquired
\A(1[1-6][0-9][0-9][0-9]|2[1-2][0-9][0-9][0-9]|3[1-6][0-9][0-9][0-9]|4[1-6][0-9][0-9][0-9]|)\Z
Note: This section last updated 25th July 2014
Refer to Exonyms in Bhutan for full lists of place names in Bhutan in other languages.
Alternate place name forms/postal code tables can be acquired at http://www.grcdi.nl/settlements.htm
Other language place name data can be acquired at http://www.grcdi.nl/otherlanguageplace.htm
Bhutan is divided in 20 dzongkhag (districts):
District | Postal code range |
Bumthang | 320 |
Chhukha/Chukha | 210-211 |
Chirang/Tsirang | 360 |
Daga/Dagana | 350 |
Gasa | 160 |
Ha/Haa | 150 |
Lhuntshi/Lhuentse | 450 |
Mongar | 430 |
Paro | 120 |
Pemagatsel/Pema Gatshel | 440-441 |
Punakha | 130 |
Samdrup Jongkhar | 410-412 |
Samchi/Samtse | 220-222 |
Serpang | 310-311 |
Shemgang/Zhemgang | 340-341 |
Thimphu | 110-111 |
Tashigang/Trashi Gang | 420-421 |
Tashi Yangtse/Trasi Yangtse | 460 |
Tongsa/Trongsa | 330 |
Wangdi Phodrang/Wangdue Phodrang | 140 |
This regions/postal code data can be acquired as a data file
Note: This section last updated 22nd November 2021
Bhutan geographic telephone numbers have single digit area codes (when called from abroad) and subscriber numbers of 6 digits. Mobile numbers have the access code 17 or 77 and a length of 8 digits.
Every effort is made to keep this resource updated. If you find any errors, or have any questions or requests, please don't hesitate to contact the author.
All information copyright Graham Rhind 2024. Any information used should be acknowledged and referenced.