_____ _____ Bhutan

Global Sourcebook for International Data Management

                                         by Graham Rhind

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Bhutan

Global Sourcebook | Index | Properties

BHUTAN
BHUTAN

For supplementary information, see links to post office home pages here External, to postal code pages here External and to other personal name and addressing issues pages here External.

Table of Contents

Bhutan - Country information

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Local short name form

Official name

Area

Population

727 145 (2017) [1]

Capital

Currency

International telephone access code

975

ISO 3166 country codes

Car nationality plate code

BT

Internet country code

BT

GRC Country Code

BHU

Bhutan - Number format

   Note: This section last updated 30th March 2021
   1,234.45

(where . indicates the decimal separator and , the thousands separator)

Bhutan - Date and time formats

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   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.

Bhutan - Languages

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The official language is Dzongkha External, spoken by about two thirds of the population in many different dialects. 14 other languages are spoken, the most important being Kebumtamp External (250 000 speakers), Nepali External (300 000 speakers) and Sharchagpakha External (300 000 speakers).

Personal names and forms of address in Bhutan

imageimage

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.

Bhutan - Example address format

image

   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:

image

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:

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For military addresses:

   Contact name
   Company and Wing information
   Type of military organisation
   {Zone}[ - ]{Sub-zone}
   Place name[ - ]POSTAL CODE

For example:

image

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 External

Bhutan - Postal Codes

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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 External

Bhutan - Postal code format graphic

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Bhutan - Postal code format

Bhutan - Postal code specifics

Bhutan - Postal code regular expression

\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

Bhutan - Postal code level of coverage

2

Bhutan - Postal code map

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Click on the map for a larger image

Place names in Bhutan

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   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 External
   Other language place name data can be acquired at http://www.grcdi.nl/otherlanguageplace.htm External

Bhutan - Administrative districts

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Bhutan is divided in 20 dzongkhag External (districts):

District Postal code range
Bumthang External 320
Chhukha/Chukha External 210-211
Chirang/Tsirang External 360
Daga/Dagana External 350
Gasa External 160
Ha/Haa External 150
Lhuntshi/Lhuentse External 450
Mongar External 430
Paro External 120
Pemagatsel/Pema Gatshel External 440-441
Punakha External 130
Samdrup Jongkhar External 410-412
Samchi/Samtse External 220-222
Serpang External 310-311
Shemgang/Zhemgang External 340-341
Thimphu External 110-111
Tashigang/Trashi Gang External 420-421
Tashi Yangtse/Trasi Yangtse External 460
Tongsa/Trongsa External 330
Wangdi Phodrang/Wangdue Phodrang External 140
   This regions/postal code data can be acquired as a data file External

Administrative districts graphic

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Telephone numbers in Bhutan

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   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.

References

  1. ^ citypopulation.de/en/bhutan/admin/ External 20230114

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.