The population of Bhutan is predominantly rural. 66% are farmers and almost 50% live more than a day’s walk from a motorable road. Approximately 42% of Bhutan’s population is under the age of 15. Keenly aware that an increased population will provide a strain on the economy, the government is working hard (and successfully) to reduce the birth rate through family planning policies and better medical facilities ensuring a better infant mortality rate.
The people of Bhutan can be categorized into three main groups.
Drukpa
The Drukpa account for 65% of the population and comprise two main groups. The Sharchops live in the east of the country. They are recognized as the original inhabitants of Bhurtan, although it is unclear when or from where they migrated. They are of Indo-Mongoloid stock. The Ngalop are the descendants of Tibetan immigrants who arrived in the ninth century and settled in the west of the country. The Nalop dominate the region west of the Black Mountains.
Nepali (Lhotshampa)
People of Nepali descent began settling in the south of Bhutan in the late 19th century. A number of Nepalese ethnic groups are represented including Newar, Brahman, Chettri, Gurung, Rai and Limbu. There is long history of ethnic tensions between the Drukpa and Nepali populations.
Other
About 1% of the population is made up of a collection of small ethnic groups, each with their own language. Some of these groups number less than 1000 people. The most important of these are the Bumthap from the Bumthang region, the Mandhep from Trongsa, the Khyeng from central Zhemgang and the Layap from the northwest.