Bhutan has long been an isolated kingdom, with closed borders, unaffected by world events.

Before the establishment of the hereditary monarchy system, Districts in Bhutan were ruled by governors, the Penlops and Dzongpons. The country had a secular head, the Druk Desi, and a religious head, the Je Khenpo. But the Desis were weak, and could not prevent internal wars between the governors of various districts.

Power struggles and conflicts marred the period in Bhutanese history before the Monarchy was established.

Jigme Namgyel, the father of the first king of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck, was the Trongsa Penlop, and helped make this position one of the most powerful in the country.

Ugyen Wangchuk was unanimously placed as the first King of Bhutan on December 17 1907. The powerful leaders of that time signed an agreement that the Wangchuck Dynasty would rule over the kingdom as the Druk Gyalpo, or the Dragon Kings.

Each of the monarchs were pivotal in gradually ushering the country into the modern world. King Ugyen  Wangchuck helped end the endless internal battles, and worked to protect the kingdom from the British, who were ruling India at that time. He signed a treaty with the British to ensure Bhutan’s status as a soverign nation, and built the first modern school in Bhutan, while also sending around 40 boys to study in Kalimpong, India.

His son, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, maintained the isolation, sheltering the country from the two devastating world wars, which deeply impacted its other neighbors. He continued with the gradual development process, greatly increasing the number of men, and women who were educated in the country.

During King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck’s reign, India had gained independence, and Bhutan sought out the friendship of the new republic. The first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru visited Bhutan during this time, and cemented what would be a lasting friendship of two nations.

The third Druk Gyalpo also introduced the National Assembly of Bhutan, and initiated the five year plans for development. During this time, the first roads were built, along with many schools modeled after schools in India.

The fourth Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who is a living legend in Bhutan, assumed kingship at the age of 19- after his father passed away in 1972.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck continued with the modernization of Bhutan, building schools, hospitals, and other institutions that would serve the people. An increasing number of Bhutanese were getting educated at this time, and would go on to hold offices in the growing civil service.

During King Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s reign, Bhutan became a member of the United Nations, and was thus recognized as an independent, sovereign nation by countries other than India. During this time, also, the first planes flew into Bhutan, opening up this country to air travel for the first time.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck also continued devolving the power of the monarchy and enabling a more democratic society. In 1998, the Prime Minister of Bhutan became the head of the government for the first time.

A turning point for Bhutan was in 2006, when His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan announced to the people that he would step down from the throne for his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. He also initiated the process of complete democratization- and worked on the first Constitution, which was developed after painstaking consultations with the people.

Despite the reluctance of the people to change the system of governance, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo introduced the Parliamentary Democratic System in Bhutan.

The first election to elect a political party to run the government was held in 2008. Two parties registered for the first ever elections- The Druk Phuentsum Tshogpa, and the People’s Democratic Party. DPT won the elections with a stunning 45 out of 47 seats in Parliament, and the first government, under Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley, took office on March 2008.

This year was significant for the Bhutanese because it marked the year when Bhutan became the youngest democracy in the world after 100 years of Monarchy, and this was the year that Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was crowned as the Fifth Dragon king of Bhutan.