Districts of Bhutan

Politics of Bhutan
Constitution Law Human rights LGBT rights
Monarchy King (list) Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Heir Apparent Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck Wangchuck dynasty
State religion Dratshang Lhentshog (state religious commission) Chairman: The Je Khenpo
Government Executive Prime Minister Lotay Tshering Lhengye Zhungtshog (council of ministers) Parliament National Council National Assembly Judiciary Royal Court of Justice Supreme Court High Court Dzongkhag Courts Dungkhag Courts
Elections Recent elections Assembly: 2018 2023–24 Council: 2018 2023 Local: 2011 Political parties
Administrative divisions Districts of Bhutan Gewogs Dungkhags Thromdes Chiwogs Villages
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Tandi Dorji Diplomatic missions of / in Bhutan Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
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The Kingdom of Bhutan is divided into 20 districts (Dzongkha: dzongkhags). Bhutan is located between the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and India on the eastern slopes of the Himalayas in South Asia.^[1]

Dzongkhags are the primary subdivisions of Bhutan. They possess a number of powers and rights under the Constitution of Bhutan, such as regulating commerce, running elections, and creating local governments. The Local Government Act of 2009 established local governments in each of the 20 dzongkhags overseen by the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs.^{[2][non-primary source needed]} Each dzongkhag has its own elected government with non-legislative executive powers, called a dzongkhag tshogdu (district council). The dzongkhag tshogdu is assisted by the dzongkhag administration headed by a dzongdag (royal appointees who are the chief executive officer of each dzongkhag).^{[3][non-primary source needed]} Each dzongkhag also has a dzongkhag court presided over by a dzongkhag drangpon (judge), who is appointed by the Chief Justice of Bhutan on the advice of Royal Judicial Service Council.^{[4][non-primary source needed]} The dzongkhags, and their residents, are represented in the Parliament of Bhutan, a bicameral legislature consisting of the National Council and the National Assembly. Each dzongkhag has one National Council representative. National Assembly representatives are distributed among the dzongkhags in proportion to their registered voter population as recommended by the Delimitation Commission, provided that "no dzongkhag shall have less than two and more than seven National Assembly constituencies."^{[5][non-primary source needed]}

As of the 2017 census, Thimphu is the most populous dzongkhag, with 138,736 residents; Gasa is the least populous, with 3,952 residents. Thimphu is the most densely populated, with 67.1 people per square kilometre (174/sq mi), whereas Gasa is the least densely populated, with 1.3 people per square kilometre (3.4/sq mi). The largest dzongkhag by land area is Wangdue Phodrang, encompassing 4,308 km² (1,663 sq mi), while the smallest is Tsirang, encompassing 639 km² (247 sq mi).^[6]