Bhutan’s indigenous population is the Drukpa. There are three main ethnic groups, the Sharchops, Ngalops and the Lhotshampas (Nepalese origin) make up today’s Drukpa.
Bhutan’s earliest resident, the ‘Sharchops’, occupies eastern Bhutan, who were believed to be the tribes of north Burma and northeast India. The Ngalops migrated from the Tibetan plains that had brought in the Buddhism to the Kingdom. Most of the Lhotshampas settled in the southern plains that were migrated in search of fertile agricultural land.
The geography of the land kept each ethnic group separate until the middle of this century when roads were built between the east and the west. As result, the Sharchops have retained their influence over the east, while the Ngalops predominate in the west. And the Lhotshampas have retained their homes in the south of Bhutan. The different group of people speaks different language and their dialects throughout the kingdom. The Dzongkha is adopted as a National Language, that is taught in the Schools, while growing number of People speaks English especially people in the urban areas. Currently English is medium in the schools of Bhutan and most subject were tough in English whereas Govt. is putting their efforts to change write more books in Dzongkha and make Dzongkha as a principal language of instruction.
