The perpetually snow-covered Great Himalayas are uninhabited, except for some Buddhist monks in scattered monasteries. Bhutan is drained by several rivers rising in the Himalayas and flowing into India. The valleys, especially the Paro, are intensively cultivated. Dzongka, the official language, is also basically Tibetan. Large numbers of ethnic Nepalese have been expelled to Nepal since the late 1980s, and the government has pressured the Nepalese to adopt Bhutanese dress, customs, religion, and language.
Hydroelectric power is a most important resource, with some electricity being exported to India.
Tourism is a significant though restricted activity, and it is the country's largest source of foreign exchange. Bhutan's economy is closely tied to that of India, both through trade and monetary links. The national assembly is empowered to select and remove the king and to veto his legislation. The assembly must also give the king a periodic vote of confidence. Bhutan is divided into 18 administrative districts.