Bhutanese

Overview

Almost 97% of Bhutanese refugees are ethnic Nepalis. The non-Nepalis include the Charchop, Drukpa, Urow, and Khenpga ethnic groups. Nearly all refugees speak Nepali as a first or second language. UNHCR estimates that about 35% of the population has a functional knowledge of English.

In Kansas, at the end of 2014, Nepali-speaking Bhutanese constituted 24% of the overall refugee settlement population (Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, 2015).

Resources

This webpage gives a thorough yet easy-to-read profile of the Bhutanese people. History, beliefs, medical considerations, and more information can be found here.

Learn More

This 11-minute YouTube video, Educating Bhutanese Students in Kansas, gives an overview of Bhutanese culture.

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The Next Door Neighbors series provides profiles of new refugees in the U.S.

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