1. Hinduism and
Islam [By
U.S. Library of Congress
]
The
minority religion of Bhutan is Hinduism, whose adherents-- those of
Nepalese origin--officially constitute 28 percent of the population.
Despite Buddhism's status as the state religion, Hindus had de facto
freedom of religion. The Druk Gyalpo decreed major Hindu festivals as
national holidays, and the royal family participated in them. An even smaller religious minority--about 5 percent of the population in 1989--practiced Islam.
Although foreign religious personnel were permitted to work in Bhutan,
primarily as educators, they were not allowed to proselytize.
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