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The tiny nation of Bhutan resisted technology for decades - but computers and cell phones are changing things fast

The tiny nation of Bhutan resisted technology for decades - but computers and cell phones are changing things fast

The small nation of Bhutan has resisted technology for decades.

There are no traffic lights in in its capital city, Thimphu, and its culture, centered on Buddhism, has barely changed in centuries.

Source: Reuters

But all that is starting to change as technology slowly gets introduced across the country.

Source: Reuters

Now, Thimphu is filling up with bars and dance clubs, where many adults while away the hours.

Source: Reuters

Cell phones and TVs — once a rare sight in Thimphu — are now commonplace across the city.

Source: Reuters

Residents stay up late in karaoke bars like this one, where customers sing traditional folk songs and the occasional Bollywood number.

Source: Reuters

It's a big change for Bhutan, whose $2.2 billion economy is largely agricultural.

Source: Reuters

Bhutan measures its wealth not through its gross domestic product, but through its "Gross National Happiness" index.

Source: Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative

Although the Bhutanese government prioritizes collective happiness as its goal, about 12% of the country's 800,000 people are in poverty.

Source: United Nations Development Programme

"I'm not happy or sad about things, I have no other choice," a divorced mother named Lhaden told Reuters, adding that she makes $125 a month. "I live in such a small flat so I can afford food and clothes."

Source: Reuters

Throughout the country, the signs of change are evident.

Source: Smithsonian

Construction is taking place all across Thimphu.

Industrialization has contributed to environmental problems like air pollution and climate change.

In the countryside, jeans and sportswear are becoming as popular as traditional gho robes for men and kira dresses for women.

Source: Reuters

Every day, monks in the Phobjikha Valley take off their crimson robes in favor of Manchester United and Chelsea jerseys to play a game of soccer.

Source: Reuters

Internet cafes are filled with teenagers and young adults looking for something to do.

Source: Reuters

"Children are spending more time on their mobile phones and not studying," a 43-year-old farmer named Ap Daw told Reuters.

Source: Reuters

As progress marches on, Bhutan must learn to adapt with these modern challenges.

Source: Bhutan Observer

One of the 7 wonders of the world is a 10,000-year-old city hidden in the des…

The tiny nation of Bhutan resisted technology for decades - but computers and cell phones are changing things fast

The small nation of Bhutan has resisted technology for decades.

There are no traffic lights in in its capital city, Thimphu, and its culture, centered on Buddhism, has barely changed in centuries.

But all that is starting to change as technology slowly gets introduced across the country.

Now, Thimphu is filling up with bars and dance clubs, where many adults while away the hours.

Cell phones and TVs — once a rare sight in Thimphu — are now commonplace across the city.

Residents stay up late in karaoke bars like this one, where customers sing traditional folk songs and the occasional Bollywood number.

It's a big change for Bhutan, whose $2.2 billion economy is largely agricultural.

Bhutan measures its wealth not through its gross domestic product, but through its "Gross National Happiness" index.

Although the Bhutanese government prioritizes collective happiness as its goal, about 12% of the country's 800,000 people are in poverty.

"I'm not happy or sad about things, I have no other choice," a divorced mother named Lhaden told Reuters, adding that she makes $125 a month. "I live in such a small flat so I can afford food and clothes."

Throughout the country, the signs of change are evident.

Construction is taking place all across Thimphu.

Industrialization has contributed to environmental problems like air pollution and climate change.

In the countryside, jeans and sportswear are becoming as popular as traditional gho robes for men and kira dresses for women.

Every day, monks in the Phobjikha Valley take off their crimson robes in favor of Manchester United and Chelsea jerseys to play a game of soccer.

Internet cafes are filled with teenagers and young adults looking for something to do.

"Children are spending more time on their mobile phones and not studying," a 43-year-old farmer named Ap Daw told Reuters.

As progress marches on, Bhutan must learn to adapt with these modern challenges.

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