Dzongkhag

Dzongkhag is an administrative and territorial division in Bhutan, roughly equivalent to a district. Bhutan is divided into 20 dzongkhags. The term combines dzong (fortress) and khag (district) and reflects historical administration centered on fortresses and monasteries.

Each dzongkhag is administered by a Dzongdag, the head of the dzongkhag administration, who is appointed by the central government to implement policies and coordinate public services. The dzongkhag administration is supported by the Dzongkhag Tshogdu, a district council that includes elected representatives from gewogs.

Dzongkhags are subdivided into gewogs (village blocks), each headed by a Gup, and gewogs are further divided into chiwogs, which function as electoral precincts and local communities.

The dzongkhags are responsible for planning and delivering a range of services, including education, health, infrastructure, land and natural resources management, and they host district-level courts as part of the judiciary.

Geography and demographics vary across dzongkhags, from high mountain regions to subtropical valleys; many districts retain historic dzongs and monasteries that are central to regional identity and culture.

List of dzongkhags: Bumthang, Chukha, Dagana, Gasa, Haa, Lhuentse, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatshel, Punakha, Sarpang, Samdrup Jongkhar, Samtse, Thimphu, Trashigang, Trashiyangtse, Tsirang, Trongsa, Wangdue Phodrang, Zhemgang.