Lhotshampa

Lhotshampa, also known as Nepali-speaking Bhutanese, is a term used for the ethnic group residing mainly in southern Bhutan who speak Nepali as their first language and share cultural ties with the Nepali-speaking communities of Nepal. The Lhotshampa are predominantly Hindu, with a significant minority practicing Buddhism, and they have historically formed a distinct cultural and linguistic community within Bhutan.

Historically, Nepali-speaking migrants began moving into southern Bhutan in the 19th and early 20th centuries, joining the region’s diverse population. In the late 20th century, Bhutan enacted policies aimed at reinforcing a single national identity, including a Citizenship Act and a national dress and loyalty program. Starting around 1988–1990, thousands of Lhotshampa faced citizenship revocation, expulsion, or pressure to leave, leading to a large refugee crisis. Many fled to Nepal, where they lived in camps such as Beldangi in eastern Nepal, under the oversight of international organizations and the government of Nepal.

In the following decades, a substantial portion of the displaced Lhotshampa were resettled in third countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Norway, and several European nations. In Bhutan, the issue of Lhotshampa rights and citizenship remains a sensitive and unresolved aspect of the broader political transition that began with the abolition of the monarchy in the early 2000s and the adoption of a constitutional monarchy in 2008.

Today, the term Lhotshampa refers to Nepali-speaking Bhutanese communities both within Bhutan and in the global diaspora. They maintain Nepali language and cultural traditions, while adapting to the sociopolitical contexts of the countries where they have resettled.