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In 2008, the U.S. offered to resettle 60,000 of the 107,000 Bhutanese refugees of Nepalese origin living in seven U.N. refugee camps in southeastern Nepal.
In 2011, former Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigme Thinley stated, "If we can have all kinds of interactions, relations and cooperation with the US, as with Germany and France, with which we have no diplomatic relations, what is the purpose (of such relations with Washington)?" On April 7, former U.S. Ambassador to India Tim Roemer met with Thinley to discuss ways to further strengthen ties between both countries. Thinley also stated that he had hosted many State Department officials, Congressmen, and Senators for informal talks since he became head of the government in April 2008 after the country’s first fully democratic elections.
On January 11, 2015, then-U.S. Secretary of State
U.S. Relations With Bhutan State Department Fact Sheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhutan-United States relations
Bhutan
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...
and the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
have no formal diplomatic relations, but relations between the two nations are viewed as "friendly and close", due to shared values between the two countries. The increasingly close relationship between India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
and the U.S. has also helped to improve U.S.–Bhutanese relations.
Bhutan is represented in the U.S. through its permanent mission to the United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
. The United States is represented through the American embassy in New Delhi
New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...
, India. Bhutan is one of two countries in Asia to have never hosted an American embassy, with the other being North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
.
History
In 2008, the U.S. offered to resettle 60,000 of the 107,000 Bhutanese refugees of Nepalese origin living in seven U.N. refugee camps in southeastern Nepal.
In 2011, former Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigme Thinley stated, "If we can have all kinds of interactions, relations and cooperation with the US, as with Germany and France, with which we have no diplomatic relations, what is the purpose (of such relations with Washington)?" On April 7, former U.S. Ambassador to India Tim Roemer met with Thinley to discuss ways to further strengthen ties between both countries. Thinley also stated that he had hosted many State Department officials, Congressmen, and Senators for informal talks since he became head of the government in April 2008 after the country’s first fully democratic elections.
On January 11, 2015, then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...
met with Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay
Tshering Tobgay (; born 19 September 1965) is a Bhutanese politician who is the seventh List of Prime Ministers of Bhutan, prime minister of Bhutan since 2024 and also served in office from 2013 to 2018. Tobgay is the leader of the People's Democr ...
at the seventh Vibrant Gujarat summit, marking the first time senior leaders from both countries met with one another. However, there were no plans to establish diplomatic relations. Prior to Secretary Kerry's meeting, the highest-ranking State Department officials to meet with Bhutan's leaders were at the Undersecretary level, who had in the past met with the fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, and fifth King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (born 21 February 1980) is the fifth Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) of Bhutan. His reign began in 2006 after his father Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated the throne. A public coronation ceremony was held on 6 November ...
.
In March 2025, the Trump Administration was reportedly considering a total ban on visas for Bhutanese citizens.
See also
* Foreign relations of Bhutan * Foreign relations of the United States * Bhutanese refugees * Bhutanese Americans * Bhutan–India relations * India–United States relationsReferences
External links
U.S. Relations With Bhutan State Department Fact Sheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhutan-United States relations
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
Bilateral relations of the United States