Voters begin casting ballots in Bhutan, where an economic crisis looms large

By ANUPAM NATH and WASBIR HUSSAIN
Associated Press

THIMPHU, Bhutan (AP) — Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. Bhutan lies sandwiched between China and India, with both neighbors vying for influence in the country. Tuesday’s vote will elect 47 parliamentarians to form the next government. The results are likely to be announced late Tuesday. The elections are being held at a time when the country is going through a severe economic crisis. According to the World Bank, Bhutan grew at a rate of 1.7% over the past five years. With unemployment a chronic problem, an exodus of youths in search of higher education and jobs abroad is undermining the country’s economic potential.