In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of some 85,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese separatists from India, who have established themselves in the southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border incursions. (Description by Wikitravel.org)
Visit the following organizations offering volunteer abroad opportunities in Bhutan:
Peace Corp - Peace Corps volunteers travel overseas and make real differences in the lives of real people. Offers a variety of volunteering abroad opportunities in Bhutan and around the world.
Himalayan Light Foundation - HLF's main objective is to improve the quality of life of the remote population of the Himalayan region via the introduction and use of environmentally friendly renewable energy technologies (RETs).