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Cradled in the folds of the Himalayas, Bhutan has relied on its geographical isolation to protect itself from outside cultural influences. A sparsely populated country bordered by India to the south, and China to the north, Bhutan has long maintained a policy of strict isolationism, both culturally and economically, with the goal of preserving its cultural heritage and independence. Only in the last decades of the 20th century were foreigners allowed to visit the country, and only then in limited numbers. In this way, Bhutan has successfully preserved many aspects of its culture, which dates directly back to the mid-17th century.
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainous country, Bhutan is known locally as "Druk Yul" or "Land of the Thunder Dragon". Nepal and Bangladesh are located near Bhutan but do not share a land border. The country has a population of over 727,145 and territory of 38,394 square kilometres (14,824 sq mi) and ranks 133rd in terms of land area and 160th in population. Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy with a king as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government. Vajrayana Buddhism is the state religion and the Je Khenpo is the head of state religion.
Transport United Football Club is a Bhutanese professional football club based in Thimphu that competes in the Bhutan Premier League, the top level of Bhutanese football. The club was founded in 2001 and plays at the Changlimithang Stadium. Transport United has won five national championships, and was a dominant force in Bhutanese football throughout much of the first decade of the 21st century.
The 2002 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the eighth recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan and started on 28 July 2002. The league was won by Druk Pol, their sixth title. Eleven teams took part, four from Phuentsholing and seven from Thimpu.
The 2003 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the ninth recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan. 10 teams competed, and the championship was won by Druk Pol, their second title in a row and seventh in the last eight seasons. It is assumed that Veterans were promoted having won the final of the B-Division.
The 2009 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the fifteenth recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan. The league was won by Druk Star FC, their second title. They qualified as Bhutan's representatives in the 2010 AFC President's Cup.
The 1997 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the third recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan. The league was won by Druk Pol, their second title in a row.
The 1999 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the fifth recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan. The league was won by Druk Pol, their fourth title in a row and the first time a Bhutanese team had won four titles consecutively.
The 2000 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the sixth recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan, and the last before the league was officially renamed the A-Division. The league was won by Druk Pol FC, their fifth title in a row and the only time, as of 2014, that a Bhutanese team had achieved such a feat.
The 2004 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the tenth recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan. The league was won by Transport United, their first title. Transport United were Bhutan's representatives in the 2005 AFC President's Cup.
The 2006 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the twelfth recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan. The league was won by Transport United, their third title in a row and only the second time a team had achieved such a hat trick since Druk Pol in 1998.
The 2010 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the sixteenth recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan. The league was won by Yeedzin, their second title.
The 2011 season of the Bhutanese A-Division was the seventeenth recorded season of top-flight football in Bhutan. The league was won by Yeedzin, their third title and second in a row. The league was played as a single round-robin series of matches in anticipation of the commencement of a full National League; however, this was delayed by a season.
The 2012–13 Bhutan National League was the first season of the Bhutan National League. It was organized by the Bhutan Football Federation and sponsored by Coca-Cola. The National League replaced the A-Division as the country's premier football competition and would provide Bhutan's entrant to the 2013 AFC President's Cup. the A-Division continues as a football competition, but is now merely a qualifying round for Thimpu-based teams. The top three teams in the A-Division progressed to the national league where they were joined by three other teams representing other districts within Bhutan. The A-Division was won by Druk Pol, but were beaten to the national title by fellow A-Division competitors Yeedzin who won the inaugural competition, their fifth top flight title overall.
Ugyen Academy Football Club is a Bhutanese professional football club based in Punakha that competes in the Bhutan Premier League, the top level of Bhutanese football. They won the Bhutan National League title in 2013 and represented Bhutan in the 2014 AFC President's Cup.
Paro FC is a Bhutanese professional football club based in Paro that competes in the Bhutan Premier League, the top level of Bhutanese football.
Druk United FC was a Bhutanese football club from Thimphu and based at the Changlimithang Stadium, which played in the Bhutan Premier League, the top division of Bhutanese football.
A Bhutanese passport is a document that authorises and facilitates travel and other activities in Bhutan or by Bhutanese citizens. Foreign travel passports are issued to citizens of Bhutan for international travel by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is valid for all countries unless otherwise endorsed.
Chencho Gyeltshen is a Bhutanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for I-League club RoundGlass Punjab and captains the Bhutan national team. Gyeltshen is the all-time leading international goalscorer for Bhutan.
The Bhutan Premier League, currently known as the Bank of Bhutan Premier League due to sponsorship reasons, is the men's highest division of professional football in Bhutan. It also provides Bhutan's entrant for continental competition, the AFC Cup.
References
- ↑ Schöggl, Hans; Abbink, Dinant (28 May 2014). "Bhutan - List of Champions". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
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