Tshangla is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Bodish branch closely related to the Tibetic languages. Tshangla is primarily spoken in Eastern Bhutan and acts as a lingua franca in the region; it is also spoken in the adjoining Tawang tract in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the Pemako region of Tibet. Tshangla is the principal pre-Tibetic language of Bhutan. Tshangla is considered the principal pre-Tibetic language of Bhutan primarily due to its demographic dominance and its function as a regional lingua franca. While indigenous groups like the Black Mountain Monpa (Ole), Chali, Lhop, Kheng, Gongduk, Bumthang, Kurtöe and Nyen speaks older or equally pre-Tibetan languages, their smaller populations and limited geographic range mean Tshangla remains the principal pre-Tibetic language of Bhutan through its demographic dominance and geographical reach.