Map of Bhutan | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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 to British India. 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 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. In March 2005 King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. A referendum date has yet to be named.


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Location: Southern Asia between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N 90 30 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 47,000 km²
Land: 47,000 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries
Total: 1,075 km
Border countries: (2) China 470 km; , India 605 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
Extremes highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources: timber hydropower gypsum calcium carbonate

Land use
Arable land: 2.3%
Permanent crops: 0.43%
Other: 97.27% (2005)

Irrigated land: 400 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season

Geography
Note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes


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Population
Note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2006 est.)
Growth rate: 2.1% (2006 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups: Bhote 50% ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups) indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Languages: Dzongkha (official) Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75% Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.9% (male 458,801/female 426,947)
15-64 years: 57.1% (male 671,057/female 631,078)
65 years and over: 4% (male 46,217/female 45,623) (2006 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 20.4 years
Male: 20.2 years
Female: 20.6 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.1% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 33.65 births/1000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 12.7 deaths/1000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2006 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.07 male/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male/female
Total population: 1.07 male/female (2006 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 98.41 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 96.14 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 100.79 deaths/1000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 54.78 years
Male: 55.02 years
Female: 54.53 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 47%
Male: 60%
Female: 34% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
Conventional short form: Bhutan
Local long form: Druk Gyalkhap
Local short form: Druk Yul

Government type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Capital
Name: Thimphu
Geographic coordinates: 27 28 N, 89 39 E
Time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions
Note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Dependent areas

Independence: 8 August 1949 (from India)

National holiday: National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king) 17 December (1907)

Constitution: no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the king commissioned the drafting of a constitution and in March 2005 publicly unveiled it; is awaiting national referendum

Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections; note - in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law

Executive branch
Chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
Head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Sangay NGEDUP (since 5 September 2005)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote

Legislative branch
Elections: local elections last held August 2005 (next to be held in 2008)
Election results: NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: no legal parties

International organization participation: AsDB BIMSTEC CP FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO IDA IFAD IFC IMF Interpol IOC IOM (observer) ISO (correspondent) ITU NAM OPCW SAARC SACEP UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us: the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy one of the world's smallest and least developed is based on agriculture and forestry which provide the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically backward with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects such as road construction rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. Model education social and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example the government in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector encourages visits by upscale environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing trade labor and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $2.9 billion (2003 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 5.9% (2005 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1400 (2003 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 25.8%
Industry: 37.9%
Services: 36.3% (2002 est.)

Agriculture products: rice corn root crops citrus foodgrains; dairy products eggs

Industries: cement wood products processed fruits alcoholic beverages calcium carbide

Industrial production growth rate: 9.3% (1996 est.)

Labor force
Note: major shortage of skilled labor
By occupation agriculture: 93%
By occupation industry: 2%
By occupation services: 5%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $346.6 million
Expenditures: including capital expenditures of $N/A
Note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 81.4% of GDP

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7% (2005 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Commodities: electricity (to India) cardamom gypsum timber handicrafts cement fruit precious stones spices
Partners: Japan 33.2% Germany 13.6% France 13.5% South Korea 7.8% US 7.7% Thailand 5.8% Italy 5.1% (2005)

Imports: $196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)
Commodities: fuel and lubricants grain machinery and parts vehicles fabrics rice
Partners: Hong Kong 68.4% Mexico 20.8% France 3.9% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $593 million (2004)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: ngultrum per US dollar - 44.101 (2005) 45.317 (2004) 46.583 (2003) 48.61 (2002) 47.186 (2001)


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Electricity
Production: 1.882 billion kWh (2003)
Consumption: 250.3 million kWh (2003)
Exports: 1.51 billion kWh (2003)
Imports: 10 million kWh (2003)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2003 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2003 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 32,700 (2005)
Mobile cellular: 37,800 (2005)

Telephone system
General assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor
Domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003
International: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 (2005)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .bt
Hosts: 7,567 (2006)
Users: 25,000 (2005)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 1% (2005 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2 (2006)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2006)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 8,050 km
Paved: 4,991 km
Unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: approximately 105,000 Bhutanese have lived decades as refugees in Nepal 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps; Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian separatists

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs