Map of Bhutan | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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 to Bhutan the areas annexed by the British formalized the annual subsidies the country received and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. In March 2005 King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which introduced major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006 the King abdicated the throne in favor of his son Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007 India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. Elections for seating the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008; the king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008. The disposition of some 43,000 Bhutanese refugees - housed in two UN refugee camps in Nepal - remains unresolved.


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Location: Southern Asia between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N 90 30 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 137
Land: 38,394 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about one-half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries
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 highest point: Gangkar Puensum 7,570 m

Natural resources: timber hydropower gypsum calcium carbonate

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.46%
Other: 97.06% (2011)

Irrigated land: 319.1 km² (2010)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 78 km³ (2011)

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: 725,296 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 166
Growth rate: 1.15% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 102
Below poverty line: 23.2% (2008)

Nationality
Adjective: Bhutanese

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

Languages: Sharchhopka 28% Dzongkha (official) 24% Lhotshamkha 22% other 26%

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 20.6% (male 76,202/female 73,273)
25-54 years: 39.9% (male 155,216/female 134,363)
55-64 years: 5.7% (male 22,295/female 19,285)
65 years and over: 5.9% (male 22,546/female 20,395) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 41.8 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.1 %
Potential support ratio: 14 (2013)

Median age
Male: 26.3 years
Female: 25.1 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.15% (2013 est.)
Rank: 102

Birth rate: 18.43 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 105

Death rate: 6.88 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 138

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 80

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 3.65% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: THIMPHU (capital) 99,000 (2011)

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 57
Male: 40.52 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 39.4 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 159
Male: 67.54 years
Female: 69.38 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.07 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 118

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 65.6% (2010)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.07 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 1.8 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 95
People living with hivaids: fewer than 1000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 144
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 127

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2013)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 5.3% (2008)
Rank: 154

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 12.7% (2010)
Rank: 59

Education expenditures: 4.7% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 83

Literacy
Total population: 52.8%
Male: 65%
Female: 38.7% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 12 years
Female: 12 years (2011)

Youth unemployment


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

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 27 28 N 89 38 E
Time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 20 districts (dzongkhag singular and plural); Bumthang Chhukha Chirang Daga Gasa Geylegphug Ha Lhuntshi Mongar Paro Pemagatsel Punakha Samchi Samdrup Jongkhar Shemgang Tashigang Tashi Yangtse Thimphu Tongsa Wangdi Phodrang

Dependent areas

Independence: 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)

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

Constitution: previous (various royal decrees); first constitution drafted November 2001 - March 2005 ratified 18 July 2008 (2011)

Legal system: civil law based on Buddhist religious law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Tshering TOBGAY (since July 2013)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Zhungtshog) nominated by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister and approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed five-year terms; the leader of the majority party is nominated as the prime minister
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary but the 2008 constitution grants the Parliament authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly occurred in March 2008

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Chi Tshog consists of the non-partisan National Council or Gyelyong Tshogde (25 seats; 20 members elected by each of the 20 administrative districts (dzongkhags) for four-year terms and 5 members appointed by the king); and the National Assembly or Tshogdu (47 seats; members nominated by the two parties and elected by direct popular vote for five-year terms)
Elections: National Council elections last held on 23 April 2013 (next to be held in 2017); National Assembly elections (first round) last held on 31 May 2013; second round held on 13 July 2013
Election results: National Council - independents 20; note - all candidates ran as independents; National Assembly - first round poll held on 31 May 2013 - percent of vote by party - DPT 44.52%; PDP 32.53%; DNT 17.04%; DCT 5.9%; second round poll held on 13 July 2013 - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.88% DPT 45.12%; seats by party - PDP 32 DPT 15

Judicial branch: note - the Supreme Court has sole jurisdiction in constitutional matters
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the monarch in consultation with the National Judicial Commission; other judges appointed by the monarch from among the High Court judges selected by the National Judicial Commission; judge tenure NA
Subordinate courts: High Court (first appellate court); District or Dzongkhag Courts; sub-district or Dungkhag Courts

Political parties and leaders: Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY]; Druk Nymrub Tshogpa or DNT; Druck Chirwang Tshogpa or DCT

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US; the permanent representative to the UN is Lhatu WANGCHUK (since January 2009); address: 343 East 43rd Street New York NY 10,017; telephone [1] (212) 682-2,268; FAX [1] (212) 661-0551
In the us consulate general: New York

Flag description

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 141

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 21.5%
Investment in fixed capital: 60.5%
Investment in inventories: 0.3%
Exports of goods and services: 32.1%
Imports of goods and services: -53.2%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 41.8%
Services: 39% (2012 est.)

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

Industries: cement wood products processed fruits alcoholic beverages calcium carbide tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 12.4%
Rank: 9

Labor force: 299,900
Rank: 165
By occupation industry: 39.1%
By occupation services: 17.2% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.5% (2004)
Rank: 32

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 23.2% (2008)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 37.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Expenditures: $651.2 million
Surplus or deficit: -1.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 78

Taxes and other revenues: 28.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 103

Public debt: 46.8% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 78

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 8.9% (2011 est.)
Rank: 204

Central bank discount rate: NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14.16% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 54

Stock of narrow money: $623.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 178

Stock of broad money: $1.16 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 169

Stock of domestic credit: $747.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 156

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: $-354.9 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 93

Exports: $662.2 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 167
Commodities: electricity (to India) ferrosilicon cement calcium carbide copper wire manganese vegetable oil

Imports: $1.185 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 175
Commodities: fuel and lubricants passenger cars machinery and parts fabrics rice

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $836 million (2009)
Rank: 153

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $63.5 million
Rank: 104

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 7.23 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 108
Consumption: 1.68 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 143
Exports: 5.4 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 27
Imports: 20 million kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 103
Installed generating capacity: 1.505 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 116
Generation sources fossil fuels: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 204
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 55
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 98.9% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 6
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 161

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 157
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 92
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 165
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 110

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 158
Products consumption: 1719 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 193
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 156
Products imports: 1998 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 181

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 108
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 123
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 71
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 166
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 118

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 335,700 Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 186

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 27,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 179
Mobile cellular: 560,000 (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 165

Telephone system
Domestic: low teledensity; domestic service is poor especially in rural areas; mobile-cellular service started in 2003 is now widely available
International: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2012)

Broadcast media: state-owned TV station established in 1999; cable TV service offers dozens of Indian and other international channels; first radio station privately launched in 1973 is now state-owned; 5 private radio stations are currently broadcasting (2012)

Internet
Country code: .bt
Hosts: 14,590 (2012)
Hosts rank: 126
Users: 50,000 (2009)
Users rank: 174

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 125

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; militia training is compulsory for males aged 20-25 over a 3-year period (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2 (2013)
Rank: 198
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2012)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 140
Paved: 4,991 km (includes 622 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: lacking any treaty describing the boundary Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and along the Chumbi salient

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs