2018 Edition

Background

Following Britain’s victory in the 1865 Duar War, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding land to British India. Ugyen WANGCHUCK - who had served as the de facto ruler of an increasingly unified Bhutan and had improved relations with the British toward the end of the 19th century - was named king 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. Bhutan negotiated a similar arrangement with independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned to Bhutan a small piece of the territory annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. Under a succession of modernizing monarchs beginning in the 1950s, Bhutan joined the UN in 1971 and slowly continued its engagement beyond its borders.In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which introduced major democratic reforms - and held a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty, eliminating the clause that stated that Bhutan would be "guided by" India in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate closely 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. Bhutan experienced a peaceful turnover of power following parliamentary elections in 2013, which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent party. The disposition of some 8,500 refugees of the more than 100,000 who fled or were forced out of Bhutan in the 1990s - and who are housed in two UN refugee camps in Nepal - remains unresolved.

Area

land

38,394 sq km

total

38,394 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly larger than Maryland; about one-half the size of Indiana

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

elevation extremes

97 m lowest point: Drangeme Chhu

mean elevation

2,220 m

note

7570 highest point: Gangkar Puensum

Environment Current Issues

soil erosion; limited access to potable water; wildlife conservation; industrial pollution; waste disposal

Environment International Agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Geographic Coordinates

27 30 N, 90 30 E

Geography Note

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

Irrigated Land

320 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (2)

China 477 km, India 659 km

total

1,136 km

Land Use

arable land: 2.6% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.3% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 10.7% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

13.6% (2011 est.)

forest

85.5% (2011 est.)

other

0.9% (2011 est.)

Location

Southern Asia, between China and India

Map References

Asia

Maritime Claims

note

none (landlocked)

Natural Hazards

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

Natural Resources

timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Terrain

mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Age Structure

0-14 years

25.35% (male 99,325 /female 94,985)

15-24 years

18.4% (male 71,790 /female 69,205)

25-54 years

43.73% (male 177,436 /female 157,729)

55-64 years

6.13% (male 25,160 /female 21,817)

65 years and over

6.39% (male 25,492 /female 23,458) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

17 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

12.8% (2010)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

65.6% (2010)

Death Rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.9 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

14.5 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.3 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

40.4 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

7.4% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic Groups

Ngalop (also known as Bhote) 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Health Expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

NA

Hiv Aids Deaths

NA

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

NA

Hospital Bed Density

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

30.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

30.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

30.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Sharchhopka 28%, Dzongkha (official) 24%, Lhotshamkha 22%, other 26% (includes foreign languages) (2005 est.)

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

72.2 years (2018 est.)

male

70.1 years (2018 est.)

total population

71.1 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

55% (2015 est.)

male

73.1% (2015 est.)

total population

64.9% (2015 est.)

Major Infectious Diseases

degree of risk

high (2016)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

203,000 THIMPHU (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

148 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

27.6 years (2018 est.)

male

28.6 years

total

28.1 years

Nationality

adjective

Bhutanese

noun

Bhutanese (singular and plural)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

6.4% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

766,397 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.05% (2018 est.)

Religions

Lamaistic Buddhist 75.3%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 22.1%, other 2.6% (2005 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 77.9% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 33.1% of population (2015 est.)

total: 50.4% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 22.1% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 66.9% of population (2015 est.)

total: 49.6% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

13 years (2013)

male

12 years (2013)

total

13 years (2013)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1.14 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

1.16 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

1.1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

1.09 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.87 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

12.7% (2015 est.)

male

8.2% (2015 est.)

total

10.7% (2015 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.98% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

40.9% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Dagana, Gasa, Haa, Lhuentse, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatshel, Punakha, Samdrup Jongkhar, Samtse, Sarpang, Thimphu, Trashigang, Trashi Yangtse, Trongsa, Tsirang, Wangdue Phodrang, Zhemgang

Capital

geographic coordinates

27 28 N, 89 38 E

name

Thimphu

time difference

UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Bhutan

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed as a motion by simple majority vote in a joint session of Parliament; passage requires at least a three-fourths majority vote in a joint session of the next Parliament and assented to by the king; amended 2011 (2017)

history

previous governing documents were various royal decrees; first constitution drafted November 2001 to March 2005, ratified 18 July 2008 (2017)

Country Name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Bhutan

conventional short form

Bhutan

etymology

named after the Bhotia, the ethnic Tibetans who migrated from Tibet to Bhutan; "Bod" is the Tibetan name for their land; the Bhutanese name "Druk Yul" means "Land of the Thunder Dragon"

local long form

Druk Gyalkhap

local short form

Druk Yul

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

note

the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although frequent informal contact is maintained via the US embassy in New Delhi (India) and Bhutan's Permanent Mission to the UN

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

New York

note

none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US; the permanent representative to the UN is Donna TSHERING (since 13 September 2017); address: 343 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 682-2268; FAX [1] (212) 661-0551

Executive Branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers or Lhengye Zhungtshog members nominated by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister and approved by the National Assembly; members serve 5-year terms

chief of state

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 to his son

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary but can be removed by a two-third vote of Parliament; leader of the majority party in Parliament is nominated as the prime minister, appointed by the monarch

head of government

Prime Minister Tshering TOBGAY (since 27 July 2013)

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; the dragon, called the Druk (Thunder Dragon), is the emblem of the nation; its white color stands for purity and the jewels in its claws symbolize wealth; the background colors represent spiritual and secular powers within Bhutan: the orange is associated with Buddhism, while the yellow denotes the ruling dynasty

Government Type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

17 December 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king); 8 August 1949 (Treaty of Friendship with India maintains Bhutanese independence)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

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

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court (consists of 5 justices including the chief justice); note - the Supreme Court has sole jurisdiction in constitutional matters

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the monarch upon the advice of the National Judicial Commission, a 4-member body to include the Legislative Committee of the National Assembly, the attorney general, the Chief Justice of Bhutan and the senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; other judges (drangpons) appointed by the monarch from among the High Court judges selected by the National Judicial Commission; chief justice serves a 5-year term or until reaching age 65 years, whichever is earlier; the 4 other judges serve 10-year terms or until age 65, whichever is earlier

subordinate courts

High Court (first appellate court); District or Dzongkhag Courts; sub-district or Dungkhag Courts

Legal System

civil law based on Buddhist religious law

Legislative Branch

description

bicameral Parliament or Chi Tshog consists of:non-partisan National Council or Gyelyong Tshogde (25 seats; 20 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 5 members appointed by the king; members serve 5-year terms)National Assembly or Tshogdu (47 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)

election results

National Council - seats by party - independent 20 (all candidates ran as independents); composition - men 23, women 2, percent of women 8%National Assembly - first round - percent of vote by party - DNT 31.9%, DPT 30.9%, PDP 27.4%, BKP 9.8%; second round - percent of vote by party -  NA; seats by party - DNT 30, DPT 17; composition - men 40, women 7, percent of women 14.9%; note - total Parliament percent of women 12.5%

elections

National Council election last held on 20 April 2018 (next to be held in 2023)National Assembly - first round held on 15 September 2018 and second round held on 18 October 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Gyaldun Dasho Thinley DORJI/Aku TONGMI

name

"Druk tsendhen" (The Thunder Dragon Kingdom)

note

adopted 1953

National Holiday

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

National Symbol S

thunder dragon known as Druk Gyalpo; national colors: orange, yellow

Political Parties And Leaders

Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party or BKP [Dasho Neten ZANGMO]Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Pema GYAMTSHO]Druk Chirwang Tshogpa or DCT [Lily WANGCHUK]Druk Nymarup Tshogpa or DNT [Tandin DORJI]People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

rice, corn, root crops, citrus; dairy products, eggs

Budget

expenditures

737.4 million (2017 est.)

note

the Government of India finances nearly one-quarter of Bhutan's budget expenditures

revenues

655.3 million (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

6% (2017 est.)

note

this is the policy rate of Bhutan's central bank

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

15% (31 December 2017 est.)

14.15% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$547 million (2017 est.)

-$621 million (2016 est.)

Debt External

$2.671 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.355 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

38.8 (2012)

38.1 (2007)

Economy Overview

Bhutan's small economy is based largely on hydropower, agriculture, and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than half the population. Because rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive, industrial production is primarily of the cottage industry type. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and is dependent on India for financial assistance and migrant laborers for development projects, especially for road construction. Bhutan signed a pact in December 2014 to expand duty-free trade with Bangladesh.Multilateral development organizations administer most educational, social, and environment programs, and take into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government is cautious in its expansion of the tourist sector, restricing visits to environmentally conscientious tourists. Complicated controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.Bhutan’s largest export - hydropower to India - could spur sustainable growth in the coming years if Bhutan resolves chronic delays in construction. Bhutan’s hydropower exports comprise 40% of total exports and 25% of the government’s total revenue. Bhutan currently taps only 6.5% of its 24,000-megawatt hydropower potential and is behind schedule in building 12 new hydropower dams with a combined capacity of 10,000 megawatts by 2020 in accordance with a deal signed in 2008 with India. The high volume of imported materials to build hydropower plants has expanded Bhutan's trade and current account deficits. Bhutan also signed a memorandum of understanding with Bangladesh and India in July 2017 to jointly construct a new hydropower plant for exporting electricity to Bangladesh.

Exchange Rates

ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar -

64.97 (2017 est.)

67.2 (2016 est.)

67.2 (2015 est.)

64.15 (2014 est.)

61.03 (2013 est.)

Exports

$554.6 million (2017 est.)

$495.3 million (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

electricity (to India), ferrosilicon, cement, cardamom, calcium carbide, steel rods/bars, dolomite, gypsum

Exports Partners

India 95.3% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

26% (2017 est.)

government consumption

16.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

58% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-48% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

47.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

16.2% (2017 est.)

industry

41.8% (2017 est.)

services

42% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$2.405 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$9,000 (2017 est.)

$8,500 (2016 est.)

$8,000 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$7.205 billion (2017 est.)

$6.71 billion (2016 est.)

$6.252 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

7.4% (2017 est.)

7.3% (2016 est.)

6.2% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

40.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

33.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

32% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

30.6% (2012)

lowest 10%

30.6% (2012)

Imports

$1.025 billion (2017 est.)

$1.03 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

fuel and lubricants, airplanes, machinery and parts, rice, motor vehicles

Imports Partners

India 89.5% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

6.3% (2017 est.)

Industries

cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

5.8% (2017 est.)

7.6% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

397,900 (2017 est.)

note

major shortage of skilled labor

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

58%

industry

20%

services

22% (2015 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$401.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$340.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$359.3 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

12% (2012 est.)

Public Debt

106.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

114.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$1.206 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.127 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$993.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$769 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$160.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$168.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$1.535 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.17 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$993.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$769 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

27.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

3.2% (2017 est.)

3.2% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

604,900 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

53% (2012)

electrification - total population

76% (2012)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2012)

population without electricity

187,531 (2012)

Electricity Consumption

2.184 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

5.763 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

1% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

99% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

84 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

1.632 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

7.883 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

3,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2017 est.)

total

16,707 (2017 est.)

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

Internet Users

percent of population

41.8% (July 2016 est.)

total

313,347 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

domestic service inadequate, notably in rural areas; mobile-cellular service, begun in 2003, is now widely available; 3 to 100 fixed-line, 96 to 100 mobile cellular (2017)

general assessment

urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services; telecom sector has been continuing on a steady development path; fixed broadband penetration remains very low, due to the preeminence of the mobile platform; next five years to 2023 low to moderate growth is expected from this small base (2017)

international

country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

21,364 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

96 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

730,623 (2017 est.)

Airports

2 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2017)

total

2 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2012)

total

1 (2012)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

A5 (2016)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

538,041 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

162,864 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

6 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

2 (2015)

Roadways

note

a more recent figure for 2015 lists 11,177 km for total roadway length, but no breakdown of paved or unpaved

paved

2,975 km (includes 2,180 km of national highways)

total

10,578 km

unpaved

7,603 km (2013)

Military Branches

Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2009)

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)

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 most contentious of which lie in Bhutan's west along China’s Chumbi salient