2022 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 in 1949. The Indo-Bhutanese Treaty of Friendship 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 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the draft of Bhutan's first constitution - which introduced major democratic reforms - and held a national referendum for its approval. The King abdicated the throne in 2006 in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK. In 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. In 2008, Bhutan held its first parliamentary election in accordance with the constitution. Bhutan experienced a peaceful turnover of power following a parliamentary election in 2013, which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent party. In 2018, the incumbent party again lost the parliamentary election. Of the more than 100,000 ethnic Nepali - predominantly Lhotshampa - refugees who fled or were forced out of Bhutan in the 1990s, about 6,500 remain displaced in Nepal.

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

highest point

Gangkar Puensum 7,570 m

lowest point

Drangeme Chhu 97 m

mean elevation

2,220 m

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

China 477 km; India 659 km

total

1,136 km

Land use

agricultural land

13.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.)

forest

85.5% (2018 est.)

other

0.9% (2018 est.)

Location

Southern Asia, between China and India

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

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

24.52% (male 98,113/female 93,740)

15-24 years

17.77% (male 70,768/female 68,211)

25-54 years

44.72% (male 184,500/female 165,374)

55-64 years

6.39% (male 26,714/female 23,280)

65 years and over

6.6% (male 26,797/female 24,821) (2020 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

15.94 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

3.6% of GDP (2019)

Death rate

6.22 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.6

potential support ratio

11.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

40.7

youth dependency ratio

32.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 99.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.5% of population

Education expenditures

7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Ngalop (also known as Bhote) 50%, ethnic Nepali 35% (predominantly Lhotshampas), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2021 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

female

26.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

27.22 deaths/1,000 live births

total

27.04 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.49 years (2022 est.)

male

71.19 years

total population

72.31 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

57.1% (2017)

male

75%

total population

66.6%

Major urban areas - population

203,000 THIMPHU (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

183 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

28.6 years (2020 est.)

male

29.6 years

total

29.1 years

Nationality

adjective

Bhutanese

noun

Bhutanese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.4% (2016)

Physicians density

0.5 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

867,775 (2022 est.)

Population growth rate

0.97% (2022 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 83.1% of population

improved: total

total: 86.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 90.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 16.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 13.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 9.2% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2018)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.12 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.13 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.97 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.08 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.79 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

44.4% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

12.7% (2015 est.)

male

8.2%

total

10.7%

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

etymology

the origins of the name are unclear; the traditional explanation, dating to the 14th century, is that thim means "dissolve" and phu denotes "high ground" to express the meaning of "dissolving high ground," in reference to a local deity that dissolved before a traveler's eyes, becoming a part of the rock on which the present city stands

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 assent by the king

history

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

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

embassy

none; 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

chief of mission

Ambassador Doma TSHERING (since 13 September 2017)note - also the Permanent Representative to the UN

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

email - consulate.pmbny@mfa.gov.btweb address - https://www.mfa.gov.bt/pmbny/

embassy

343 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017

FAX

[1] (212) 661-0551

note

note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US

telephone

[1] (212) 682-2268

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-thirds 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 Lotay TSHERING (since 7 November 2018)

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, UNISFA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 associate justices); 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 in a two-round majoritarian voting system; members 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

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 PartyBhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Dorji WANGDI] (Druk Chirwang Tshogpa or DCT merged with DPT in March 2018)People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY]United Party of Bhutan (Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa) or DNT [Lotay TSHERING]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, rice, maize, potatoes, roots/tubers, oranges, areca nuts, chillies/peppers, spices, ginger

Budget

expenditures

737.4 million (2017 est.)

note

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.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$621 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$547 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$2.355 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$2.671 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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

Currency

ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

61.03 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

64.15 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

67.2 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

67.2 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

64.97 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$790 million (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$780 million (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$790 million (2020 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

iron alloys, dolomite, refined iron, cement, silicon carbides (2019)

Exports - partners

India 94% (2019)

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.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2007

38.1 (2007)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

37.4 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.6% (2012)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Imports

Imports 2018

$1.25 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2019

$1.23 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$1.19 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, iron products, delivery trucks, cars, wood charcoal (2019)

Imports - partners

India 85%, Thailand 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

6.3% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

7.6% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

5.8% (2017 est.)

Labor force

397,900 (2017 est.)

note

note: major shortage of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

58%

industry

20%

services

22% (2015 est.)

Population below poverty line

8.2% (2017 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

114.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

106.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$8.56 billion (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$9.03 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$8.42 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

6.2% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

7.3% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

7.4% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$11,300 (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$11,800 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$10,900 (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$1.127 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$1.206 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

27.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

3.2% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

3.2% (2017 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

12.7% (2015 est.)

male

8.2%

total

10.7%

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

328,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

606,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

934,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

211,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

37,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

174,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

4,314,890,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

4.6 billion kWh (2019 est.)

imports

22.85 million kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.334 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

60 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

100.135 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

4,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

0.4 (2020 est.)

total

3,189 (2020 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

54% (2020 est.)

total

416,671 (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

approximately 3 to 100 fixed-line and 97 to 100 mobile cellular; domestic service inadequate, notably in rural areas (2020)

general assessment

the small land-locked Kingdom of Bhutan has only recently emerged from decades of isolation from the modern world; that, and its mountainous terrain, left the country far back in the field in terms of teledensity as well as access to the Internet; over the last decade, the country has undergone a significant transformation due to the opening of its borders, liberalization of its telecom sector, and the active support from the government towards increased competition in the mobile, broadband, and ISP segments; the relatively widespread availability of the mobile platform has caused an explosion in mobile broadband subscriber numbers, growing from zero to over 100% penetration in just ten years (between 2010 and 2019).; the onset of the Covid-19 crisis in 2020 caused the subscription rates to drop back a little; growth is projected to return in 2022 (along with the broader mobile market) as the overall economy recovers; the government opens up more to foreign investment, trade, and tourism; and network expansion continues – the recent (December 2021) launch of 5G services by both of the country’s mobile operators being particularly noteworthy (2022)

international

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

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

22,987 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

97 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

745,137 (2020 est.)

Airports

total

2 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2021)

total

2

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2012)

total

1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

A5

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

690,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

275,849 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

6

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Roadways

total

12,205 km (2017)

urban

437 km (2017)

Military - note

India is responsible for military training, arms supplies, and the air defense of Bhutan (2022)

Military and security forces

Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and an air wing); National Militia; Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs: Royal Bhutan Police (2022)

note

note: the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) agency is responsible for internal security; the Army is responsible for external threats but also has responsibility for some internal security functions, including conducting counterinsurgency operations, guarding forests, and providing security for prominent persons

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Royal Bhutan Army has an estimated 8,000 personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

India has provided most of the Royal Bhutan Army's equipment (2022)

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; in 2021, the Royal Bhutan Army graduated from a year-long training course the first batch of 150 women to be allowed to serve in combat roles; previously, women were allowed to serve in medical and other non-combat roles (2022)

Disputes - international

Bhutan-China: 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.Bhutan-India: none identified

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Bhutan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; among its accomplishments, Bhutan convicted one trafficker, appealed the dismissal of trafficking charges in a second case, finalized and disseminated standard operating procedures for victim identification and referral, and initiated an investigation into reports of labor exploitation; the government also continued to work with an international organization on anti-trafficking training and public awareness events; however, Bhutanese courts continued to dismiss and refile on lesser charges human trafficking cases due to inconsistencies between Bhutanese law and the international definition of trafficking; additionally, authorities did not identify any trafficking victims during the reporting period and did not provide protective services to Bhutanese victims of forced labor abroad (2020)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Bhutan and Bhutanese abroad; some traffickers posing as recruiters use the lure of well-paying jobs overseas to exploit Bhutanese citizens for forced labor; some Bhutanese working in hospitality, retail, and service industries in the Gulf states and India, Thailand, and the UK reported trafficking indicators, including illegal recruitment fees, wage deductions, restricted movement, passport retention, and non-payment of wages; Bhutanese women and girls working as domestics, caregivers, and entertainers are subject to sex and labor trafficking domestically; Bhutanese and Indian women may be forced to work in hotels, massage parlors, and nightclubs, while male Indian workers face unauthorized deductions and non-payment of wages in the construction and hydropower sectors

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.26 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

1.11 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

35.32 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea

Land use

agricultural land

13.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.)

forest

85.5% (2018 est.)

other

0.9% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

1.89% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

78 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

318 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

17 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

44.4% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

111,314 tons (2007 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

957 tons (2016 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

0.9% (2016 est.)