Bhutan

Kingdom of Bhutan

monarchyIndependence 8 August 1949 (from India)

Bhutan as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalThimphu

Area47,000 sq km

LocationSouthern Asia, between China and India

Populationas each edition published it

1.78 million July 1995 est. · 1.57m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.34% 1995 est. · 2.33% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 20.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

51.03 years 1995 est. · 50.17 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.39 children per woman 1995 est. · 5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

118.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 137 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$700 1994 est. · $200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1994 est. · 3.1% in 1993

Geography

Southern Asia, between China and India

14 fields

Land useshare of 47,000 sq km

arable land 2%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 5%forest and woodland 70%other 23%irrigated 340 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

47,000sq km

land area: 47,000 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than half the size of Indiana

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

1,075km

total · China 470 km, India 605 km

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

Natural resources

timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

Environment

current issues:: soil erosion; limited access to potable water
natural hazards:: violent storms coming down 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
international agreements:: party to - Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Note

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

People

15 fields

Population

1,780,638

(July 1995 est.)note: other estimates range as low as 600,000growth rate: 2.34% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

39.02Death

15.61Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Bhote 50%ethnic Nepalese 35%indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 40% (female 342,276; male 368,916)
15-64 years:: 56% (female 486,258; male 513,560)
65 years and over:: 4% (female 34,215; male 35,413) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

118.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 51.03 years
male:: 51.56 years
female:: 50.48 years (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective:: Bhutanese

Religions

Lamaistic Buddhism 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Languages

Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects; Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Labor force

NA; by occupation: agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2% note: massive lack of skilled labor

Government

Monarchy

20 fields

Names

conventional long form:: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form:: Bhutan

Type

monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Administrative divisions

18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural);
Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang

National holiday

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

Constitution

no written constitution or bill of rights

Legal system

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

Suffrage

each family has one vote in village-level elections

Chief of State and Head of Government

King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)

Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde)

nominated by the king; cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog); appointed by the king

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Tshogdu); no national elections

Other political or pressure groups

Buddhist clergy;
Indian merchant community;
ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign

Member of

AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, INTELSAT, IOC, ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO

Diplomatic representation in US

Bhutan has no embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by Ugyen TSERING, located at 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017, telephone [1] (212) 826-1919;
note - the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US

consulate(s) general:: New York
honorary consulate(s):: San Francisco; Washington, DC

US diplomatic representation

no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag

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

Economy

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$700

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 7.6% (1992 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP; primarily cottage industry and home based handicrafts

Inflation, consumer prices

10%

(October 1994)

External debt

$141million

(October 1994)

Budget

Revenues

$52 millionExpenditures

$150 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $95 million (FY93/94 est.) note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures

Installed generating capacity, 360,000 kW

Electricity production

1.7 billionElectricity consumption per capita

143 (1993)

The economy, one of the world's least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for 90% of the population and account for about half of GDP. 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. The industrial sector is small and 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; however, the government limits the number of tourists to 4,000 per year to minimize foreign influence. Much of the impetus for growth has come from large public-sector companies. Nevertheless, in recent years, Bhutan has shifted toward decentralized development planning and greater private initiative.

The government privatized several large public-sector firms, is revamping its trade regime and liberalizing administerial procedures over industrial licensing. The government's industrial contribution to GDP decreased from 13% in 1988 to about 11% in 1993.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$66.8 million (f.o.b., FY93/94)

commodities:: cardamon, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, electricity (to India), precious stones, spices
partners:: India 87%, Bangladesh

Imports

$97.6 million (c.i.f., FY93/94 est.)

commodities:: fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice
partners:: India 79%, Japan, UK, Germany, US

Electricity

capacity:: 360,000 kW
production:: 1.7 billion kWh
consumption per capita:: 143 kWh (1993)

note: Bhutan exports electricity to India

ngultrum (Nu) per US$1 - 31.374 (January 1995), 31.374 (1994), 30.493 (1993), 25.918 (1992), 22.742 (1991), 17.504 (1990);
note - the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Transportation

4 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 2 in all

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

2,165Railroads

Highways: paved: NA · unpaved: gravel 1,703 km · undifferentiated: 462 km

Highways

total:: 2,165 km
paved:: NA
unpaved:: gravel 1,703 km
undifferentiated:: 462 km

Ports

none

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

NA telephones; domestic telephone service is very poor with very few telephones in use

local:: NA
intercity:: NA
international:: international telephone and telegraph service is by land line through India; an earth station was planned (1990)