View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2004 CSV Excel Print All Years

Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.bt

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

985 (2003)

Internet users [time series]

15,000 (2003)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few telephones in use international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

25,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

8,000 (2003)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (1997)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $146 million expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

BTN; INR

Debt - external [time series]

$245 million (2000)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

substantial aid from India and other nations

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 the visits of upscale, environmentally conscientious visitors. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

379.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

1.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

16 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.896 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates [time series]

ngultrum per US dollar - 46.5806 (2003), 48.6103 (2002), 47.1864 (2001), 44.9416 (2000), 43.0554 (1999)

Exports [time series]

$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Exports - partners [time series]

Bangladesh 60.5%, US 11.7%, Malaysia 5.7% (2003)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 45% industry: 10% services: 45% (2002 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

7.7% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports [time series]

$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice

Imports - partners [time series]

Japan 36.6%, Austria 14.2%, Sweden 8.3%, China 7.5%, Thailand 6%, Bangladesh 6%, Germany 5.5%, Italy 4% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

9.3% (1996 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3% (2002 est.)

Labor force [time series]

NA note: massive lack of skilled labor (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%

Oil - consumption [time series]

1,020 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

Unemployment rate [time series]

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

about half the size of Indiana

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

soil erosion; limited access to potable water

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

27 30 N, 90 30 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

400 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3.09% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.48% (2001)

Location [time series]

Southern Asia, between China and India

Map references [time series]

Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Capital [time series]

Thimphu

Constitution [time series]

no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the King commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in November 2004 presented a draft to the Council of Ministers

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Yeshey ZIMBA (since 20 August 2004) 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

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Independence [time series]

8 August 1949 (from India)

International organization participation [time series]

AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms) elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: NA

National holiday [time series]

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

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

no legal parties

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled)

Suffrage [time series]

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

Introduction

Background [time series]

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. 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.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$11.2 million (2003)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.9% (2003)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 544,560 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 290,843 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 23,379 (2004 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 39.3% (male 445,548; female 414,338) 15-64 years: 56.6% (male 637,637; female 600,253) 65 years and over: 4% (male 44,298; female 43,495) (2004 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

34.41 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate [time series]

13.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

less than 100 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 102.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 100.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 104.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 53.99 years male: 54.27 years female: 53.68 years (2004 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 20.2 years male: 20 years female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population [time series]

2,185,569 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.12% (2004 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal

Transportation

Airports [time series]

2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 3,690 km paved: 2,240 km unpaved: 1,450 km (1999 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

none