Bhutan

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

• 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

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

noun:

Bhutanese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Bhutanese

total:

31.2 years (2025 est.)

male:

31.1 years

female:

30.3 years

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

1.06 male(s)/female

total population:

1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

23 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

24.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

23.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

73.7 years (2024 est.)

male:

72.5 years

female:

75 years

total:

0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

18.5% (2025 est.)

male:

26.1% (2025 est.)

female:

9.8% (2025 est.)

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

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

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

urban population:

44.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

municipal solid waste generated annually:

111,300 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

1.7% (2022 est.)

municipal:

17 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

318 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Bhutan

conventional short form:

Bhutan

local long form:

Druk Gyalkhap

local short form:

Druk Yul

etymology:

• name may derive from the Sanskrit words bhoṭa , the name for Tibet, and anta , meaning "end" -- a reference to Bhutan's location at the southernmost end of Tibet;
• the local Dzongkha name Druk Yul means "Land of the Dragon"

name:

Thimphu

geographic coordinates:

27 28 N, 89 38 E

time difference:

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

etymology:

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

• 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

history:

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

amendment process:

• 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

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

chief of state:

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006)

head of government:

Prime Minister Tshering TOBGAY (since 28 January 2024)

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

election/appointment process:

• 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

legislature name:

Parliament (Chi Tshog)

legislative structure:

bicameral

chamber name:

National Assembly (Tshogdu)

number of seats:

47 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

1/9/2024

parties elected and seats per party:

People's Democratic Party (PDP) (30); Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) (17)

percentage of women in chamber:

4.3%

expected date of next election:

January 2029

chamber name:

National Council (Gyelyong Tshogde)

number of seats:

25 (20 directly elected; 5 appointed)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

0 years

most recent election date:

4/20/2023

parties elected and seats per party:

N/A; note - the National Council is not party-based

percentage of women in chamber:

12%

expected date of next election:

April 2028

highest court(s):

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on 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

note: the Supreme Court has sole jurisdiction in constitutional matters

• Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT
• Bhutan Tendrel Party or BTP
• Druk Thuendrel Tshogpa or DTT
• People's Democratic Party or PDP
• United Party of Bhutan (Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa) or DNT

description:

• divided diagonally from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner;
• the upper triangle is yellow, and the lower triangle is dark orange;
• centered along the dividing line is a large, stylized black-and-white dragon facing to the right;
• the dragon is called the Druk (Thunder Dragon) and is the national emblem

meaning:

• white stands for purity, and the jewels in the dragon's claws symbolize wealth;
• the background colors represent the spiritual and secular powers in Bhutan, with orange standing for Buddhism and yellow for the ruling dynasty

title:

"Druk tsendhen" (The Thunder Dragon Kingdom)

lyrics/music:

Gyaldun Dasho Thinley DORJI/Aku TONGMI

history:

adopted 1953

• hydropower investments spurring economic development;
• Gross National Happiness economy;
• sharp poverty declines;
• low inflation;
• strong monetary and fiscal policies;
• stable currency;
• fairly resilient response to COVID-19;
• key economic and strategic relations with India;
• climate vulnerabilities

total:

13.8% (2024 est.)

male:

11.2% (2024 est.)

female:

16.5% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

3.6% (2022 est.)

highest 10%:

22.7% (2022 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

production:

4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption:

105,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

54 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

122,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

• 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)

• the Army is responsible for external threats but also has some internal security functions such as conducting counterinsurgency operations, guarding forests, and providing security for prominent persons;
• Bhutan's closest security partner is India;
• under the 2007 India-Bhutan Friendship Treaty, both countries agreed to cooperate closely on issues relating to their national interests (2025)