Bhutan

monarchyIndependence 8 August 1949 (from India)

Bhutan as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalThimphu
LocationSouthern Asia, in the Himalayas, between China and India
1994

Every edition of Bhutan

Populationas each edition published it
716,380 people July 1994 est. · 1.57m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.34% 1994 est. · 2.33% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 20.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 50.17 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
5.42 children per woman 1994 est. · 5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
121 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 137 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$700 1993 est. · $200 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5% 3.1% in 1993

Geography

Southern Asia, in the Himalayas, between China and India

22 fields
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Land boundaries
1,075km
total · China 470 km, India 605 km
Irrigated land
340sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Southern Asia, in the Himalayas, between China and India

Map references

Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

47,000 sq km

land area

47,000 sq km

comparative area

slightly more than 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

Terrain

mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Natural resources

timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

arable land

2%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

5%

forest and woodland

70%

other

23%

current issues

soil erosion; limited access to safe drinking 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

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

22 fields
Population
716,380
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.34% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
39.31Death
15.93Net migration
0

Ethnic divisions

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

note

other estimates range as high as 1.7 million (July 1994 est.)

Infant mortality rate

121 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

50.6 years

male

51.15 years

female

50.03 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.42 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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

total population

NA%

male

NA%

female

NA%

by occupation

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

note

massive lack of skilled labor

Government

Monarchy

23 fields

conventional long form

Kingdom of Bhutan

conventional short form

Bhutan

Type

monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Capital

Thimphu

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

Independence

8 August 1949 (from India)

National holiday

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

Constitution

no written constitution or bill of rights

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)

cabinet

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Tshogdu); no national elections

Judicial branch

High Court

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

Diplomatic representation in US

no formal diplomatic relations; the Bhutanese mission to the UN in New York has consular jurisdiction in the US

consulate(s) general

New York

US diplomatic representation

no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassies 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

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$700
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
5%
(FY93 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate NA%; accounts for 8% of GDP; primarily cottage industry and home based handicrafts
External debt
$141million
(June 1993)

Overview

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 50% of GDP. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive.

The economy is closely aligned with that of India 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 its most important natural 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 10% in 1992.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $500 million (1993 est.)

revenues

$100 million

expenditures

$112 million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (FY92 est.)

note

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

Exports

$66 million (f.o.b., FY93 est.)

commodities

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

partners

India 82%, Bangladesh, Singapore

Imports

$125 million (c.i.f., FY93 est.)

commodities

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

partners

India 60%, Japan, Germany, US, UK

capacity

336,000 kW

production

1.5422 billion kWh

consumption per capita

2,203 kWh (25.8% is exported to India leaving 1,633 kWh per capita; 1990-91)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 45% of GDP;
  • based on subsistence farming and animal husbandry;
  • self-sufficient in food except for foodgrains;
  • other production - rice, corn, root crops, citrus fruit, dairy products, eggs

recipient

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $115 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $11 million

Currency

1 ngultrum (Nu) = 100 chetrum; note - Indian currency is also legal tender

Exchange rates

  • ngultrum (Nu) per US$1 - 31.370 (January 1994), 30.493 (1993), 25.918 (1992), 22.742 (1991), 17.504 (1990), 16.226 (1989);
  • note - the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

11 fields

total

2,165 km

paved

NA

unpaved

gravel 1,703 km

undifferentiated

462 km

total

2

usable

2

with permanent-surface runways

1

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

0

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

2

Telecommunications

  • domestic telephone service is very poor with very few telephones in use;
  • international telephone and telegraph service is by land line through India;
  • a satellite earth station was planned (1990);
  • broadcast stations - 1 AM, 1 FM, no TV (1990)

Defense Forces

Royal Bhutan Army, Palace Guard, Militia

3 fields

Branches

Royal Bhutan Army, Palace Guard, Militia

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 424,558;
  • fit for military service 226,851;
  • reach military age (18) annually 17,310 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Central Intelligence Agency. “Bhutan.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bhutan/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →