Bhutan

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

agricultural land:

13.6%;

• arable land 2.6%;
• permanent crops 0.3%;
• permanent pasture 10.7%

forest:

85.5%

other:

0.9% (2011 est.)

total:

0.34 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%)

per capita:

458 cu m/yr (2008)

• 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

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

Law of the Sea

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

noun:

Bhutanese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Bhutanese

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

1.14 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

1.16 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

1.1 male(s)/female

total population:

1.09 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

degree of risk:

high

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:

dengue fever and malaria (2013)

total number:

25,801

percentage:

18% (2010 est.)

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Bhutan

conventional short form:

Bhutan

local long form:

Druk Gyalkhap

local short form:

Druk Yul

name:

Thimphu

geographic coordinates:

27 28 N, 89 38 E

time difference:

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

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

chief of state:

• King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006);
• note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him;
• the nearly 2-year delay between the former King's abdication and his son's coronation on 6 November 2008 was to ensure an astrologically auspicious coronation date and to give the new king, who had limited experience, deeper administrative expertise under the guidance of his father

head of government:

Prime Minister Tshering TOBGAY (since July 2013)

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 tern

elections/appointments:

• the monarchy is hereditary, but can be removed by a two-third vote of Parliament;
• leader of the majority party in Parliament is nominated as the prime minister, appointed by the monarch

description:

bicameral Parliament or Chi Tshog consists of the 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 4-year terms) and the National Assembly or Tshogdu (47 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)

elections:

• National Council election last held on 23 April 2013 (next to be held in 2017);
• National Assembly election (first round) held on 31 May 2013;
• second round on 13 July 2013

election results:

• National Council - independents 20;
• note - all candidates required to run as independents;
• National Assembly - first round poll held on 31 May 2013 - percent of vote by party - DPT 44.52%;
• PDP 32.53%;
• DNT 17.04%;
• DCT 5.9%;
• second round poll held on 13 July 2013 - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.88%, DPT 45.12%;
• seats by party - PDP 32, DPT 15

highest court(s):

Supreme Court (consists of 5 justices including the chief justice); 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

• Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party or BNK [Sonam TOBGAY]
• Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Jigme THINLEY]
• Druck Chirwang Tshogpa or DCT
• Druk Nymrub Tshogpa or DNT
• People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY]

• none;
• note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US;
• the permanent representative to the UN is Kunzang C. NAMGYEL (since February 2014);
• address: 343 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017;
• telephone [1] (212) 682-2268;
• FAX [1] (212) 661-0551

consulate(s) general:

New York

• 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

name:

"Druk tsendhen" (The Thunder Dragon Kingdom)

lyrics/music:

Gyaldun Dasho Thinley DORJI/Aku TONGMI

note: adopted 1953

agriculture:

56%

industry:

22%

services:

22% (2013 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.3%

highest 10%:

37.6% (2003)

general assessment:

urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services

domestic:

• low teledensity;
• domestic service is poor especially in rural areas;
• mobile-cellular service, started in 2003, is now widely available

international:

• country code - 975;
• international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India;
• satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2012)

• 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)

total:

10,578 km

paved:

2,975 km (includes 2,180 km of natonal highways)

unpaved:

7,603 km (2013)

country comparison to the world: 135

• 18 years of age for voluntary military service;
• no conscription;
• militia training is compulsory for males aged 20-25, over a 3-year period (2012)

males age 16-49:

202,407

females age 16-49:

180,349 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

157,664

females age 16-49:

144,861 (2010 est.)

male:

7,363

female:

7,095 (2010 est.)