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Bhutan
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Background: |
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 to British India. 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. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the
government's draft constitution - which would introduce major
democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for
its approval. A referendum date has yet to be named.
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Location: |
Southern Asia, between China and India
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Geographic coordinates: |
27 30 N, 90 30 E
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Area: |
total: 47,000 sq km
land: 47,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 1,075 km
border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km |
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Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims: |
none (landlocked)
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Climate: |
varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in
central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas |
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Terrain: |
mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m |
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Natural resources: |
timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
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Land use: |
arable land: 2.3%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 97.27% (2005)
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Irrigated land: |
400 sq km (2003)
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Natural hazards: |
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 |
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Environment - current issues: |
soil erosion; limited access to potable water
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Geography - note: |
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls
several key Himalayan mountain passes
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Population: |
2,279,723
note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2006
est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 38.9% (male 458,801/female 426,947)
15-64 years: 57.1% (male 671,057/female 631,078)
65 years and over: 4% (male 46,217/female 45,623) (2006 est.)
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Median age: |
total: 20.4 years
male: 20.2 years
female: 20.6 years (2006 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
2.1% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate: |
33.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Death rate: |
12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Net migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 98.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 96.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 100.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 54.78 years
male: 55.02 years
female: 54.53 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate: |
4.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
less than 0.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 100 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
NA |
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Nationality: |
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Bhutanese |
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Ethnic groups: |
Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several
Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15% |
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Religions: |
Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
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Languages: |
Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese
speak various Nepalese dialects
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 47%
male: 60%
female: 34% (2003 est.) |
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Country name: |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form: Bhutan
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Government type: |
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
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Capital: |
Thimphu |
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Administrative divisions: |
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
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Independence: |
8 August 1949 (from India) |
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National holiday: |
National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17
December (1907) |
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Constitution: |
no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001, the king
commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in March 2005
publicly unveiled it; is awaiting national referendum |
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Legal system: |
based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage: |
each family has one vote in village-level elections; note - in late
2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law |
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Legislative branch: |
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 August 2005 (next to be
held in 2008)
election results: NA |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed
by the monarch) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
no legal parties
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Economy - overview: |
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 visits by upscale,
environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and
uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$2.9 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
5.3% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$1,400 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 45%
industry: 10%
services: 45% (2002 est.) |
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Labour force: |
NA
note: major shortage of skilled labour |
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Labour force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 93%
industry: 2%
services: 5% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
3% (2002 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $146 million
expenditures: $152 million; including capital expenditures of
$NA
note: the government of India fi$NAnces nearly three-fifths
of Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
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Industries: |
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
calcium carbide |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
9.3% (1996 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
1.882 billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - consumption: |
250.3 million kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - exports: |
1.51 billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports: |
10 million kWh (2003)
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Oil - consumption: |
1,100 bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Exports: |
$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)
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Exports - commodities: |
electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts,
cement, fruit, precious stones, spices |
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Exports - partners: |
India 85.6%, Bangladesh 6.7%, Japan 4.3% (2004)
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Imports: |
$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)
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Imports - commodities: |
fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics,
rice |
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Imports - partners: |
Germany 41.8%, India 35.5%, Japan 9.2%, Austria 4.3% (2004)
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Debt - external: |
$245 million (2000) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
substantial aid from India and other nations
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Currency (code): |
ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)
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Fiscal year: |
1 July - 30 June
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
30,300 (2004) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
22,000 (2005) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor
domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor
especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003
international: country code - 975; international telephone
and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through
India; satellite earth station - 1 (2005) |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2006) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
1 (2006) |
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Internet country code: |
.bt |
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Internet hosts: |
3 (2005) |
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Internet users: |
20,000 (2005) |
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Airports: |
2 (2005) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005) |
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Roadways: |
total: 8,050 km
paved: 4,991 km
unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)
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Military branches: |
Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police)
(2005) |
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Disputes - international: |
approximately 105,000 Bhutanese have lived decades as refugees in
Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High
Commissioner for Refugees camps; Bhutan cooperates with India to
expel Indian separatists |
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