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Bhutan
Form of Government: Monarchy
Area: 38 394 sq km
Population: 734 374 inhab. (estimate 2018)
Density: 19.13 inhab./sq km
Coordinates: lat. 28° - 27° N; long. 88° - 92° E
Capital: Thimphu (capital) 114 551 inhab. (2017);
Currency: ngultrum (100 chetrum) and Indian rupee, pegged at par
Human development index: 0.612 (rank: 134)
Sovereign: Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, since 14 December 2006
Interim Prime Minister: Lotay Tshering (Bhutan United Party), since 7 November 2018
National Assembly: seats based on the elections held on 15 September and 18 October 2018: DNT (Bhutan United Party), 30; DPT (Peace and Prosperity Party), 17
Internet: www.nsb.gov.bt (National Statistics Bureau)
Member of SAARC, UN, WTO observer
Bhutan
Druk Yul
Useful informationInternational license plate code BHT
International dialling code 00975
Travel vaccinations requirement yellow fever (required only if traveling from a country with risk of transmission, including travelers having transited more than 12 hours through the airport of a country with risk of transmission); malaria prophylaxis (recommended for some areas)
Electricity (Voltage) 230
Driving side left
Internet code .bt
GMT +6
DST not applied
Annual average temperature (°C) Thimphu 14.4
Average temperature in January/July (°C) Thimphu 7.5/23.5
Annual average precipitation (mm) Thimphu 1020
Days of rainfall (annual average) Thimphu 108
Geography.
Bhutan is bordered by China (Tibet) to the north and by India to the east, the south and the west. It lies on the southern slopes of the Himalayas.
Government
The democratic process, begun in 1998, led to the legislative elections (2007-08) and to the proclamation of the first constitution (19 July 2008). The two-chamber parliament is made up of the National Council (25 members) and the National Assembly (47 members).
Administrative division
Administrative division
| District (Dzongkhag) | AREA | INHABITANTS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bumthang | 2 717 sq km | 17 917 inhab. | 2018 |
| Chhukha | 1 880 sq km | 69 157 inhab. | 2018 |
Cities
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thimphu | 114 551 | inhab. | 2017 |
| Phuentsholing | 27 658 | inhab. | 2017 |
Population
| Population by age and gender (% - 2018) | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| MALE | AGE | FEMALE | ||||||
Demographic statistics
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth rate | 15.5 | ‰ | 2017 |
| Death rate | 6.7 | ‰ | 2017 |
Ethnic groups
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bothe | 50 | % | 2005 |
| Nepalese | 35 | % | 2005 |
Religions
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buddhist | 74.7 | % | 2010 |
| Hindu | 22.6 | % | 2010 |
Languages
| DESCRIPTION |
|---|
| Dzongkha (official) |
| Nepali dialects |
Population by selected age groups
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-14 years | 25.4 | % | 2018 |
| 15-29 years | 28.5 | % | 2018 |
Economy
Economy is based on subsistence agriculture (rice, maize, cardamom, citrus fruits and apples), on limited exploitation of valuable timber (teak) and on exportation of hydropower to India. The subsoil is exploited for the extraction of calcium carbonate, quartzite and sandstone. Industry includes cement factories, hydroelectric plants, timber and food processing plants.
Economy - General data
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural prod. index (2004-06=100) | 101.82 | index | 2016 |
| Balance of trade | - 400 | M US$ | 2018 |
Economy - Employment
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active population | 403 811 | units | 2018 |
| Active population, Females | 40.1 | % | 2018 |
Economy - Unemployment
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 2.2 | % | 2018 |
| Unemployment rate, Females | 55.2 | % | 2018 |
Economy - State budget
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expenses | 48 018 | M LCU | 2017 |
| Revenues | 47 890.1 | M LCU | 2017 |
Employment by economic activity
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| agriculture | 56.8 | % | 2018 |
| industry | 9.8 | % | 2018 |
GDP by economic activity
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| agriculture | 17.5 | % | 2017 |
| industry | 43.2 | % | 2017 |
Financial data
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency in circulation | 11.82 | BN LCU | 2018 |
| International reserves | 990.6 | M US$ | 2018 |
Agriculture
Land use
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| arable land | 2.95 | % | 2015 |
| forests | 72.27 | % | 2015 |
Agriculture - products - Cereals
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| barley | 2.005 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| cereals, total | 188.78 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Roots and tubers
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| potatoes | 57.223 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| roots and tubers, total | 92.298 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Vegetables
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| asparagus | 0.25 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| cabbages | 10.562 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Pulses
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| beans, dry | 4.316 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| peas, dry | 1.02 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Oilcrops
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| groundnuts | 0.1 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| soybeans | 0.204 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Aromatics
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| ginger | 6.445 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| mustard seed | 0.803 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Industrial crops
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| sugar cane | 14.856 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| tobacco | 0.173 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Fiber plants
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| jute | 0.34 | 1000 t | 2014 |
Agriculture - products - Fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| apples | 8.039 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| apricots | 0.024 | 1000 t | 2016 |
Agriculture - products - Nuts
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| walnuts | 0.239 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Citrus fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| citrus fruits | 44.865 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| citrus fruits, nes | 16.848 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Tropical fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| bananas | 3.113 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| mangoes | 1.614 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Cereals
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| barley | 1.385 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| maize | 26.738 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Roots and tubers
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| potatoes | 5.192 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| sweet potatoes | 0.082 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Vegetables
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cabbages | 1.438 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| carrots and turnips | 0.945 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Pulses
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| beans, dry | 3.524 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| peas, dry | 0.591 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Oilcrops
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| groundnuts | 0.2 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| soybeans | 0.351 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Aromatics
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| ginger | 1.434 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| mustard seed | 1.011 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Industrial crops
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| sugar cane | 0.475 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| tobacco | 0.117 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Fiber plants
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| jute | 0.085 | 1000 ha | 2014 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| apples | 1.225 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| peaches | 0.845 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Citrus fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| citrus fruits | 5.702 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| citrus fruits, nes | 2.44 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Tropical fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| mangoes | 0.249 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Forests-Livestock-Fishing
Forestry
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| timber | 5 320 254 | m³ | 2017 |
Livestock - Cattle
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cattle | 303.25 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
| cattle and buffaloes | 303.8 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Buffaloes
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| buffaloes | 0.55 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Pigs
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| pigs | 18.815 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Sheep
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| sheep | 10.444 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Goats
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| goats | 42.689 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Equines
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| asses | 17.957 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
| asses and mules | 22.708 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Poultry
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| birds | 1 068 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Livestock products
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cheese | 0.061 | 1000 t | 2014 |
| eggs | 5.4 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Fishing
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater fishes | 218 | t | 2017 |
| total catch | 238 | t | 2017 |
Minerals
Mineral resources - Energy minerals
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| coal | 161.5 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| coal, total | 161.5 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Mineral resources - Metal ores
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| ferrosilicon | 65 | 1000 t | 2018 |
| iron ore | 33 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Mineral resources - Non-metal ores
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| gypsum | 328.1 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| talc | 1.3 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Mineral resources - Rocks
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| dolomite | 2 536.7 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| granite | 26.4 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Energy
Electric energy - Generated
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| - hydro | 7 879 | M kWh | 2016 |
| renewable electricity generation | 99.987 | % | 2016 |
Electric energy - Installed capacity
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| - hydro | 1 614 | 1000 kW | 2016 |
| - thermal | 17 | 1000 kW | 2016 |
Electric energy - Total production and capacity
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| total net generation | 7 882.7 | M kWh | 2016 |
| total installed capacity | 1 631.5 | 1000 kW | 2016 |
Industry
Industry - Food and beverages
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| beer of barley | 5.6 | 1000 t | 2014 |
Industry - Paper and wood products
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| other paper | 10 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| paper | 10 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Industry - Glass and other non-metallic mineral products
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cement | 940 | 1000 t | 2016 |
Industry - Various
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| manufacturing production | 183.3 | M US$ | 2017 |
Trade
Composition of goods exports
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| manufactures | 68.6 | % of goods exports | 2011 |
| ores and metals | 21.4 | % of goods exports | 2011 |
International trade by country - Merchandise Export
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 464 | M US$ | 2009 |
| Bangladesh | 15.7 | M US$ | 2009 |
International trade by country - Merchandise Import
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 412 | M US$ | 2009 |
| Singapore | 15.4 | M US$ | 2009 |
Tourism
International Tourism
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expenditures | 61 | M US$ | 2017 |
| Number of arrivals | 255 000 | units | 2017 |
Communications
Communication - Transport
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil aviation, km flown | 2 200 000 | km flown | 2004 |
| Civil aviation, passengers carried | 293.3 | 1000 units | 2017 |
Communication - Media and telecommunication
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadband subscribers | 20.687 | per 1000 pop. | 2017 |
| Computers | 25.1 | per 1000 pop. | 2007 |
Social and welfare
Social statistics - Education
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected years of schooling | 12.1 | years | 2013 |
| Graduates | 1 629 | units | 2013 |
Social statistics - Students and Teachers by level
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teachers, primary level | 2 541 | units | 2016 |
| Teachers, secondary level | 6 515 | units | 2016 |
Social statistics - Social protection
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social protection spending | 0.05 | % of total expenses | 2016 |
Social statistics - Health
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital beds | 1.8 | per 1000 pop. | 2017 |
| Physicians | 0.43 | per 1000 pop. | 2017 |
Social statistics - Diseases
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIV | 0.1 | % of adults | 2013 |
| Malaria | 62 | cases | 2017 |
Other social indicators
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking | 52.5 | % | 2016 |
| Access to electricity | 97.7 | % | 2017 |
Household consumption expenditure
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| clothing, footwear | 8.3 | % | 2008 |
| food, non-alcoholic beverages | 44.9 | % | 2008 |
