Bhutan

§1. Bhutan Introduction

Background:
  Under British influence a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later a
  treaty was signed whereby the country became a British protectorate.
  Independence was attained in 1949, with India subsequently guiding foreign
  relations and supplying aid. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in
  Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of these displaced persons are housed in
  seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
  camps. Maoist Assamese separatists from India, who have established
  themselves in the southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian
  cross-border incursions.

§2. Bhutan Geography

Location:
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:
  27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 47,000 kmē
  land: 47,000 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

Area - comparative:
  about half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources:
  timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

Land use:
  arable land: 2%
  permanent crops: 0%
  permanent pastures: 6%
  forests and woodland: 66%
  other: 26% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:
  340 kmē (1993 est.)

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; frequent
  landslides during the rainy season

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not
    ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several
  key Himalayan mountain passes

§3. Bhutan People

Population:
  2,049,412 (July 2001 est.)
  note: other estimates range as low as 800,000

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.99% (male 424,832; female 394,725)
  15-64 years: 56.05% (male 591,152; female 557,498)
  65 years and over: 3.96% (male 41,125; female 40,080) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.17% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.73 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:
  14.03 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  108.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 52.79 years male: 53.16 years
  female: 52.41 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.07 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups:
  Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35%, indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Religions:
  Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Languages:
  Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak
  various Nepalese dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.2%
  male: 56.2%
  female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

§4. Bhutan Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
  conventional short form: Bhutan

Government 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
  note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Independence:
  8 August 1949 (from India)

National holiday:
  National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December
  (1907)

Constitution:
  no written constitution or bill of rights; note - Bhutan uses 1953 Royal
  decree for the Constitution of the National Assembly; on 7 July 1998, a
  Royal edict was ratified giving the National Assembly additional powers

Legal system:
  based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  each family has one vote in village-level elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Sangay NGEDUP
    (since NA 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch,
    approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms;
    note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members
    nominated by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July
    1998 give the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with
    two-thirds vote

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: last held NA (next to be held NA)
  election results: NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the
  monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  no legal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant
  antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for
  Democracy (exiled)

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,
  WIPO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United
    Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212)
    826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in
    the US
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal
  contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi
  (India)

Flag description:
  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

§5. Bhutan Economy

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. 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. The Bhutanese
  Government has made some progress in expanding the nation's productive base
  and improving social welfare. Model education, social, and environment
  programs in Bhutan 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.
  Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial
  licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $2.3 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 38% industry: 37%
  services: 25% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  NA
  note: massive lack of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $146 million
  expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96
    est.)
  note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's
    budget expenditures

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  9.3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.856 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 0.05% hydro: 99.95%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:
  191.1 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:
  1.55 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:
  15 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs

Exports:
  $154 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, electricity (to
  India), precious stones, spices

Exports - partners:
  India 94%, Bangladesh

Imports:
  $269 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice

Imports - partners:
  India 77%, Japan, UK, Germany, US

Debt - external:
  $120 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $73.8 million (1995)

Currency:
  ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:
  BTN; INR

Exchange rates:
  ngultrum per US dollar - 46.540 (January 2001), 44.942 (2000), 43.055
  (1999), 41.259 (1998), 36.313 (1997), 35.433 (1996); note - the Bhutanese
  ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee which is also legal tender

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

§6. Bhutan Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor
    with few telephones in use
  international: international telephone and telegraph service is by landline
    through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (1997)

Televisions:
  11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  500 (2000)

§7. Bhutan Transportation

Railways:
  0 km

Highways:
  total: 3,285 km
  paved: 1,994 km
  unpaved: 1,291 km (1996)

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

§8. Bhutan Military

Military branches:
  Royal Bhutan Army, National Militia, Royal Bhutan Police, Royal Body
  Guards, Forest Guards (paramilitary)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 504,342 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 269,251 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 21,167 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA%

§9. Bhutan Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately 98,700 Bhutanese
  refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations Office of the High
  Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps
