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#CARD:Bhutan:Geography
#WORD 42 68 60 59 0
Bhutan Click Here for Country List
#IMAGE 44 61 TWPCX \maps\BHUTAN.PCX
Geography Click Here for MAP
Location:
Southern Asia, in the Himalayas, between China and India
Map references:
Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
47,000 sq km
land area:
47,000 sq km
comparative area:
slightly more than half the size of Indiana
Land boundaries:
total 1,075 km, China 470 km, India 605 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none; landlocked
International disputes:
none
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
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
5%
forest and woodland:
70%
other:
23%
Irrigated land:
340 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
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
#CARD:Bhutan:People
People
Population:
716,380 (July 1994 est.)
note:
other estimates range as high as 1.7 million (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.34% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
39.31 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
15.93 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
121 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
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.)
Nationality:
noun:
Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Bhutanese
Ethnic divisions:
Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35%, indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Religions:
Lamaistic Buddhism 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Languages:
Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects; Nepalese
speak various Nepalese dialects
Literacy:
total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
NA
by occupation:
agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2%
note:
massive lack of skilled labor
#CARD:Bhutan:Government
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form:
Digraph:
BT
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
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 and Head of Government:
King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde):
nominated by the king
cabinet:
Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog); appointed by the king
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Tshogdu); no national elections
Judicial branch:
High Court
Political parties and leaders:
no legal parties
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
#CARD:Bhutan:Economy
Economy
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.)
National product real growth rate:
5% (FY93 est.)
National product per capita:
$700 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11% (October 1993)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
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
External debt:
$141 million (June 1993)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%; accounts for 8% of GDP; primarily cottage industry
and home based handicrafts
Electricity:
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
Economic aid:
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
#CARD:Bhutan:Communications
Communications
Highways:
total:
2,165 km
paved:
NA
unpaved:
gravel 1,703 km
undifferentiated:
462 km
Airports:
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)
#CARD:Bhutan:Defense Forces
Defense Forces
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
BHUTAN.0