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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. 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. Maoist Assamese
separatists from India, who have established themselves in the southeast
portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border incursions. |
| Location: |
Southern Asia, between China and India |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
27 30 N, 90 30 E |
| Map
references: |
Asia |
| Area: |
total: 47,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land:
47,000 sq km |
| 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: 2.98%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 96.59% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
400 sq km (1998 est.) |
| 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 |
| 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
|
| Population: |
2,139,549
note: other estimates range as low as 810,000
(July 2003 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 39.6% (male 438,784; female 407,919)
15-64
years: 56.4% (male 621,666; female 585,550)
65 years and
over: 4% (male 43,262; female 42,368) (2003 est.) |
| Median
age: |
total: 20.1 years
male: 19.9 years
female:
20.3 years (2002) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.14% (2003 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
34.82 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
13.47 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population:
1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
total: 104.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
106.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 102.49
deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 53.58 years
male: 53.9 years
female: 53.25 years (2003 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
4.94 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Bhutanese |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas--one of several
Nepalese ethnic groups), 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.)
|
| Economy
- overview: |
The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based
on agriculture and forestry, providing 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. The government has
made some progress in expanding the nation's productive base and improving
social welfare. 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. Detailed controls
and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
7.7% (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 45%
industry: 10%
services:
45% (2002 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3% (2002 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 (FY95/96 est.) |
| Industries: |
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium
carbide |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
9.3% (1996 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
1.896 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 0.1%
hydro: 99.9%
other:
0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
379.3 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
1.4 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
16 million kWh (2001) |
| Oil
- production: |
0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil
- consumption: |
1,020 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil
- exports: |
NA (2001) |
| Oil
- imports: |
NA (2001) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs |
| Exports: |
$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement,
fruit, precious stones, spices |
| Exports
- partners: |
India 95%, Bangladesh 4% (1997) |
| Imports: |
$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics,
rice |
| Imports
- partners: |
India 82%, Japan 3% (1997) |
| Debt
- external: |
$245 million (2000) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
substantial aid from India and other nations |
| Currency: |
ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR) |
| Currency
code: |
BTN; INR |
| Exchange
rates: |
ngultrum per US dollar - 48.6103 (2002), 47.1864 (2001), 44.9416 (2000),
43.0554 (1999), 41.2594 (1998) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 July - 30 June
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