:Bhutan Geography

Total area:
    47,000 km2
Land area:
    47,000 km2
Comparative area:
    slightly more than half the size of Indiana
Land boundaries:
    1,075 km; China 470 km, India 605 km
Coastline:
    none - landlocked
Maritime claims:
    none - landlocked
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, tourism potential
Land use:
    arable land 2%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and
    woodland 70%; other 23%
Environment:
    violent storms coming down from the Himalayas were the source of the country
    name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon
Note:
    landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key
    Himalayan mountain passes

:Bhutan People

Population:
    1,660,167 (July 1992), growth rate 2.3% (1992)
Birth rate:
    40 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
    17 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
    0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
    126 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
    50 years male, 49 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
    5.5 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
    noun - Bhutanese (singular and plural); adjective - Bhutanese
Ethnic divisions:
    Bhote 60%, ethnic Nepalese 25%, indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Religions:
    Lamaistic Buddhism 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Languages:
    Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects - most widely spoken dialect is
    Dzongkha (official); Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Literacy:
    NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force:
    NA; agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2%; massive lack of
    skilled labor
Organized labor:
    not permitted

:Bhutan Government

Long-form name:
    Kingdom of Bhutan
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)
Constitution:
    no written constitution or bill of rights
Legal system:
    based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
    jurisdiction
National holiday:
    National Day (Ugyen Wangchuck became first hereditary king), 17 December
    (1907)
Executive branch:
    monarch, chairman of the Royal Advisory Council, Royal Advisory Council
    (Lodoi Tsokde), chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers
    (Lhengye Shungtsog)
Legislative branch:
    unicameral National Assembly (Tshogdu)
Judicial branch:
    High Court
Leaders:
  Chief of State and Head of Government:
    King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
Political parties and leaders:
    no legal parties
Suffrage:
    each family has one vote in village-level elections
Elections:
    no national elections
Communists:
    no overt Communist presence
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, IOC, ITU, NAM,
    SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation:
    no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained
    between the Bhutanese and US Embassies in New Delhi (India); the Bhutanese
    mission to the UN in New York has consular jurisdiction in the US
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

:Bhutan 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. Low wages in industry lead most Bhutanese to stay in
    agriculture. 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.
GDP:
    exchange rate conversion - $320 million, per capita $200; real growth rate
    3.1% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
    12% (FY90)
Unemployment rate:
    NA
Budget:
    revenues $112 million; expenditures $121 million, including capital
    expenditures of $58 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
    $74 million (f.o.b., FY91)
  commodities:
    cardamon, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit
  partners:
    India 93%
Imports:
    $106.4 million (c.i.f., FY91 est.)
  commodities:
    fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics
  partners:
    India 67%
External debt:
    $80 million (FY91 est.)
Industrial production:
    growth rate NA; accounts for 18% of GDP
Electricity:
    353,000 kW capacity; 2,000 million kWh produced, 1,280 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries:
    cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium
    carbide
Agriculture:
    accounts for 50% 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, and eggs
Economic aid:
    Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
    $115 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $11 million
Currency:
    ngultrum (plural - ngultrum); 1 ngultrum (Nu) = 100 chetrum; note - Indian
    currency is also legal tender
Exchange rates:
    ngultrum (Nu) per US$1 - 25.927 (January 1992), 22.742 (1991), 17.504
    (1990), 16.226 (1989), 13.917 (1988), 12.962 (1987); note - the Bhutanese
    ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee
Fiscal year:
    1 July - 30 June

:Bhutan Communications

Highways:
    1,304 km total; 418 km surfaced, 515 km improved, 371 km unimproved earth
Civil air:
    1 jet, 2 prop
Airports:
    2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
    2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
    inadequate; 1,990 telephones (1988); 22,000 radios (1990 est.); 85 TVs
    (1985); broadcast stations - 1 AM, 1 FM, no TV (1990)

:Bhutan Defense Forces

Branches:
    Royal Bhutan Army, Palace Guard, Militia
Manpower availability:
    males 15-49, 406,360; 217,348 fit for military service; 17,316 reach
    military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
    exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP