*Bhutan, Geography

Location:
  South Asia, in the Himalayas, between China and India
Map references:
  Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  47,000 km2
 land area:
  47,000 km2
 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, tourism potential
Land use:
 arable land:
  2%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  5%
 forest and woodland:
  70%
 other:
  23%
Irrigated land:
  340 km2 (1989 est.)
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:
  700,000 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  2.33% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  39.59 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  16.26 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  123.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  50.17 years
 male:
  50.74 years
 female:
  49.58 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  5.45 children born/woman (1993 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

*Bhutan, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Kingdom of Bhutan
 conventional short form:
  Bhutan
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)
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, 17 December (1907) (Ugyen Wangchuck became first hereditary
  king)
Political parties and leaders:
  no legal parties
Other political or pressure groups:
  Buddhist clergy; Indian merchant community; ethnic Nepalese organizations
  leading militant antigovernment campaign
Suffrage:
  each family has one vote in village-level elections
Elections:
  no national elections
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)
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
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

*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. 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
  3,000/year to minimize foreign influence.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $320 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  3.1% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
  $200 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  10% (FY91 est.)
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 est.)
 commodities:
  cardamon, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, electricity (to India)
 partners:
  India 90%
Imports:
  $106.4 million (c.i.f., FY91 est.)
 commodities:
  fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics
 partners:
  India 83%
External debt:
  $120 million (June 91)
Industrial production:
  growth rate NA%; accounts for 18% of GDP; primarily cottage industry and
  home based handicrafts
Electricity:
  336,000 kW capacity; 1,542.2 million kWh produced, 2,203 kWh per capita
  (25.8% is exported to India, leaving only 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:
  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

*Bhutan, Economy

Exchange rates:
  ngultrum (Nu) per US$1 - 26.156 (January 1993), 25.918 (1992), 22.742
  (1991), 17.504 (1990), 16.226 (1989), 13.917 (1988); note - the Bhutanese
  ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee
Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

*Bhutan, Communications

Highways:
  2,165 km total; 1,703 km surfaced
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)

*Bhutan, Defense Forces

Branches:
  Royal Bhutan Army, Palace Guard, Militia
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 415,315; fit for military service 222,027; reach military
  age (18) annually 17,344 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP