CapitalThimphu
Population892,877
Area38,394 km²
GDP per capita$14,600
LanguagesSharchopkha, Dzongkha, Lhotshamkha, and other languages
Currencyngultrum
Life Expectancy73.7 yr
Governmentconstitutional monarchy
Introduction
Background
After Britain’s victory in the 1865 Duar War, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding land to British India. Ugyen WANGCHUCK -- who had served as the de facto ruler of an increasingly unified Bhutan and had improved relations with the British toward the end of the 19th century -- was named king 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. Bhutan negotiated a similar arrangement with independent India in 1949. The Indo-Bhutanese Treaty of Friendship returned to Bhutan a small piece of the territory annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. Under a succession of modernizing monarchs beginning in the 1950s, Bhutan joined the UN in 1971 and slowly continued its engagement beyond its borders.
In 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the draft of Bhutan's first constitution -- which introduced major democratic reforms -- and held a national referendum for its approval. The King abdicated the throne in 2006 in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK. In 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty, eliminating the clause that stated that Bhutan would be "guided by" India in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate closely with New Delhi. In 2008, Bhutan held its first parliamentary election in accordance with the constitution. Bhutan experienced a peaceful turnover of power following a parliamentary election in 2013, which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent party. In 2018, the incumbent party again lost the parliamentary election. In 2024, of the more than 100,000 ethnic Nepali -- predominantly Lhotshampa -- refugees who fled or were forced out of Bhutan in the 1990s, about 6,500 remain displaced in Nepal.
Geography
Area
land
38,394 sq km
water
0 sq km
total
38,394 sq km
Climate
varies; tropical in the southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in the Himalayas
Terrain
predominantly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Land use
other
15.6% (2023 est.)
forest
70.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
13.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 10.8% (2023 est.)
Location
Located in Southern Asia, positioned between China and India
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
lowest point
Drangeme Chhu 97 m
highest point
Gangkar Puensum 7,570 m
mean elevation
2,220 m
Irrigated land
320 sq km (2012)
Map references
Asia
Land boundaries
total
1,136 km
border countries
China 477 km; India 659 km
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
The country's name in Bhutanese, which means Land of the Thunder Dragon, originates from the violent storms that arise from the Himalayas; landslides are common during the rainy season
Geography - note
landlocked; holds a strategic position between China and India; oversees several crucial mountain passes in the Himalayas
Natural resources
timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Maryland; roughly half the size of Indiana
Geographic coordinates
27 30 N, 90 30 E
People & Society
Literacy
male
73.4% (2022 est.)
female
57% (2022 est.)
total population
64.9% (2022 est.)
Languages
Sharchopkha 28%, Dzongkha (official) 24%, Lhotshamkha 22%, and other languages 26% (which includes foreign languages) (est. 2005)
Religions
Lamaistic Buddhism 75.3%, Hinduism influenced by Indian and Nepali traditions 22.1%, and other religions 2.6% (est. 2005)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.08 male(s)/female
total population
1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
1.06 male(s)/female
Birth rate
15.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
31.1 years
total
31.2 years (2025 est.)
female
30.3 years
Population
male
461,679
total
892,877 (2025 est.)
female
431,198
Nationality
noun
Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective
Bhutanese
Tobacco use
male
26.1% (2025 est.)
total
18.5% (2025 est.)
female
9.8% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
44.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
23.1% (male 104,771/female 99,981)
15-64 years
70.2% (male 322,497/female 298,324)
65 years and over
6.7% (2024 est.) (male 30,397/female 28,576)
Ethnic groups
Ngalop (also referred to as Bhote) 50%, ethnic Nepali 35% (mainly Lhotshampas), and indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
42.1 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
32.4 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
10.3 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
9.7 (2025 est.)
Physician density
0.55 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
3.8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
6.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.75 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
22.2% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
24.6 deaths/1,000 live births
total
23 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
23.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.93% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.85 (2025 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
male
72.5 years
female
75 years
total population
73.7 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
47 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 85.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 87.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 91.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 14.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 12.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 8.9% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
203,000 THIMPHU (capital) (2018)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
6.4% (2016)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
62% (2022 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
8.7% (2023 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
12 years (2022 est.)
total
13 years (2022 est.)
female
14 years (2022 est.)
Environment
Climate
differs; tropical conditions prevail in the southern plains; central valleys experience cool winters and hot summers; severe winters and cool summers are characteristic of the Himalayas
Land use
other
15.6% (2023 est.)
forest
70.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
13.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 10.8% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
44.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
111,300 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
1.7% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
soil degradation; restricted availability of drinkable water; conservation of wildlife; pollution from industries; waste management issues
Total water withdrawal
municipal
17 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
318 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
733,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
241,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
492,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
26.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
78 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
Law of the Sea
Government
Flag
description: the flag is divided diagonally from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner; the upper triangle is yellow, while the lower triangle is dark orange; a large, stylized black-and-white dragon, known as the Druk (Thunder Dragon), is depicted in the center along the dividing line, facing to the right; this dragon serves as the national emblem
meaning: white symbolizes purity, and the jewels held in the dragon's claws signify wealth; the colors in the background reflect the spiritual and secular authority in Bhutan, with orange representing Buddhism and yellow denoting the ruling dynasty
Capital
name
Thimphu
etymology
the exact origin of the name is uncertain; the conventional explanation, which dates back to the 14th century, states that thim translates to "dissolve" and phu means "rock," referring to a local deity who dissolved in front of a traveler, merging into the rock that underlies the current city
time difference
UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
27 28 N, 89 38 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
the father must be a citizen of Bhutan
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
10 years
Constitution
history
prior governing documents consisted of various royal edicts; the first constitution was drafted from November 2001 to March 2005 and was ratified on 18 July 2008
amendment process
proposed through a motion that requires a simple majority vote in a joint parliamentary session; to pass, it must receive at least a three-fourths majority vote in the joint session of the subsequent Parliament and the king's approval
Country name
etymology
the name may derive from the Sanskrit terms bhoṭa, which refers to Tibet, and anta, meaning "end" -- indicating Bhutan's position at the southernmost border of Tibet; the Dzongkha term Druk Yul translates to "Land of the Dragon"
local long form
Druk Gyalkhap
local short form
Druk Yul
conventional long form
Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form
Bhutan
Independence
17 December 1907 (established as a unified kingdom under its first hereditary monarch); 8 August 1949 (Treaty of Friendship with India guarantees Bhutanese independence)
Legal system
civil law is founded on Buddhist religious principles
Government type
constitutional monarchy
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 associate justices)
subordinate courts
High Court (the initial appellate court); District or Dzongkhag Courts; sub-district or Dungkhag Courts
judge selection and term of office
the chief justice of the Supreme Court is appointed by the monarch based on the recommendations of the National Judicial Commission, which consists of four members including the Legislative Committee of the National Assembly, the attorney general, the Chief Justice of Bhutan, and the senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; other judges (drangpons) are appointed by the monarch from among the High Court judges selected by the National Judicial Commission; the chief justice serves a term of five years or until reaching the age of 65, whichever comes first; the four other judges have ten-year terms or until age 65, whichever is sooner
Executive branch
cabinet
members of the Council of Ministers or Lhengye Zhungtshog are nominated by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister and require approval from the National Assembly; they serve five-year terms
chief of state
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006)
head of government
Prime Minister Tshering TOBGAY (since 28 January 2024)
election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary but can be dissolved by a two-thirds majority vote in Parliament; the leader of the majority party in Parliament is nominated as prime minister and appointed by the monarch
National holiday
National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK ascended as the first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)
National color(s)
orange, yellow
Political parties
Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT
Bhutan Tendrel Party or BTP
Druk Thuendrel Tshogpa or DTT
People's Democratic Party or PDP
United Party of Bhutan (Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa) or DNT
Legislative branch
legislature name
Parliament (Chi Tshog)
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"Druk tsendhen" (The Thunder Dragon Kingdom)
history
adopted 1953
lyrics/music
Gyaldun Dasho Thinley DORJI/Aku TONGMI
National symbol(s)
mythical thunder dragon (druk)
Administrative divisions
20 districts (dzongkhag, both singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Dagana, Gasa, Haa, Lhuentse, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatshel, Punakha, Samdrup Jongkhar, Samtse, Sarpang, Thimphu, Trashigang, Trashi Yangtse, Trongsa, Tsirang, Wangdue Phodrang, Zhemgang
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
National Assembly (Tshogdu)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
47 (all directly elected)
electoral system
plurality/majority
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
1/9/2024
expected date of next election
January 2029
percentage of women in chamber
4.3%
parties elected and seats per party
People's Democratic Party (PDP) (30); Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) (17)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
National Council (Gyelyong Tshogde)
term in office
0 years
number of seats
25 (20 directly elected; 5 appointed)
electoral system
plurality/majority
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
4/20/2023
expected date of next election
April 2028
percentage of women in chamber
12%
parties elected and seats per party
N/A; note - the National Council is not affiliated with any political party
Diplomatic representation in the US
consulate(s) general
343 East, 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 682-2371
FAX: [1] (212) 661-0551
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://www.mfa.gov.bt/pmbny/
Diplomatic representation from the US
note: although Bhutan and the United States lack formal diplomatic relations, the two countries sustain informal connections through the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, and Bhutan’s Mission to the United Nations in New York
International organization participation
ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
International law organization participation
has not made an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; not a party state to the ICCt
Economy
Budget
revenues
$740.328 million (2020 est.)
expenditures
$802.177 million (2020 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$791.342 million (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$867.871 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$944.391 million (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$1.581 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$1.77 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$1.513 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism
Labor force
406,500 (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2020
111% of GDP (2020 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2021
2.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022
3.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
3.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
74.1 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
73.918 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
78.604 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
82.599 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
83.669 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$2.827 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
investments in hydropower driving economic growth; Gross National Happiness model; significant reductions in poverty; low inflation rates; robust monetary and fiscal policies; stable currency; relatively resilient response to COVID-19; essential economic and strategic partnerships with India; vulnerabilities to climate change
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
3.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
2.9% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
India 92%, Italy 4%, Indonesia 1%, China 1%, Singapore 0% (2023)
Imports - partners
India 82%, Singapore 8%, China 5%, Thailand 2%, Indonesia 1% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2021
$13,500 (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022
$14,100 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$14,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2021
4.4% (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022
5.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
4.9% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products
rice, milk, potatoes, root vegetables, maize, oranges, areca nuts, chillies/peppers, pumpkins/squash, carrots/turnips (2023)
Exports - commodities
iron alloys, aircraft, dolomite, semi-finished iron, cement (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, gold, plastics, broadcasting equipment, iron reductions (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$805.723 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$963.122 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
-$669.766 million (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
12.3% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$3.019 billion (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
59.4% (2023 est.)
government consumption
20.3% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories
0.7% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital
44.5% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
28.3% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services
-53.2% (2023 est.)
Population below poverty line
12.4% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
5.6% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
4.2% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.8% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
0% (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$10.437 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$10.981 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$11.517 billion (2023 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
11.2% (2024 est.)
total
13.8% (2024 est.)
female
16.5% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$825.755 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$654.481 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$941.018 million (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
29.6% (2023 est.)
services
52.7% (2023 est.)
agriculture
15% (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.6% (2022 est.)
highest 10%
22.7% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
28.5 (2022 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
54 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
122,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
production
4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
105,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
exports
6 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports
834.7 million kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
11.914 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
2.344 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
86.681 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
64.082 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
hydroelectricity
100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
88% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
A television station owned by the state was founded in 1999, providing a cable TV service that includes a wide array of Indian and various international channels. The inaugural radio station, which began operations in 1973 as a private entity, is now under state ownership. As of 2012, there are five privately-operated radio stations that are on air.
Internet country code
.bt
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
0 (2024 est.) no service
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
0 (2024 est.) no service
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
790,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
100 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
10,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
1 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Airports
4 (2025)
Heliports
8 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
A5
Military & Security
Military - note
The Army is tasked with managing external threats while also undertaking certain internal security roles, which include executing counterinsurgency operations, safeguarding forests, and ensuring the safety of high-profile individuals; India's proximity as a security ally is significant for Bhutan; in accordance with the 2007 India-Bhutan Friendship Treaty, both nations committed to collaborating closely on matters concerning their respective national interests (2025)
Military deployments
180 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)
Military and security forces
Royal Bhutan Army (RBA; encompasses the Royal Bodyguard of Bhutan, or RBG, along with an air wing); National Militia
Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs: Royal Bhutan Police (2025)
Military service age and obligation
Individuals must be 18 years old to enlist voluntarily in military service, applicable to both men and women; militia training is mandated for men aged 20-25 over a span of three years (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The Royal Bhutan Army is equipped with light arms; it possesses a limited quantity of heavy equipment, including armored vehicles and helicopters, sourced from the former Soviet Union, India, and Thailand (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths
estimated 7-8,000 active Royal Bhutan Army (2025)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs
138 (2024 est.)
