Bhutan

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Bhutan

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Druk-yul/Kingdom of Bhutan Area 47,500 sq km/18,147 sq mi Capital Thimphu Language Dzongkha (a Tibetan dialect; official), Tibetan, Sharchop, Bumthap, Nepali, English Religion 70% Mahayana Buddhist (state religion), 25% Hindu Time difference GMT +6 Major holidays 2 May, 2 June, 21 July, 11–13 November, 17 December


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Paro, Punakha, Mongar, Phuntsholing, Wangdiphodrang, Tashigang Physical features occupies southern slopes of the Himalayas; Gangkar Punsum (7,529 m/24,700 ft) is one of the world's highest unclimbed peaks; cut by valleys formed by tributaries of the Brahmaputra; thick forests in south Airports one international airport and numerous helicopter landing pads (used only by government officials); total passengers carried: 35,000 (2002 est) Railways none Roads total road network: 8,050 km/5,002 mi, of which 62% paved (2003 est); passengers cars: 16 per 1,000 people (2002 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Jigme Singye Wangchuk from 1972 Head of government Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk from 2006 Political system absolutist Political executive absolute Administrative divisions 20 districts Political parties none officially; illegal Bhutan People's Party (BPP) and Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP), both ethnic Nepali Death penalty abolished in 2004 Armed forces 6,000 (2000) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 3.3 (2003 est) Education spend (% GDP) 5.2 (2002 est) Health spend (% GDP) 3.6 (2002)


ECONOMY

Currency ngultrum, although the Indian rupee is also accepted GDP (US$) 840 million (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 12.7 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 799 million (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 1,530 (2002 est) Consumer price inflation 6% (2006 est) Labour force 93% agriculture, 2% industry, 5% services (2000) Foreign debt (US$) 616 million (2005 est) Major trading partners India, Bangladesh, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong Resources limestone, gypsum, coal, slate, dolomite, lead, talc, copper Industries food processing, cement, calcium carbide, textiles, tourism, cardamon, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, electricity, precious stones, spices Exports electricity, cardamon, cement, timber, fruit, calcium carbide, particle board. Principal market: India 87.6% (2005) Imports aircraft, mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment, rice. Principal source: India 75.1% (2005) Arable land 2.3% (2006 est) Agricultural products potatoes, rice, apples, oranges, cardamoms; timber production


POPULATION

Population 2,210,800 (2006) Population growth rate 2.2% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 77 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 9 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 38%, 15–59 55%, 60+ 7% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 60% Bhotia, living principally in north and east (Tibetan descent), 32%; a substantial Nepali minority (about 30%) lives in the south – they are prohibited from moving into the Bhotia-dominated north; 10% indigenous or migrant tribes Life expectancy 64 (men); 66 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 80 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 11 Literacy rate 61% (men); 34% (women) (2000 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 0.5 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 1.8 (1998 est) AIDS deaths <100 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 86 (urban); 60 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 3.9 (2004 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 2.5 (2004 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 18 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 32 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 1.5 (2004 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 2.6 (2004 est)


CHRONOLOGY

to 8th century Under effective Indian control. 16th century Came under Tibetan rule. 1616–51 Unified by Ngawang Namgyal, leader of the Drukpa Kagyu (Thunder Dragon) Tibetan Buddhist branch. 1720 Came under Chinese rule. 1774 Treaty signed with East India Company. 1865 Trade treaty with Britain signed after invasion. 1907 Ugyen Wangchuk, governor of Tongsa, became Bhutan's first hereditary monarch. 1910 Anglo-Bhutanese Treaty signed, placing foreign relations under the ‘guidance’ of the British government in India. 1949 Indo-Bhutan Treaty of Friendship signed, giving India continued influence over Bhutan's foreign relations, but returning territory annexed in 1865. 1953 National assembly (Tshogdu) established. 1958 Slavery abolished. 1959 4,000 Tibetan refugees given asylum after Chinese annexation of Tibet. 1968 First cabinet established. 1973 Bhutan joined nonaligned movement. 1979 Tibetan refugees told to take Bhutanese citizenship or leave; most stayed. 1983 Bhutan became founding member of South Asian Regional Association for Cooperation. 1988 Buddhist Dzongkha king imposed ‘code of conduct’ suppressing customs of large Hindu-Nepali community in the south. 1990 Hundreds of people allegedly killed during pro-democracy demonstrations. 1998 Political powers ceded from monarchy to National Assembly. Lyonpo Jigme Thimley became prime minister. 1999 Several dozen political prisoners released; limited television and internet services allowed. 2000 Bhutan's first internet café opened. Severe flooding caused landslides; at least 200 people killed. 2001 Bhutanese and Nepalese ministers held talks on repatriation of Bhutanese refugees, including 100,000 Nepalese forced out during 1980s and 1990s. 2003 Bhutanese forces fought Indian separatist rebels; tried to flush them out of bases in the south. 2005 Proposed constitution was unveiled; parliamentary democracy to be decided by referendum. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck to abdicate in 2008, when elections scheduled; crown prince to succeed him. 2006 Bhutanese refugees demonstrated in Nepal, seeking third-country resettlement. King abdicated; replaced by crown prince, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. 2007 Landmark agreement signed with India, revising ties between them and giving Bhutan more say over its defence and foreign policies. To prepare for 2008 polls, mock elections were held to familiarize voters with process, and Prime Minister Khandu Wangchuk resigned so that he could run in 2008.


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