South Asia :: Bhutan page last updated on December 20, 2011

Introduction ::Bhutan 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 to British India. 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 over 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. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's 10-member cabinet resigned to join the political process, and the cabinet acted as a caretaker regime until democratic elections for seats to the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008. The king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008.

Geography ::Bhutan

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 38,394 sq km country comparison to the world: 137 land: 38,394 sq km water: 0 sq km Area - comparative: about one-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: Drangeme Chhu 97 m highest point: Gangkar Puensum 7,570 m Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate Land use: arable land: 2.3% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 97.27% (2005) Irrigated land: 400 sq km (2008) Total renewable water resources:

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 0.43 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%) per capita: 199 cu m/yr (2000) Natural hazards: People and Society ::Bhutan violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land Nationality: of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) Environment adjective: Bhutanese - current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water Ethnic groups: Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese agreements: 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), Environment - international indigenous or migrant tribes 15% party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection Languages: signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Sharchhopka 28%, Dzongkha (official) 24%, Lhotshamkha 22%, other 26% (2005 Census) Geography - note: Religions: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25% passes Population: 708,427 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 165 note: the Factbook population estimate is consistent with the first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005; previous Factbook population estimates for this country, which were on the order of three times the total population reported here, were based on Bhutanese government publications that did not include the census Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.9% (male 104,622/female 100,383) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 245,054/female 217,864) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 21,347/female 19,157) (2011 est.) Median age: total: 24.8 years male: 25.4 years female: 24.2 years (2011 est.) Population growth rate: 1.201% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 Birth rate: 19.13 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 Death rate: 7.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 Urbanization: urban population: 35% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 3.7% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities - population: THIMPHU (capital) 89,000 (2009) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2011 est.) Maternal mortality rate: 200 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) country comparison to the world: 58 Infant mortality rate: total: 44.48 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 56 male: 45.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.3 years country comparison to the world: 158 male: 66.46 years female: 68.19 years (2011 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 Health expenditures: 5.5% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 129 Physicians density: 0.023 physicians/1,000 population (2007) country comparison to the world: 186 Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2006) country comparison to the world: 112 Drinking water source: improved: urban: 99% of population rural: 88% of population total: 92% of population unimproved: urban: 1% of population rural: 12% of population total: 8% of population (2008) Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 87% of population rural: 54% of population total: 65% of population unimproved: