THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

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.

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 38,394 sq km
land: 38,394 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Maryland; about one-half the size of Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,136 km
border countries: China 477 km; India 659 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: highest point: Gangkar Puensum 7,570 m
lowest point: Drangeme Chhu 97 m
mean elevation: 2,220 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
Land use: 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.)
forest: 70.6% (2023 est.)
other: 15.6% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 320 sq km (2012)
Natural hazards: violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's Bhutanese name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

Population: total: 892,877 (2025 est.)
male: 461,679
female: 431,198
Nationality: noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Bhutanese
Ethnic groups: Ngalop (also known as Bhote) 50%, ethnic Nepali 35% (predominantly Lhotshampas), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Languages: Sharchopkha 28%, Dzongkha (official) 24%, Lhotshamkha 22%, other 26% (includes foreign languages) (2005 est.)
Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75.3%, Indian- and Nepali-influenced Hinduism 22.1%, other 2.6% (2005 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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 42.1 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 32.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 9.7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 10.3 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 31.2 years (2025 est.)
male: 31.1 years
female: 30.3 years
Population growth rate: 0.93% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 15.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 5.75 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 44.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 203,000 THIMPHU (capital) (2018)
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
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 47 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 24.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.7 years (2024 est.)
male: 72.5 years
female: 75 years
Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.85 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
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.)
Physician density: 0.55 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density: 2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 91.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 85.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 87.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 8.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 14.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 12.1% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 6.4% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 18.5% (2025 est.)
male: 26.1% (2025 est.)
female: 9.8% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 8.7% (2023 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 62% (2022 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 5.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 22.2% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 64.9% (2022 est.)
male: 73.4% (2022 est.)
female: 57% (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years (2022 est.)
male: 12 years (2022 est.)
female: 14 years (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water; wildlife conservation; industrial pollution; waste disposal
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
Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Land use: 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.)
forest: 70.6% (2023 est.)
other: 15.6% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 44.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 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.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 111,300 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 1.7% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 17 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 318 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 78 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form: Bhutan
local long form: Druk Gyalkhap
local short form: Druk Yul
etymology: name may derive from the Sanskrit words bhoṭa, the name for Tibet, and anta, meaning "end" -- a reference to Bhutan's location at the southernmost end of Tibet; the local Dzongkha name Druk Yul means "Land of the Dragon"
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: name: Thimphu
geographic coordinates: 27 28 N, 89 38 E
time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the origins of the name are unclear; the traditional explanation, dating to the 14th century, is that thim means "dissolve" and phu means "rock," in reference to a local deity who dissolved before a traveler's eyes, becoming a part of the rock on which the present city stands
Administrative divisions: 20 districts (dzongkhag, 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
Legal system: civil law based on Buddhist religious law
Constitution: history: previous governing documents were various royal decrees; first constitution drafted November 2001 to March 2005, ratified 18 July 2008
amendment process: proposed as a motion by simple majority vote in a joint session of Parliament; passage requires at least a three-fourths majority vote in a joint session of the next Parliament and assent by the king
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Tshering TOBGAY (since 28 January 2024)
cabinet: Council of Ministers or Lhengye Zhungtshog members nominated by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister and approved by the National Assembly; members serve 5-year terms
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary but can be removed by a two-thirds vote of Parliament; leader of the majority party in Parliament is nominated as the prime minister, appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: legislature name: Parliament (Chi Tshog)
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: National Assembly (Tshogdu)
number of seats: 47 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 1/9/2024
parties elected and seats per party: People's Democratic Party (PDP) (30); Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) (17)
percentage of women in chamber: 4.3%
expected date of next election: January 2029
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: National Council (Gyelyong Tshogde)
number of seats: 25 (20 directly elected; 5 appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 0 years
most recent election date: 4/20/2023
parties elected and seats per party: N/A; note - the National Council is not party-based
percentage of women in chamber: 12%
expected date of next election: April 2028
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 associate justices)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the National Judicial Commission, a 4-member body to include 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) appointed by the monarch from among the High Court judges selected by the National Judicial Commission; chief justice serves a 5-year term or until reaching age 65 years, whichever is earlier; the 4 other judges serve 10-year terms or until age 65, whichever is earlier
subordinate courts: High Court (first appellate court); District or Dzongkhag Courts; sub-district or Dungkhag Courts
Political parties: Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPTBhutan Tendrel Party or BTPDruk Thuendrel Tshogpa or DTTPeople's Democratic Party or PDPUnited Party of Bhutan (Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa) or DNT
Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general: 343 East, 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017telephone: [1] (212) 682-2371FAX: [1] (212) 661-0551email address and website:consulate.pmbny@mfa.gov.bthttps://www.mfa.gov.bt/pmbny/
Diplomatic representation from the US: note: Although Bhutan and the United States have never established formal diplomatic relations, the two countries maintain informal relations via 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)
Independence: 17 December 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king); 8 August 1949 (Treaty of Friendship with India maintains Bhutanese independence)
National holiday: National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)
Flag: description: divided diagonally from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner; the upper triangle is yellow, and the lower triangle is dark orange; centered along the dividing line is a large, stylized black-and-white dragon facing to the right; the dragon is called the Druk (Thunder Dragon) and is the national emblemmeaning: white stands for purity, and the jewels in the dragon's claws symbolize wealth; the background colors represent the spiritual and secular powers in Bhutan, with orange standing for Buddhism and yellow for the ruling dynasty
National symbol(s): mythical thunder dragon (druk)
National color(s): orange, yellow
National anthem(s): title: "Druk tsendhen" (The Thunder Dragon Kingdom)
lyrics/music: Gyaldun Dasho Thinley DORJI/Aku TONGMI
history: adopted 1953

Economic overview: hydropower investments spurring economic development; Gross National Happiness economy; sharp poverty declines; low inflation; strong monetary and fiscal policies; stable currency; fairly resilient response to COVID-19; key economic and strategic relations with India; climate vulnerabilities
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $11.517 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $10.981 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021: $10.437 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023: 4.9% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2021: 4.4% (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023: $14,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $14,100 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2021: $13,500 (2021 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $3.019 billion (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.8% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 4.2% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 5.6% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 15% (2023 est.)
industry: 29.6% (2023 est.)
services: 52.7% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 59.4% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 20.3% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 44.5% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.7% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 28.3% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -53.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, milk, potatoes, root vegetables, maize, oranges, areca nuts, chillies/peppers, pumpkins/squash, carrots/turnips (2023)
Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 0% (2023 est.)
Labor force: 406,500 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 2.9% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 3.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 6% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 13.8% (2024 est.)
male: 11.2% (2024 est.)
female: 16.5% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 12.4% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022: 28.5 (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 22.7% (2022 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 3.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 3.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 2.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $740.328 million (2020 est.)
expenditures: $802.177 million (2020 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2020: 111% of GDP (2020 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 12.3% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$669.766 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$963.122 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$805.723 million (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $944.391 million (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $867.871 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $791.342 million (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: India 92%, Italy 4%, Indonesia 1%, China 1%, Singapore 0% (2023)
Exports - commodities: iron alloys, aircraft, dolomite, semi-finished iron, cement (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $1.513 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.77 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $1.581 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: India 82%, Singapore 8%, China 5%, Thailand 2%, Indonesia 1% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, gold, plastics, broadcasting equipment, iron reductions (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $941.018 million (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $654.481 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $825.755 million (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $2.827 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 83.669 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 82.599 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 78.604 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 73.918 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 74.1 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 2.344 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 11.914 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 6 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 834.7 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 86.681 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: production: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 105,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 54 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 122,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 64.082 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

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.)
Broadcast media: state-owned TV station established in 1999; cable TV service offers dozens of Indian and other international channels; first radio station, privately launched in 1973, is now state-owned; 5 private radio stations are currently broadcasting (2012)
Internet country code: .bt
Internet users: percent of population: 88% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 10,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A5
Airports: 4 (2025)
Heliports: 8 (2025)

Military and security forces: Royal Bhutan Army (RBA; includes Royal Bodyguard of Bhutan, or RBG, and an air wing); National MilitiaMinistry of Home and Cultural Affairs: Royal Bhutan Police (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 7-8,000 active Royal Bhutan Army (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Royal Bhutan Army is lightly armed; it has a small amount of heavy equipment, such as armored cars and helicopters, originating from the former Soviet Union, India, and Thailand (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; militia training is compulsory for men aged 20-25 over a 3-year period (2025)
Military deployments: 180 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)
Military - note: the Army is responsible for external threats but also has some internal security functions such as conducting counterinsurgency operations, guarding forests, and providing security for prominent persons; Bhutan's closest security partner is India; under the 2007 India-Bhutan Friendship Treaty, both countries agreed to cooperate closely on issues relating to their national interests (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 138 (2024 est.)

Bhutan