- You are here:
- Home
- › Travel & living abroad
- › Travel advice by country
- › Country profiles
- › Asia and Oceania
- › Bhutan
Asia and Oceania
Bhutan |
|
|
Last reviewed: 16 November 2011 |
Country information
Area: 38,394 sq km (2008)
Population: 658,888 (UN sponsored census in May 2007). 33.1% of the population are under the age of 15yrs. 69.1% of the population live in rural areas and 30.9% in urban areas (2005)
Capital City: Thimphu
People: Three main ethnic groups: Tibeto-Mongoloid mainly in the North and West, Burmo-Mongoloid mainly in the East and Indo-Aryan (Nepalese) in the South.
Language(s): Dzongkha is the official language. There are some 14 other languages spoken including Nepalese dialects. English is very widely spoken and is the language of education.
Religion(s): Mahayana Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Currency: Ngultrum (BTN). The Ngultrum is at par with the Indian Rupee.
Major political parties: People’s Democratic Party, Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (National Harmony Party). Since the election in March 2008 the DPT forms the Government.
Government: Constitutional Monarchy with bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Council (25 members) and the National Assembly (47 members) elected by universal suffrage from 47 constituencies. Parliamentary elections are held every five years.
Head of State: H.M. Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, Fifth King of Bhutan.
Prime Minister: Jigme Yoeser Thinley
Members of international groupings/Organisations: UN, IMF, World Bank, SAARC, INTERPOL, IOC.
Development Cooperation Partners with offices in Bhutan: Austria, Denmark, India, Japan, Netherlands, Switzerland, SCF(USA), WWF
UN Agencies with offices in Bhutan: FAO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP, WHO.
Health
Bhutan currently has an estimated population growth rate of 1.03% (est. 2008) and a life expectancy of 65.0 yrs (2006). The infant mortality rate (< 1 yr) is estimated at 63 per 1,000 live births (2006). The level of HIV infection in adults is estimated at less than 0.1% (pop between 15-49 years). 84.2% of the population have access to piped water (2007).
