Background:
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| 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 ten-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. |
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Location:
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| Southern Asia, between China and India
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Geographic coordinates:
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27 30 N, 90 30 E
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Area:
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total: 38,394 sq km
country comparison to the world: 143
land:
38,394 sq km
water:
0 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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about one-half the size of Indiana
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,075 km
border countries:
China 470 km, India 605 km
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
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Terrain:
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mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
highest point:
Kula Kangri 7,553 m
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Natural resources:
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timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.3%
permanent crops:
0.43%
other:
97.27% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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400 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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95 cu km (1987)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 0.43 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%)
per capita:
199 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
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Environment - current issues:
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soil erosion; limited access to potable water
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes |
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Population:
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| 691,141
country comparison to the world: 164
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
(July 2009 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 30.2% (male 106,410/female 102,164)
15-64 years:
64.3% (male 235,988/female 208,484)
65 years and over:
5.5% (male 20,169/female 17,926) (2009 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 23.9 years
male:
24.5 years
female:
23.3 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.267% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
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Birth rate:
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20.07 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
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Death rate:
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7.39 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
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Net migration rate:
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NA
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 35% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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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 (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 49.36 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 52
male:
50.38 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
48.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 66.13 years
country comparison to the world: 161
male:
65.33 years
female:
66.97 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2.38 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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fewer than 100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease:
leptospirosis (2009)
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Nationality:
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noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Bhutanese
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Ethnic groups:
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Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
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Religions:
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Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
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Languages:
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Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
47%
male:
60%
female:
34% (2003 est.)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 10 years
male:
11 years
female:
10 years (2006)
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Education expenditures:
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7% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 22
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