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. 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 afairs 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 some
100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of these displaced
persons are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese separatists from India, who
have established themselves in the southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn
Indian cross-border incursions.
Government type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Capital: Thimphu
Currency: 1 ngultrum (Nu) = 100 chetrum; note - Indian currency is also legal
tender
Geography of Bhutan
Location: Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 47,000 sq km
land: 47,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 1,075 km
border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km
Coastline: 0 km (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: Drangme Chhu 97 m
highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 6%
forests and woodland: 66%
other: 26% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 340 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: violent storms coming down 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
Environment - current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
More Geography
People of Bhutan
Population: 2,232,291 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.99%
15-64 years: 56.05%
65 years and over: 3.96%
Population growth rate: 2.17%
Birth rate: 35.73 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 14.03 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 108.89 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.79 years
male: 53.16 years
female: 52.41 years
Total fertility rate: 5.07 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Bhutanese
Ethnic groups: Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35%, indigenous or migrant
tribes 15%
Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
Hinduism 25%
Languages: Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese
speak various Nepalese dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.2%
male: 56.2%
female: 28.1% (1995 est.)
SOURCE: The World Factbook |