Overview
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.
Geography
- Location
- Southern Asia, between China and India
- Total Area
- 38,394 sq km
- 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
- Natural Resources
- timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate
- Coastline
- 0 km (landlocked)
- Land Borders
- 1,136 km
People & Society
- Population
- 892,877 (2025 est.)
- 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.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Ngalop (also known as Bhote) 50%, ethnic Nepali 35% (predominantly Lhotshampas), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
- Life Expectancy
- 73.7 years (2024 est.)
- Literacy Rate
- 64.9% (2022 est.)
- Urbanization
- 44.4% of total population (2023)
Government
- Government Type
- constitutional monarchy
- Capital
- Thimphu
- Independence
- 17 December 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king); 8 August 1949 (Treaty of Friendship with India maintains Bhutanese independence)
- Constitution
- previous governing documents were various royal decrees; first constitution drafted November 2001 to March 2005, ratified 18 July 2008
- Legal System
- civil law based on Buddhist religious law
- Executive Branch
- King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006)
Economy
- 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
- GDP (Official Rate)
- $3.019 billion (2023 est.)
- Major Industries
- cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism