or bill of rights
Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day (Ugyen Wangchuck became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)
Executive branch: monarch, chairman of the Royal Advisory Council,
Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), chairman of the Council of Ministers,
Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Tshogdu)
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
Political parties: no legal parties
Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections
Elections: no national elections
Communists: no overt Communist presence
Other political or pressure groups: Buddhist clergy, Indian merchant community, ethnic Nepalese organizations
Member of: ADB, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IMF, NAM,
SAARC, UNESCO, UPU, UN, WHO
Diplomatic representation: no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassies in New Delhi (India); the Bhutanese mission to the UN in New York has consular jurisdiction in the US
Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is orange and the lower triangle is red; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
- Economy Overview: The economy is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for 90% of the population and account for about 50% of GDP. One of the world's least developed countries, rugged mountains dominate and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are its most important natural resources.
GDP: $273 million, per capita $199; real growth rate 6.3% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1989 est.)
Unemployment: NA
Budget: revenues $99 million; expenditures $128 million, including capital expenditures of $65 million (FY89 est.)
Exports: $70.9 million (f.o.b., FY89); commodities—cardamon, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit; partners—India 93%
Imports: $138.3 million (c.i.f., FY89 est.); commodities—fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics; partners—India 67%
External debt: $70.1 million (FY89 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate - 12.4% (1988 est.)
Electricity: 353,000 kW capacity; 2,000 million kWh produced, 1,300 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: cement, chemical products, mining, distilling, food processing, handicrafts
Agriculture: accounts for 50% of GDP; based on subsistence farming and animal husbandry; self-sufficient in food except for foodgrains; other production—rice, corn, root crops, citrus fruit, dairy, and eggs
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970–87), $85.8 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979–89), $11 million
Currency: ngultrum (plural—ngultrum); 1 ngultrum (Nu) = 100 chetrum; note—Indian currency is also legal tender
Exchange rates: ngultrum (Nu) per US$1—16.965 (January 1990), 16.226 (1989), 13.917 (1988), 12.962 (1987), 12.611 (1986), 12.369 (1985); note—the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
- Communications Highways: 1,304 km total; 418 km surfaced, 515 km improved, 371 km unimproved earth
Civil air: 1 jet, 2 prop
Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 2 with runways 1,220–2,439 m
Telecommunications: inadequate; 1,890 telephones (1985); 15,000 radio receivers (1987 est.); 85 TV sets (1985); stations—20 AM, no FM, no TV
- Defense Forces
Branches: Royal Bhutan Army
Military manpower: males 15–49, 389,142; 208,231 fit for military service; 17,203 reach military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures: NA
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Country: Bolivia
- Geography
Total area: 1,098,580 km2; land area: 1,084,390 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Land boundaries: 6,743 km total; Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km
Coastline: none—landlocked
Maritime claims: none—landlocked
Disputes: has wanted a sovereign corridor to the South Pacific Ocean since the Atacama area was lost to Chile in 1884; dispute with Chile over Rio Lauca water rights
Climate: varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid
Terrain: high plateau, hills, lowland plains
Natural resources: tin, natural gas, crude oil, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron ore, lead, gold, timber
Land use: 3% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 25% meadows and pastures; 52% forest and woodland; 20% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: cold, thin air of high plateau is obstacle to efficient fuel combustion; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Note: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Peru
- People
Population: 6,706,854 (July 1990), growth rate 2.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 35 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 125 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 56 years female (1990)
Total
