Bhutan

Bhutan

Country

National flag of Bhutan

National flag

Official name

Kingdom of Bhutan

Native name

འབྲུག་རྒྱལ་ཁབ།

Capital

Thimphu

Largest city

Thimphu

Continent

Asia

Region

South Asia

Official languages

Dzongkha

Demonym

Bhutanese

Government

Democratic constitutional monarchy

Druk Gyalpo (King)

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Prime Minister

Tshering Tobgay

Legislature

Parliament of Bhutan

Formation

Hereditary monarchy established in 1907; democratic constitutional monarchy established in 2008

Area

38,394 km²

Population

790,718(2026 projection)

Population density

20.6/km²

GDP (nominal)

US$3.58 billion(2025)

Currency

Bhutanese ngultrum(BTN)

Time zone

Bhutan Time (UTC+6)

Internet TLD

.bt

Website

Official website

Globe showing the location of Bhutan

Location of Bhutan

Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in the Eastern Himalayas of South Asia. It borders China to the north and India to the east, south and west, and covers 38,394 square kilometres. Its capital and largest city is Thimphu. The National Statistics Bureau projected the country's population at 790,718 for 2026. Dzongkha is the national language, while English is widely used in education.

Bhutan has been a democratic constitutional monarchy since 2008. The Druk Gyalpo, or King, is the head of state, while executive government is led by the prime minister and Council of Ministers. Legislative authority is exercised through a bicameral Parliament consisting of the Druk Gyalpo, the National Council and the National Assembly. As of 2026, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is the fifth Druk Gyalpo, and Tshering Tobgay is prime minister.

Bhutan is noted for its mountainous landscape, extensive forests, Buddhist cultural heritage and the development philosophy of Gross National Happiness. Hydroelectric power is a major part of its economy, and the country maintains constitutional requirements for long-term forest conservation.

History

Recorded Bhutanese history is closely connected with the spread of Buddhism into the Himalayas. According to the Royal Bhutanese Embassy, the Buddhist teacher Padmasambhava, known in Bhutan as Guru Rinpoche, visited the region in the eighth century, and Buddhism subsequently became a major influence on Bhutanese society and culture.

In the 17th century, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal unified much of the territory that forms modern Bhutan and established a dual system of religious and secular administration. Political authority later became fragmented, and regional rivalries increased during the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1907, Ugyen Wangchuck was chosen as Bhutan's first hereditary Druk Gyalpo, establishing the Wangchuck dynasty. The monarchy subsequently oversaw the gradual development of modern state institutions and greater engagement with other countries.

Bhutan joined the United Nations on 21 September 1971 following the adoption of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2751 (XXVI).

Political reforms culminated in the country's first parliamentary elections in 2008. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan was adopted on 18 July 2008, formally establishing Bhutan as a democratic constitutional monarchy. Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who had succeeded his father as king, was formally crowned as the fifth Druk Gyalpo in 2008.

Bhutan graduated from the United Nations category of least developed countries on 13 December 2023 after a five-year preparatory period.

Geography

Bhutan lies in the eastern part of the Himalayan mountain system. Its terrain rises from lower subtropical areas near the Indian border to high Himalayan mountains in the north. The country has a land area of 38,394 square kilometres, and government geographic information describes elevations ranging from about 100 metres to approximately 7,500 metres.

The country's river systems include the Amo Chhu, Wang Chhu, Punatsang Chhu, Mangde Chhu and Drangme Chhu systems. These rivers flow generally southward toward the Brahmaputra River basin and provide water for irrigation as well as substantial hydroelectric potential.

Climate varies considerably with elevation. Southern Bhutan has a hot and humid subtropical climate, central valleys experience more temperate conditions, and high northern areas have an alpine climate.

Environment and conservation

Forest conservation has a constitutional basis in Bhutan. Article 5 of the Constitution requires the government to ensure that at least 60 percent of the country's total land remains under forest cover for all time. National statistics for 2025 reported forest cover of 69.71 percent.

Bhutan also maintains an extensive network of protected areas. The country's REDD+ Secretariat reports 19,966.15 square kilometres of protected territory, equivalent to about 52 percent of Bhutan's total land area.

Government and politics

Bhutan's Constitution defines the country as a democratic constitutional monarchy. The Druk Gyalpo serves as head of state, while the Council of Ministers, headed by the prime minister, exercises executive authority. The Constitution provides for separate legislative, executive and judicial branches.

The national legislature is the Parliament of Bhutan. Its elected chambers are the National Assembly and National Council. The National Assembly has 47 constituencies.

The fourth National Assembly general election was held on 9 January 2024. The People's Democratic Party won 30 of the 47 seats, while the Bhutan Tendrel Party won 17. The Election Commission consequently declared the People's Democratic Party the ruling party and the Bhutan Tendrel Party the opposition party. Tshering Tobgay began his second period as prime minister in January 2024.

Administrative divisions

Bhutan is divided into 20 districts known as dzongkhags. Local government also includes 205 gewogs and four elected thromde local governments.

Foreign relations

Bhutan became a United Nations member in 1971. It maintains diplomatic relations with numerous countries while giving particular importance to its relationship with neighbouring India.

Formal diplomatic relations between Bhutan and India were established in January 1968. Cooperation covers trade, education, development projects, culture and hydropower, and India is a major market for Bhutanese electricity and other exports.

Bhutan and China do not have a fully delimited boundary and have held negotiations on their shared border. The 15th Expert Group Meeting on Bhutan-China boundary issues was held in Beijing from 30 March to 1 April 2026, with both sides continuing work under their Three-Step Roadmap and related technical process.

Economy

Bhutan's economy includes hydropower, services, agriculture, construction, manufacturing and tourism. Hydroelectricity is particularly important for domestic economic activity and exports. The World Bank reported that real gross domestic product grew by 8.1 percent in fiscal year 2024/25, supported by hydropower expansion and recovery in services.

World Bank data placed Bhutan's GDP at approximately US$3.58 billion in 2025, with GDP per capita of about US$4,492.8.

The national currency is the Bhutanese ngultrum. Monetary reform introduced the ngultrum in 1974, with 100 chhetrum equal to one ngultrum. The Royal Monetary Authority states that the ngultrum has been maintained at parity with the Indian rupee since its introduction.

Bhutan's development policy has also been associated with the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH). The GNH Index is used as a measurement and policy tool and encompasses nine domains covering areas including living standards, health, education, the environment, governance, culture, community vitality, time use and psychological well-being.

Demographics

The National Statistics Bureau's projected population for 2026 is 790,718. Bhutan has a relatively small population in relation to its land area, with settlements concentrated primarily in valleys and lower-elevation areas.

Dzongkha is the national language. Bhutan is linguistically diverse, and the Department of Tourism states that 19 languages are spoken in the country. English is widely used in the education system.

Buddhism has played an important role in Bhutanese history, institutions, architecture and cultural life. The Constitution identifies Buddhism as the country's spiritual heritage while providing for religious institutions and personalities to remain above politics. Hinduism is also practiced, particularly among communities in southern Bhutan.

Culture

Bhutanese culture reflects Himalayan Buddhist traditions alongside regional and local customs. Religious monuments, monasteries and fortified administrative-monastic complexes known as dzongs are prominent features of the country's cultural landscape.

Traditional clothing remains a visible element of Bhutanese public life. The men's traditional robe is known as the gho, while women traditionally wear the kira. Archery is Bhutan's national sport and is played in both traditional and modern forms.

Festivals known as tsechus combine religious observances, social gatherings and masked dances. Buddhist monasteries and sacred sites, including Paro Taktsang, are among the country's best-known cultural landmarks.

Bhutan became a state party to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention in 2001. As of September 2026, it had no properties inscribed on the World Heritage List, while eight properties were included on its Tentative List.

Education

Modern public education expanded substantially after Bhutan began its planned development programmes in the early 1960s. Dzongkha and English are used as languages of instruction, and basic school education extends from pre-primary through Class X.

The Ministry of Education and Skills Development reported 517 public schools and 30 private schools as of August 2026. It listed 146,201 students in public schools and 8,540 in private schools.

Higher education is provided through institutions including the Royal University of Bhutan and other tertiary and professional institutions.

Health

Bhutan's Constitution requires the state to provide free access to basic public health services in both modern and traditional medicine. The Ministry of Health identifies access, equity and quality of health services among its principal mandates.

Modern and traditional medicine operate within the national health system, with public facilities providing primary and higher-level medical services across the country.

Infrastructure and transport

Mountainous terrain strongly influences Bhutan's transport infrastructure. Roads provide the principal overland connections between settlements and with neighbouring India.

Paro International Airport is the country's principal international airport. It is administered by the Department of Air Transport under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. Domestic airports provide additional links to parts of eastern and central Bhutan.

Bhutan uses Bhutan Time, six hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+6). Its country-code top-level internet domain is .bt.

Did you know about Bhutan?

• Bhutan's Constitution requires a minimum of 60 percent of its total land area to remain under forest cover for all time.
• Approximately 52 percent of Bhutan's territory is classified as protected area by the country's REDD+ Secretariat.
• The Bhutanese ngultrum has been pegged at parity with the Indian rupee since the ngultrum was introduced in 1974.
• Bhutan graduated from the United Nations least developed country category on 13 December 2023.
• As of September 2026, Bhutan had eight sites on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List but no properties inscribed on the World Heritage List.
• Bhutan's 2026 population projection was 790,718.

See also

• Bhutanese architecture
• Drukpa Kagyu
• Districts of Bhutan
• Himalayan states
• Gross National Happiness

External links

• Royal Government of Bhutan portal
• Prime Minister's Office
• Parliament of Bhutan
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade
• National Statistics Bureau
• Official Bhutan tourism website
• National Assembly of Bhutan on Instagram
• National Assembly of Bhutan on Facebook
• National Assembly of Bhutan on YouTube