Bhutan (2001) | Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | 18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse |
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
39.99% (male 424,832; female 394,725) 15-64 years: 56.05% (male 591,152; female 557,498) 65 years and over: 3.96% (male 41,125; female 40,080) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 23% (male 827/female 790)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 2,352/female 2,288) 65 years and over: 11.1% (male 359/female 420) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish |
Airports | 2 (2000 est.) | 2 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 242 sq km
land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups |
Area - comparative | about half the size of Indiana | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Under British influence a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later a treaty was signed whereby the country became a British protectorate. Independence was attained in 1949, with India subsequently guiding foreign relations and supplying aid. 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. | First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions. |
Birth rate | 35.73 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 13.08 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$146 million expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.) note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures |
revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million (1996 est.) |
Capital | Thimphu | name: Saint-Pierre
geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November |
Climate | varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 120 km |
Constitution | no written constitution or bill of rights; note - Bhutan uses 1953 Royal decree for the Constitution of the National Assembly; on 7 July 1998, a Royal edict was ratified giving the National Assembly additional powers | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form:
Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan |
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon |
Currency | ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR) | - |
Death rate | 14.03 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $120 million (1998) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India) | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US
consulate(s) general: New York |
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | refugee issue over the presence in Nepal of approximately 98,700 Bhutanese refugees, 90% of whom are in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $73.8 million (1995) | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France |
Economy - overview | The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. The Bhutanese Government has made some progress in expanding the nation's productive base and improving social welfare. Model education, social, and environment programs in Bhutan are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. | The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. France heavily subsidizes the islands to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diversify the local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. |
Electricity - consumption | 191.1 million kWh (1999) | 46.5 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 1.55 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 15 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 1.856 billion kWh (1999) | 50 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
0.05% hydro: 99.95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m |
Environment - current issues | soil erosion; limited access to potable water | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
- |
Ethnic groups | Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35%, indigenous or migrant tribes 15% | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) |
Exchange rates | ngultrum per US dollar - 46.540 (January 2001), 44.942 (2000), 43.055 (1999), 41.259 (1998), 36.313 (1997), 35.433 (1996); note - the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee which is also legal tender | euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Sangay NGEDUP (since NA 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 give the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote |
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Yves FAUQUEUR (since 28 August 2006)
head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 April 2002 (first round) and 5 May 2002 (second round) (next to be held in 2007); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council |
Exports | $154 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, electricity (to India), precious stones, spices | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts |
Exports - partners | India 94%, Bangladesh | Spain 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%, France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side | a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $2.3 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
38% industry: 37% services: 25% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 27 30 N, 90 30 E | 46 50 N, 56 20 W |
Geography - note | landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes | vegetation scanty |
Highways | total:
3,285 km paved: 1,994 km unpaved: 1,291 km (1996) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $269 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials |
Imports - partners | India 77%, Japan, UK, Germany, US | France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2006) |
Independence | 8 August 1949 (from India) | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) |
Industrial production growth rate | 9.3% (1996 est.) | NA% |
Industries | cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 108.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7% (2000 est.) | 8.1% (2005) |
International organization participation | AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO (observer) | UPU, WFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | NA | - |
Irrigated land | 340 sq km (1993 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch) | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel |
Labor force | NA
note: massive lack of skilled labor |
3,450 (2005) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2% | agriculture: 18%
industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 66% other: 26% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 12.5%
permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005) |
Languages | Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects | French (official) |
Legal system | based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: NA |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD 16, Cap sur l'Avenir 2, SPM Ensemble 1 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect one seat to the French Senate; elections last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2013); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects one seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
52.79 years male: 53.16 years female: 52.41 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 78.76 years
male: 76.41 years female: 81.23 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
Location | Southern Asia, between China and India | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) |
Map references | Asia | North America |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Royal Bhutan Army, National Militia, Royal Bhutan Police, Royal Body Guards, Forest Guards (paramilitary) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
504,342 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
269,251 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
21,167 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun:
Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese |
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
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 | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide | fish, deepwater ports |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -4.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | no legal parties | Archipelago Tomorrow or AD affiliated with UDF/RPR list; Cap sur l'Avenir affiliated with PRG; Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM; Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled) | NA |
Population | 2,049,412 (July 2001 est.)
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 |
7,036 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.17% (2001 est.) | 0.128% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 37,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25% | Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.028 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.855 male(s)/female total population: 1.011 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | each family has one vote in village-level elections | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few telephones in use international: international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990) |
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French domestic satellite system |
Telephones - main lines in use | 6,000 (1997) | 4,800 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | 0 (2 repeaters rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna | mostly barren rock |
Total fertility rate | 5.07 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 10.3% (1999) |
Waterways | none | - |