Compare Bhutan (2004) - Saudi Arabia (2003)

Compare Bhutan (2004) z Saudi Arabia (2003)

	Bhutan (2004)	Saudi Arabia (2003)

Administrative divisions	18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, 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	13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk
Age structure	0-14 years: 39.3% (male 445,548; female 414,338) 15-64 years: 56.6% (male 637,637; female 600,253) 65 years and over: 4% (male 44,298; female 43,495) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: 42.3% (male 5,245,413; female 5,028,595) 15-64 years: 54.8% (male 7,700,121; female 5,622,099) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 393,173; female 304,443) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs	wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk
Airports	2 (2003 est.)	209 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 71 over 3,047 m: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 138 over 3047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 79 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 13 (2002)
Area	total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 1,960,582 sq km land: 1,960,582 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about half the size of Indiana	slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
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 affairs 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 the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.	In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. In the 1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the country. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all major governmental concerns.
Birth rate	34.41 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	37.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $146 million expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)	revenues: $46 billion expenditures: $56.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003 est.)
Capital	Thimphu	Riyadh
Climate	varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas	harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	2,640 km
Constitution	no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the King commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in November 2004 presented a draft to the Council of Ministers	governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993
Country name	conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan	conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
Currency	ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)	Saudi riyal (SAR)
Death rate	13.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$245 million (2000)	$25.9 billion (2003 est.)
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)	chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. JORDAN embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-7360 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)
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; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York	chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international	approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal	nomadic groups on border region with Yemen resist demarcation of boundary; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have been negotiating a long-contested maritime boundary with Iran; because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with the UAE is still unknown and labeled approximate
Economic aid - donor	-	pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon; since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in Afghanistan
Economic aid - recipient	substantial aid from India and other nations	-
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 and dependence on India's financial assistance. 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. Model education, social, and environment programs 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. For example, the government in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector encourages the visits of upscale, environmentally conscientious visitors. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.	This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world (26% of the proved reserves), ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 25% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 4 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is supporting private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Priorities for government spending in the short term include additional funds for the water and sewage systems and for education. Water shortages and rapid population growth constrain the government's efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.
Electricity - consumption	379.5 million kWh (2001)	113.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	1.4 billion kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	16 million kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	1.896 billion kWh (2001)	122.4 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
Environment - current issues	soil erosion; limited access to potable water	desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%	Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Exchange rates	ngultrum per US dollar - 46.5806 (2003), 48.6103 (2002), 47.1864 (2001), 44.9416 (2000), 43.0554 (1999)	Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.75 (2002), 3.75 (2001), 3.75 (2000), 3.75 (1999), 3.75 (1998)
Executive branch	chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Yeshey ZIMBA (since 20 August 2004) 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 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote	chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and includes many royal family members elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Exports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices	petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Exports - partners	Bangladesh 60.5%, US 11.7%, Malaysia 5.7% (2003)	US 18.6%, Japan 15.6%, South Korea 10.1%, Singapore 5.1%, China 4.6% (2002)
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	green with large white Arabic script (that may be translated as There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God) above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); green is the traditional color of Islam
GDP	purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $268.9 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 45% industry: 10% services: 45% (2002 est.)	agriculture: 5.2% industry: 51.2% services: 43.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	7.7% (2002 est.)	1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	27 30 N, 90 30 E	25 00 N, 45 00 E
Geography - note	landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes	extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
Heliports	-	5 (2002)
Highways	total: 3,690 km paved: 2,240 km unpaved: 1,450 km (1999 est.)	total: 151,470 km paved: 45,592 km unpaved: 105,878 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs	-	death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin, cocaine, and hashish
Imports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles
Imports - partners	Japan 36.6%, Austria 14.2%, Sweden 8.3%, China 7.5%, Thailand 6%, Bangladesh 6%, Germany 5.5%, Italy 4% (2003)	US 11.2%, Japan 8.8%, Germany 7.6%, UK 4.9%, France 4.9%, Italy 4.1% (2002)
Independence	8 August 1949 (from India)	23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)
Industrial production growth rate	9.3% (1996 est.)	1% (1997 est.)
Industries	cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide	crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics
Infant mortality rate	total: 102.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 100.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 104.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: 47.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 50.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 45.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3% (2002 est.)	1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)	ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BIS, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	22 (2003)
Irrigated land	400 sq km (1998 est.)	16,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch)	Supreme Council of Justice
Labor force	NA note: massive lack of skilled labor (1997 est.)	7 million note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%	agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km	total: 4,431 km border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km
Land use	arable land: 3.09% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.48% (2001)	arable land: 1.72% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 98.22% (1998 est.)
Languages	Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects	Arabic
Legal system	based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: NA	Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 53.99 years male: 54.27 years female: 53.68 years (2004 est.)	total population: 68.73 years male: 66.99 years female: 70.55 years (2003 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: 78.8% male: 84.7% female: 70.8% (2003 est.)
Location	Southern Asia, between China and India	Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
Map references	Asia	Middle East
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	contiguous zone: 18 NM continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	-	total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,461,964 GRT/2,301,258 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 11, container 4, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 8 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 3, Finland 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 1, Sudan 1, UAE 1, UK 3 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia	Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$11.2 million (2003)	$18.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.9% (2003)	13% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 544,560 (2004 est.)	males age 15-49: 6,123,784 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 290,843 (2004 est.)	males age 15-49: 3,431,281 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	17 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 23,379 (2004 est.)	males: 253,685 (2003 est.)
National holiday	National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)	Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)
Nationality	noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese	noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Natural hazards	violent storms 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	frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources	timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide	petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	-	condensate 212 km; gas 837 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,187 km; oil 5,062 km; refined products 69 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders	no legal parties	none allowed
Political pressure groups and leaders	Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled)	none
Population	2,185,569 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2004 est.)	24,293,844 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA%
Population growth rate	2.12% (2004 est.)	3.27% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	none	Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah
Radio broadcast stations	AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways	-	total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2002)
Religions	Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%	Muslim 100%
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: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.37 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.29 male(s)/female total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	each family has one vote in village-level elections; note - in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law	none
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few telephones in use international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)	general assessment: modern system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems international: microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use	25,200 (2003)	3.9 million (2002 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular	8,000 (2003)	2.9 million (2002 est.)
Television broadcast stations	0 (1997)	117 (1997)
Terrain	mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna	mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Total fertility rate	4.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)	6.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA	25% (2002)
Waterways	-	none

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