Compare Bhutan (2007) - Christmas Island (2006)

Compare Bhutan (2007) z Christmas Island (2006)

	Bhutan (2007)	Christmas Island (2006)

Administrative divisions	20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang	none (territory of Australia)
Age structure	0-14 years: 38.6% (male 465,340/female 433,184) 15-64 years: 57.4% (male 688,428/female 647,134) 65 years and over: 4% (male 47,123/female 46,640) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products	rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs	NA
Airports	2 (2007)	1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)	-
Area	total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about half the size of Indiana	about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
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 to British India. 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 March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. A referendum date has yet to be named, but should occur in 2008. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition.	Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.
Birth rate	33.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	NA
Budget	revenues: $272 million expenditures: $350 million note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2005)	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA
Capital	name: Thimphu geographic coordinates: 27 29 N, 89 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	name: The Settlement geographic coordinates: 18 44 N, 64 19 W time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas	tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season (December to April)
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	138.9 km
Constitution	none; note - a draft constitution was unveiled in March 2005 and is expected to be adopted following the election of a new National Assembly in 2008	Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
Country name	conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan local long form: Druk Gyalkhap local short form: Druk Yul	conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island
Death rate	12.46 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	NA
Debt - external	$593 million (2004)	-
Dependency status	-	non-self governing territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
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 (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998 consulate(s) general: New York	none (territory of Australia)
Disputes - international	over 100,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps since 1990; Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland separatists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a boundary alignment to resolve substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lies in Bhutan's northwest	none
Economic aid - recipient	$90.02 million; note - substantial aid from India (2005)	$NA
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 60% 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 visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.	Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in the near future.
Electricity - consumption	380 million kWh (2005)	-
Electricity - exports	1.5 billion kWh (2005)	-
Electricity - imports	20 million kWh (2005)	-
Electricity - production	2 billion kWh (2005)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
Environment - current issues	soil erosion; limited access to potable water	loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea	-
Ethnic groups	Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%	Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10% note: no indigenous population (2001)
Exchange rates	ngultrum per US dollar - 45.279 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002) note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee	Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001)
Executive branch	chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him head of government: Prime Minister Kinzang DORJI (since August 2007) 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; election of a new National Assembly is expected in 2008	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
Exports	NA bbl/day	$NA
Exports - commodities	electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices	phosphate
Exports - partners	India 54.5%, Hong Kong 34.6%, Bangladesh 6.9% (2006)	Australia, NZ (2004)
Fiscal year	1 July - 30 June	1 July - 30 June
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	territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag of Australia is used for official purposes
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 24.7% industry: 37.2% services: 38.1% (2005)	-
GDP - real growth rate	8.8% (2005 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	27 30 N, 90 30 E	10 30 S, 105 40 E
Geography - note	landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes	located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	-
Imports	NA bbl/day	$NA
Imports - commodities	fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice	consumer goods
Imports - partners	India 76%, Japan 5.5%, Germany 3.2% (2006)	principally Australia (2004)
Independence	8 August 1949 (from India)	none (territory of Australia)
Industrial production growth rate	9.3% (1996 est.)	-
Industries	cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism	tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Infant mortality rate	total: 96.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 94.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 98.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: NA male: NA female: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	5.5% (2005 est.)	-
International organization participation	AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)	none
Irrigated land	400 sq km (2003)	NA
Judicial branch	Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch)	Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court
Labor force	NA note: major shortage of skilled labor	NA
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 63% industry: 6% services: 31% (2004 est.)	-
Land boundaries	total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 2.3% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 97.27% (2005)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005)
Languages	Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects	English (official), Chinese, Malay
Legal system	based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 members elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; to serve three-year terms) elections: first election to be held in 2008; note - local elections last held August 2005 (next to be held in 2008) election results: NA	unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 55.17 years male: 55.38 years female: 54.96 years (2007 est.)	total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47% male: 60% female: 34% (2003 est.)	NA
Location	Southern Asia, between China and India	Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Map references	Asia	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of Australia
Military branches	Royal Bhutan Army: Royal Bodyguard, Royal Bhutan Police (2005)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1% (2005 est.)	-
National holiday	National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)	Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Nationality	noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese	noun: Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island
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	the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources	timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate	phosphate, beaches
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	NA
Political parties and leaders	no legal parties	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled)	none
Population	2,327,849 note: the Factbook population estimate is inconsistent with the 2005 Bhutan census results; both data are being reviewed and when completed, the results will be posted on The World Factbook Web site (https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook) later this year (July 2007 est.)	1,493 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	31.7% (2003)	-
Population growth rate	2.082% (2007 est.)	0% (2006 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2006)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006)
Religions	Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%	Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.074 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.064 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.066 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	NA
Suffrage	each family has one vote in village-level elections	-
Telephone system	general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003 international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 (2005)	general assessment: service provided by the Australian network domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - one INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005)
Telephones - main lines in use	31,500 (2006)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	82,100 (2006)	NA
Television broadcast stations	1 (2006)	0; note - TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia (2006)
Terrain	mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna	steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Total fertility rate	4.67 children born/woman (2007 est.)	NA
Unemployment rate	2.5% (2004)	-

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