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Compare Bhutan (2008) - Bahrain (2008)
Compare Bhutan (2008) z Bahrain (2008)
| Bhutan (2008) | Bahrain (2008) | |
 |  | |
| 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 | 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat
note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor |
| 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: 26.9% (male 96,217/female 94,275)
15-64 years: 69.5% (male 284,662/female 207,555) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 13,451/female 12,413) (2007 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs | fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish |
| Airports | 2 (2007) | 3 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
| 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: 665 sq km
land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about half the size of Indiana | 3.5 times 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. 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. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's ten-member cabinet resigned to join the political process, leaving the remaining cabinet to act as a caretaker regime until a new government assumes power following parliamentary elections. Bhutan will complete its transition to full democracy in 2008, when its first fully democratic elections to a new parliament - expected to be completed by March 2008 - and a concomitant referendum on the draft constitution will take place. | In 1783, the al-Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shi'a community and Shi'a political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shi'a political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shi'a discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence. |
| Birth rate | 33.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 17.53 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $272 million
expenditures: $350 million note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2005) |
revenues: $6.048 billion
expenditures: $5.082 billion (2007 est.) |
| 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: Manama
geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 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 | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 161 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 | adopted 14 February 2002 |
| 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: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn former: Dilmun |
| Death rate | 12.46 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Debt - external | $593 million (2004) | $7.692 billion (31 December 2007 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 J. Adam ERELI
embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 1724-2700 FAX: [973] 1727-0547 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none; note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US; address: 763 First Avenue, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 682-2268; FAX [1] (212) 661-0551
consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York |
| 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) | $103.9 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2004) |
| 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. 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. Hydropower exports to India drove GDP growth to over 20% in 2007 | With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for over 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, over 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries), underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years. Aluminum is Bahrain's second major export after oil. Other major segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center. Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privatization of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on oil. As part of this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain's ability to acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are long-term economic problems. |
| Electricity - consumption | 380 million kWh (2005) | 7.614 billion kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - exports | 1.5 billion kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports | 20 million kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - production | 2 billion kWh (2005) | 8.187 billion kWh (2005) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
| Environment - current issues | soil erosion; limited access to potable water | desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs |
| 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 |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
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% | Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) |
| Exchange rates | ngultrum per US dollar - NA (2007), 45.279 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003)
note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee |
Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003) |
| 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: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969)
head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
| Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | 235,500 bbl/day (2004) |
| Exports - commodities | electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices | petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles |
| Exports - partners | India 54.5%, Hong Kong 34.6%, Bangladesh 6.9% (2006) | Saudi Arabia 3.2%, US 3%, Japan 2.3% (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 | red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 24.7%
industry: 37.2% services: 38.1% (2005) |
agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 43.6% services: 56% (2007 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 8.8% (2005 est.) | 6.6% (2007 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 27 30 N, 90 30 E | 26 00 N, 50 33 E |
| Geography - note | landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes | close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean |
| Heliports | - | 1 (2007) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Imports | 1,138 bbl/day (2004) | 216,300 bbl/day (2004) |
| Imports - commodities | fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice | crude oil, machinery, chemicals |
| Imports - partners | India 76%, Japan 5.5%, Germany 3.2% (2006) | Saudi Arabia 37.2%, Japan 6.8%, US 6.2%, UK 6.1%, Germany 6%, UAE 4.2% (2006) |
| Independence | 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king) | 15 August 1971 (from UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 9.3% (1996 est.) | 5.5% (2007 est.) |
| Industries | cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism | petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism |
| 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: 16.18 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.5% (2005 est.) | 3.5% (2007 est.) |
| International organization participation | ADB, 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) | ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Irrigated land | 400 sq km (2003) | 40 sq km (2003) |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch); note - the draft constitution establishes a Supreme Court, which will serve as chief court of appeal | High Civil Appeals Court |
| Labor force | NA
note: major shortage of skilled labor |
363,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2007 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 63%
industry: 6% services: 31% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 79% services: 20% (1997 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: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2005) |
| Languages | Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu |
| Legal system | based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| 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); note - a new bicameral parliament will be established in 2008
elections: first elections to be held in December 2007 and spring 2008; note - local elections last held August 2005 (next to be held in 2008) election results: NA |
bicameral legislature consists of the Consultative Council (40 members appointed by the King) and the Council of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directly elected to serve four-year terms)
elections: Council of Representatives - last held November-December 2006 (next election to be held in 2010) election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11; note - seats by party as of February 2007 - al Wifaq 17, al Asala 8, al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4, unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated with al Wifaq (Sunni oppositionist) 1 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 55.17 years
male: 55.38 years female: 54.96 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 74.68 years
male: 72.18 years female: 77.25 years (2007 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 47% male: 60% female: 34% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5% male: 88.6% female: 83.6% (2001 census) |
| Location | Southern Asia, between China and India | Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
| Map references | Asia | Middle East |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 220,264 GRT/314,289 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2007) |
| Military branches | Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan Police) (2008) | Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1% (2005 est.) | 4.5% (2006) |
| National holiday | National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907) | National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection |
| Nationality | noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Bhutanese |
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
| 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 | periodic droughts; dust storms |
| Natural resources | timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate | oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2007) |
| Political parties and leaders | Druk Pheunsum Tshogpa or DPT [Jigme THINLEY]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Sangay NGEDUP] | political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled) | Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests with occasional low-level violence; protests related to a host of issues, including the 2002 constitution, elections, unemployment, and release of detainees; Sunni Islamist legislators support a greater role for Shari'a in daily life; several small leftist and other groups are active |
| 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.) |
708,573
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 31.7% (2003) | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 2.082% (2007 est.) | 1.392% (2007 est.) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2007) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Religions | Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25% | Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census) |
| 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.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.021 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.372 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.084 male(s)/female total population: 1.255 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 20 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services
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 Intelsat (2007) |
general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones international: country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 (2007) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 31,500 (2006) | 193,300 (2006) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 82,100 (2006) | 898,900 (2006) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (2007) | 4 (1997) |
| Terrain | mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna | mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment |
| Total fertility rate | 4.67 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% (2004) | 15% (2005 est.) |
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