Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Bhutan (2004)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Bhutan (2004)

	British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)	Bhutan (2004)

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
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.)
Agriculture - products	-	rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Airports	1 (2001)	2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago	total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC	about half the size of Indiana
Background	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.	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.
Birth rate	-	34.41 births/1,000 population (2004 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.)
Capital	-	Thimphu
Climate	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds	varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Coastline	698 km	0 km (landlocked)
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
Country name	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT	conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan
Currency	-	ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)
Death rate	-	13.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	-	$245 million (2000)
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	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
Disputes - international	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain	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
Economic aid - recipient	-	substantial aid from India and other nations
Economy - overview	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.	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.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	379.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	-	1.4 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	-	16 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military	1.896 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m	lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m
Environment - current issues	NA	soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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%
Exchange rates	-	ngultrum per US dollar - 46.5806 (2003), 48.6103 (2002), 47.1864 (2001), 44.9416 (2000), 43.0554 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch	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
Exports	-	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	-	electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices
Exports - partners	-	Bangladesh 60.5%, US 11.7%, Malaysia 5.7% (2003)
Fiscal year	-	1 July - 30 June
Flag description	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag	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
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 45% industry: 10% services: 45% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	7.7% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	6 00 S, 71 30 E	27 30 N, 90 30 E
Geography - note	archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility	landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
Highways	total: NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km	total: 3,690 km paved: 2,240 km unpaved: 1,450 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports	-	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	-	fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice
Imports - partners	-	Japan 36.6%, Austria 14.2%, Sweden 8.3%, China 7.5%, Thailand 6%, Bangladesh 6%, Germany 5.5%, Italy 4% (2003)
Independence	-	8 August 1949 (from India)
Industrial production growth rate	-	9.3% (1996 est.)
Industries	-	cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	3% (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)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	400 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	-	Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch)
Labor force	-	NA note: massive lack of skilled labor (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km
Land use	arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)	arable land: 3.09% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.48% (2001)
Languages	-	Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Legal system	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply	based on Indian law and English common law; 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
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 53.99 years male: 54.27 years female: 53.68 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est.)
Location	Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia	Southern Asia, between China and India
Map references	Political Map of the World	Asia
Maritime claims	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM	none (landlocked)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016	-
Military branches	-	Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$11.2 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	1.9% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 544,560 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 290,843 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 23,379 (2004 est.)
National holiday	-	National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)
Nationality	-	noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese
Natural hazards	NA	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
Natural resources	coconuts, fish, sugarcane	timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide
Net migration rate	-	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders	-	no legal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled)
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)	2,185,569 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA
Population growth rate	-	2.12% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Diego Garcia	none
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios	NA	-
Religions	-	Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
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.)
Suffrage	-	each family has one vote in village-level elections; note - in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law
Telephone system	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)	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)
Telephones - main lines in use	NA	25,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	8,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	1 (1997)	0 (1997)
Terrain	flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)	mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Total fertility rate	-	4.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	NA
Waterways	none	-

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