Bhutan — Country Profile
Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Bhutan: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna Power score (--/100, ranked #-- of 195).
Last updated: October 2026
Bhutan is in Southern Asia, between China and India. It covers 38,394 sq km. 8 August 1949 (Treaty of Friendship with India maintains Bhutanese independence). Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna. Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas.
| Capital | Thimphu |
|---|---|
| Population | 892,877 (2025 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $11.517 billion (2023 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $14,600 (2023 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 4.9% (2023 est.) |
| Inflation | 2.8% (2024 est.) |
| Unemployment | 2.9% (2024 est.) |
| Public debt | 111% of GDP (2020 est.) |
| Exports | $944.391 million (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $1.513 billion (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 73.7 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 31.2 years (2025 est.) |
| Urbanization | 44.4% of total population (2023) |
| Government | constitutional monarchy |
| Independence | 17 December 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king); 8 August 1949 (Treaty of Friendship with India maintains Bhutanese independence) |
| Languages | Sharchopkha 28%, Dzongkha (official) 24%, Lhotshamkha 22%, other 26% (includes foreign languages) (2005 est.) |
Bhutan’s GDP is $11.517 billion (2023 est.) in purchasing-power-parity terms. At official exchange rates it stands at $3.019 billion (2023 est.). Real GDP grew 4.9% (2023 est.). See where Bhutan ranks among all 195 countries by GDP.
POWER --/100 — The Magna Power score is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — nine components, 135 indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
Steadiness was the quarter's defining trait: no rupture, no windfall, no surprise strong enough to move the score.
The trajectory remains set by fundamentals that change over years, not quarters — and this quarter changed little.
- What our model rewards: 100% of its electricity from low-carbon sources; inflation tamed at 2.8%
- What drags it down: a current-account deficit of $1 billion (22.2% of GDP) — living beyond its means; public debt above 111% of GDP — the budget's ball and chain
Timber, Hydropower, Gypsum.
Energy is the physical base of economic power — what a country can generate, move and burn decides what it can build, sell and defend.
| Electricity access | 100% (2022 est.) |
|---|---|
| Installed capacity mix (CIA) | hydroelectricity: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) |
| Energy consumption per capita (CIA) | 64.082 million Btu/person (2023 est.) |
| Primary energy consumption (OWID) | 14.8 TWh (2023) |
| Electricity generation (OWID) | 11.2 TWh (2023) |
| Energy per capita (OWID) | 18,782 kWh per person (2023) |
| Electricity generation mix (OWID) | Hydro 100.0% (2023) |
| Low-carbon share of electricity (OWID) | 100.0% (2023) |
| Carbon intensity of electricity (OWID) | 24.2 gCO2/kWh (2023) |
Sources: CIA World Factbook, Energy section; Our World in Data (IEA/Ember), 2023.
Trade shows what the world buys from a country and what the country must buy from the world — the balance between the two is a direct measure of economic leverage.
| Exports | $944.391 million (2024 est.) |
|---|---|
| Imports | $1.513 billion (2024 est.) |
| Trade balance (calculated) | Deficit of $568.6 million (2024), calculated from the CIA export and import figures above. |
| Key industries | cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism |
Source: CIA World Factbook, Economy section.
Tshering Tobgay — Prime Minister. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006)
Bhutan maintains 6 embassies and 3 consulates abroad. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 6 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 3 |
Source: Outbound: Lowy Institute Global Diplomacy Index 2024 (via Wikipedia 'List of countries by number of diplomatic missions').
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Landlocked — no seacoast; exports move through transit corridors across neighbouring countries. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 4 + 8 heliports (registration prefix A5) |
Major airports
Paro International Airport (PBH) — Paro.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | constitutional monarchy |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
POWER --/100 Ranked #-- of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Bhutan.
This profile covers the population, economy, natural resources, leaders, and history of Bhutan — with the Bureau’s live national-power score of --/100, ranking #-- of 195 countries.
What is Bhutan's power score?
Bhutan has a Magna Power score of --/100. The score measures structural power — the proven capacity to shape events — across nine components.