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Bhutan
Introduction
Bhutan
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. Maoist
Assamese separatists from India, who have established themselves in the
southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border incursions.
Geography Bhutan
Location: Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 47,000 sq km
Area - comparative: about half the size of Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India
605 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot
summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point:
Kula Kangri 7,553 m
Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 400 sq km (1998 est.)
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
Environment - current issues: soil erosion; limited access to potable
water
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
People Bhutan
Population: 2,094,176 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000
(July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.8% (male 431,883; female 401,386) 15-64
years: 56.2% (male 606,184; female 571,310) 65 years and over: 4%
(male 42,193; female 41,220) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.15% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 35.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 13.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
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 (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 106.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 52.83 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 5 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese
Ethnic groups: Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas--one
of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
Hinduism 25%
Languages: Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est.)
Government Bhutan
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional
short form: Bhutan
Government type: monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Capital: Thimphu
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
Independence: 8 August 1949 (from India)
National holiday: National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary
king), 17 December (1907)
Constitution: no written constitution or bill of rights; note - Bhutan
uses 1953 Royal decree for the Constitution of the National Assembly;
on 7 July 1998, a Royal edict was ratified giving the National Assembly
additional powers
Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections
Executive branch: chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since
24 July 1972) 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 head of government: Chairman of the Council
of Ministers Lyonpo Khandu WANGCHUK (since 8 August 2001) 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
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: last held NA
(next to be held NA) election results: NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court
(judges appointed by the monarch)
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)
International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW
(signatory), SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
(observer)
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; the Bhutanese mission to the UN
has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York
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)
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
Economy Bhutan
Economy - overview: The economy, one of the world's smallest and
least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, providing
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. 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. The Bhutanese Government has made some
progress in expanding the nation's productive base and improving social
welfare. Model education, social, and environment programs in Bhutan 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. Detailed controls
and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Major hydroelectric
projects will lead expansion of GDP in 2002 by an estimated 6%.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 20% services:
35% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (2000 est.)
Labor force: NA note: massive lack of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry
and commerce 2%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $146 million expenditures: $152 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.) note: the government of
India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures
Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
calcium carbide
Industrial production growth rate: 9.3% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production: 1.876 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.05% hydro: 99.95%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 380.68 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 1.385 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 21 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains;
dairy products, eggs
Exports: $154 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber,
handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices
Exports - partners: India 94%, Bangladesh
Imports: $196 million (c.i.f., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts,
vehicles, fabrics, rice
Imports - partners: India 77%, Japan, UK, Germany, US
Debt - external: $245 million (1998)
Economic aid - recipient: substantial aid from India and other nations
Currency: ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)
Currency code: BTN; INR
Exchange rates: ngultrum per US dollar - 48.336 (January 2002), 47.186
(2001), 44.942 (2000), 43.055 (1999), 41.259 (1998), 36.313 (1997);
note - the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee which is
also legal tender
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications Bhutan
Telephones - main lines in use: 6,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: domestic telephone
service is very poor with few telephones in use international:
international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through
India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 37,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Televisions: 11,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .bt
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Internet users: 500 (2000)
Transportation Bhutan
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 3,285 km paved: 1,994 km unpaved: 1,291 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 2 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Military Bhutan
Military branches: Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia,
Royal Bhutan Police, Forest Guards
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 517,470 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 276,303
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 21,167
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.3 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Bhutan
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
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Bulgaria
Introduction
Bulgaria
Background: The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with
the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the
Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of
the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Bulgaria
regained its independence in 1878, but having fought on the losing side
in both World Wars, it fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and
became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990,
when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and
began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and
a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption,
and crime. Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path
toward eventual integration into NATO and the EU - with which it began
accession negotiations in 2000.
Geography Bulgaria
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania
and Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 110,910 sq km water: 360 sq km land: 110,550 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: total: 1,808 km border countries: Greece 494 km, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Yugoslavia
318 km, Turkey 240 km
Coastline: 354 km
Maritime claims: 200 NM territorial sea: Climate: temperate; cold,
damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala
2,925 m
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Land use: arable land: 39% permanent crops: 2% other: 59% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 8,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes, landslides
Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial
emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents;
deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid
rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants
and industrial wastes
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: strategic location
near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle
East and Asia
People Bulgaria
Population: 7,621,337 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.6% (male 572,961; female 543,004) 15-64
years: 68.5% (male 2,569,199; female 2,648,461) 65 years and over: 16.9%
(male 540,109; female 747,603) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: -1.11% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 8.05 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 14.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 75.22 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.13 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 346 (2000)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 83.6%, Turk 9.5%, Roma 4.6%, other 2.3%
(including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (1998)
Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 83.8%, Muslim 12.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%,
Jewish 0.8%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 1.6% (1998)
Languages: Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic
breakdown
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1999)
Government Bulgaria
Country name: Republic of Bulgaria conventional short form: Government
type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Sofia
Administrative divisions: 28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast);
Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil,
Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse,
Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol
Independence: 3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system: civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22
January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002) head of
government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) Simeon
SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA (since 24 July 2001); Deputy Prime Ministers Nikolay
VASILEV (since 24 July 2001), Kostadin PASKALEV (since 24 July 2001),
and Lidiya SHULEVA (since 24 July 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers
elected by the National Assembly elections: president and vice president
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election
last held 11 November and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by
the president; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister
election results: 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie
(240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NMS2 42.74%, UHdDF 18.18%,
CFB 17.15%, MRF 7.45%; seats by party - NMS2 120, UHdDF 51, CFB 48,
MRF 21; note - seating as of February 2002 - NMS2 115, UHdDF 51, CFB 48,
MRF 21, independents 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of
Cassation; Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for
nine-year terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen
of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;
responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and investigating
magistrates in the justice system; members of the Supreme Judicial Council
elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by the National Assembly and 11
by bodies of the judiciary)
Political parties and leaders: Bulgarian Radical Union [Evgeniy
BAKURDZHIEV]; Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV];
Coalition for Bulgaria or CFB (bloc led by BSP, includes Ecoglasnost
Political Club and Bulgarian Agrarian National Union) [leader NA];
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or VMRO [Krasimir
KARAKACHNOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN];
National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New
Civic Party for Bulgaria [Bogomil BONEV]; People's Union or PU (includes
Bulgarian Agrarian National Union and Democratic Party) [Anastasiya
MOZER]; St. George's Day [Lyuben DILOV, Jr.]; Union of Democratic Forces
or UHdDF [Ekaterina MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan
SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces (consisting of UHdDF and People's
Union) [Ekaterina MIKHAYLOVA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: agrarian movement; Bulgarian
Democratic Center; Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria
or CITUB; Democratic Alliance for the Republic or DAR; New Union for
Democracy or NUD; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional,
ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador-designate Elena
POPTODOROVA consulate(s): 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Richard M. MILES embassy: 1 Suborna Street, Sofia mailing address:
American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100 FAX: [359] (2) 981-89-77
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green,
and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white
stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath
of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing
the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation
from Nazi control)
Economy Bulgaria
Economy - overview: Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to
enter the European Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and
positive growth rates since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the
fall of the then socialist government. The current government, elected in
2001, has pledged to maintain the fundamental economic policy objectives
of its predecessor, i.e., retaining the Currency Board, practicing sound
financial policies, accelerating privatization, and pursuing structural
reforms. A $300 million stand-by agreement negotiated with the IMF at
the end of 2001 will help the government maintain economic stability as
it seeks to overcome high rates of poverty and unemployment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $48 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.5% industry: 27.8% services:
57.7% (2000)
Population below poverty line: 35% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.5%
highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 34.1 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 3.83 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43%
(1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 17.5% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5.57 billion expenditures: $5.68 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)