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Bhutan Economy 2012

SOURCE: 2012 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES











Bhutan Economy 2012
SOURCE: 2012 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES


Page last updated on February 15,

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. Complicated controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Hydropower exports to India have boosted Bhutan's overall growth. New hydropower projects will be the driving force behind Bhutan's ability to create employment and sustain growth in the coming years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.284 billion (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167

$3.978 billion (2010 est.)
$3.672 billion (2009 est.)
note: data are in 2011 US dollars
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.83 billion (2011 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
8.1% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10

8.3% (2010 est.)
6.7% (2009 est.)
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,000 (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136

$5,600 (2010 est.)
$5,200 (2009 est.)
note: data are in 2011 US dollars
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.7%
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 45.4%
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - industry country ranks ]
services: 37.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - services country ranks ]

Labor force:
299,900
country comparison to the world: 164
note: major shortage of skilled labor (2008)
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 43.7%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 39.1%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 17.2% (2004 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
4% (2009)
country comparison to the world: 36

2.5% (2004)
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
23.2% (2008)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 37.6% (2003)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Investment (gross fixed):
44.1% of GDP (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
[see also: Investment (gross fixed) country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $675.3 million
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $765.1 million
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]
note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues:
36.9% of GDP (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.9% of GDP (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
78.9% of GDP (FY 10/11 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22

57.8% of GDP (2009 est.)
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.8% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149

7.1% (2010 est.)
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
NA%
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.5% (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50

14.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$536 million (31 July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161

$418.9 million (31 December 2010 est.)
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$942 million (31 July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170

$723.3 million (31 December 2010 est.)
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$246.8 million (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179

$218.7 million (31 December 2010 est.)
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs

Industries:
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Electricity - production:
1.48 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
[see also: Electricity - production country ranks ]

Electricity - consumption:
184 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
[see also: Electricity - consumption country ranks ]

Electricity - exports:
1.296 billion kWh (2009 est.)
[see also: Electricity - exports country ranks ]

Electricity - imports:
5.693 billion kWh (2008 est.)
[see also: Electricity - imports country ranks ]

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
[see also: Oil - production country ranks ]

Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
[see also: Oil - consumption country ranks ]

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
[see also: Oil - exports country ranks ]

Oil - imports:
1,549 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
[see also: Oil - imports country ranks ]

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
[see also: Natural gas - production country ranks ]

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
[see also: Natural gas - consumption country ranks ]

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
[see also: Natural gas - exports country ranks ]

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
[see also: Natural gas - imports country ranks ]

Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
[see also: Natural gas - proved reserves country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$175 million (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81

-$112.9 million (2009 est.)
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$509.4 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170

$513 million (2008)
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
electricity (to India), ferrosilicon, cement, calcium carbide, copper wire, manganese, vegetable oil

Imports:
$620.8 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186

$533 million (2008)
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
fuel and lubricants, passenger cars, machinery and parts, fabrics, rice

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.002 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135

$890.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$1.275 billion (2011)
country comparison to the world: 150

$836 million (2009)
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar -

52.85 (2011 est.)
45.73 (2010 est.)
41.487 (2007)


NOTE: 1) The information regarding Bhutan on this page is re-published from the 2012 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Bhutan Economy 2012 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Bhutan Economy 2012 should be addressed to the CIA.
2) The rank that you see is the CIA reported rank, which may habe the following issues:
  a) They assign increasing rank number, alphabetically for countries with the same value of the ranked item, whereas we assign them the same rank.
  b) The CIA sometimes assignes counterintuitive ranks. For example, it assigns unemployment rates in increasing order, whereas we rank them in decreasing order






This page was last modified 07-Mar-12
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