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 visits by upscale,
environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and
uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.9 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 10% services: 45% (2002 est.)
Labor force: NA note: massive lack of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%
Unemployment rate:
NA
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2002 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.)
Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Industries:
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
calcium carbide
Industrial production growth rate:
9.3% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production:
2.001 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
312.9 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
1.56 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
12 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,020 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA
Oil - imports:
NA
Exports:
$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts,
cement, fruit, precious stones, spices
Exports - partners:
Bangladesh 47.4%, Japan 30.2%, France 3.4% (2004)
Imports:
$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics,
rice
Imports - partners:
Germany 65.4%, Japan 14.3%, Austria 6.8%, UK 4.5% (2004)
Debt - external:
$245 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:
substantial aid from India and other nations
Currency (code):
ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)
Currency code:
BTN; INR
Exchange rates:
ngultrum per US dollar - 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61
(2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Communications Bhutan
Telephones - main lines in use:
25,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
22,000 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor
domestic: very low tele-density; 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 (Atlantic Ocean) (2005)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)
Radios:
37,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2005)
Televisions:
11,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.bt
Internet hosts:
985 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA
Internet users:
15,000 (2003)
Transportation Bhutan
Highways: total: 4,007 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 3,983 km (2002)
Airports: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: