Bhutan

Three years after the monarchy was created in 1907, an agreement was signed with the British having a say only in Bhutan’s foreign policy. After 1947, India took on this task. In 1949, India and Bhutan signed an agreement, which restored the areas taken by the British and specified India’s duties in the areas of defense and foreign policy. In 2005, the government’s draft of a constitution bringing democratic reforms was revealed by King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK and promised to have a referendum for approval of the constitution; this is expected to happen in 2008, but no date has been set. In 2006, in hopes his son could gain experience being a leader before the democratic reforms, the king abdicated his throne to Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK.

Main Airports

Paro (PBH)

U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Embassy in India is on Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
tel. 91-11-2419-8000

Statistics

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.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:

NA
note: major shortage of skilled labor

Exports:

$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - partners:

Japan 33.2%, Germany 13.6%, France 13.5%, South Korea 7.8%, US 7.7%, Thailand 5.8%, Italy 5.1% (2005)

Imports:

$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Imports - partners:

India 85.6%, Bangladesh 6.7%, Japan 4.3% (2004)

Population:

2,279,723

Population growth rate:

2.1% (2006 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line:

NA

Major Industries:

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

Employing Workers: 116*

Registering Property: 41*

Enforcing Contracts: 56*

Closing a Business: 151*

*2006 World Bank rank out of 175 countries

Starting a Business

The table below shows the number of steps and the amount of time needed to start a business, on average

Indicator	Bhutan	Region
Procedures (number)	26	16.1
Time (days)	204	226.6

• Agriculture
• Apparel
• Arts & Crafts
• Automobile
• Bags, Cases & Boxes
• Chemicals
• Computer Hardware & Software
• Construction & Real Estate
• Consumer Electronics
• Electrical & Electronics
• Energy & Environment
• Food & Beverage
• Furniture & Furnishing
• Health & Medicine
• Home Supplies
• Industrial Supplies
• Lights & Lighting
• Machinery
• Mineral & Materials
• Office Supplies
• Security & Protection
• Service
• Sports & Entertainment
• Telecommunications
• Textile
• Toys
• Transportation