Bhutan - Economy
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesBhutan is located Southern Asia, between China and India. The climate is varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas. The terrain is mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna.
Economy - overview
This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.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. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Hydropower exports to India had a major impact on growth in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per- capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP- denominated GDP values for most of the wealthy industrialized countries are generally much smaller.GDP (purchasing power parity) : $3.359 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis-a-vis its neighbors, judging that an exchange rate captures the purchasing power a nation enjoys in the international marketplace. Official exchange rates, however, can be artificially fixed and/or subject to manipulation - resulting in claims of the country having an under- or over-valued currency - and are not necessarily the equivalent of a market-determined exchange rate. Moreover, even if the official exchange rate is market-determined, market exchange rates are frequently established by a relatively small set of goods and services (the ones the country trades) and may not capture the value of the larger set of goods the country produces. Furthermore, OER-converted GDP is not well suited to comparing domestic GDP over time, since appreciation/depreciation from one year to the next will make the OER GDP value rise/fall regardless of whether home- currency-denominated GDP changed.GDP (official exchange rate) : $1.308 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent.GDP - real growth rate : 22.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.GDP - per capita (PPP) : $5,200 (2007 est.)
GDP
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture : 22.3%
GDP - composition by sector - industry : 37.9%
GDP - composition by sector - services : 39.8% (2006)
Labor force
This entry contains the total labor force figure.Labor force - note : major shortage of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture : 63%
Labor force - by occupation - industry : 6%
Labor force - by occupation - services : 31% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate
This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.Unemployment rate : 2.5% (2004)
Population below poverty line
Population below poverty line : 31.7% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% : NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% : NA%
Budget
This entry includes revenues, expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.Budget - revenues : $272 million
Budget - expenditures : $350 million
Budget - note : the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2005)
Fiscal year
Fiscal year : 1 July - 30 June
Public debt
This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.Public debt : 81.4% of GDP (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.Inflation rate (consumer prices) : 4.9% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit- worthy customers.Commercial bank prime lending rate : 14% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money
This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.Stock of money : $381.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money
This entry comprises the total quantity of time and savings deposits denominated in the national currency, held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. When added together with "M1" the total money supply is known as "M2." The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.Stock of quasi money : $220.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit
This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by banks to nonbanking institutions. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.Stock of domestic credit : $169.9 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products
This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important.Agriculture - products : rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Industries
This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.Industries : cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism
Industrial production growth rate
This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).Industrial production growth rate : 9.3% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production
This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.Electricity - production : 4.475 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption
This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.Electricity - consumption : 528.8 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports
This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours.Electricity - exports : 3.644 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports
This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours.Electricity - imports : 11 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel : 0.1%
Electricity - production by source - hydro : 99.9%
Electricity - production by source - nuclear : 0%
Electricity - production by source - other : 0% (2001)
Oil - production
This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.Oil - production : 0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption
This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.Oil - consumption : 1,250 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports
This entry is the total oil exported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.Oil - exports : 0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports
This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.Oil - imports : 1,152 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves
This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.Oil - proved reserves : 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production
This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.Natural gas - production : 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.Natural gas - consumption : 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports
This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m).Natural gas - exports : 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports
This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m).Natural gas - imports : 0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.Natural gas - proved reserves : 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance
This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.Current account balance : $116 million (2007 est.)
Exports
This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.Exports : $350 million f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities
This entry provides a listing of the highest- valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.Exports - commodities : electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices
Exports - partners
This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.Exports - partners : India 58.6%, Hong Kong 30.1%, Bangladesh 7.3% (2007)
Imports
This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.Imports : $320 million c.i.f. (2006)
Imports - commodities
This entry provides a listing of the highest- valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.Imports - commodities : fuel and lubricants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice
Imports - partners
This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.Imports - partners : India 74.5%, Japan 7.4%, Sweden 3.2% (2007)
Economic aid
Economic aid - recipient : $941.2 million; note - substantial aid from India (2006)
Debt - external
This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.Debt - external : $713.3 million (2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares
This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange.Market value of publicly traded shares : $NA
Currency (code)
Currency (code) : ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)
Currency code
Currency code : BTN; INR
Exchange rates
This entry provides the official value of a country's monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis.Exchange rates - note : the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee
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