Head of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
President: Michel Martelly
Population
716,896
9,801,664
Life Expectancy
67.880 years
62.510 years
Capital City
Thimphu
Port-au-Prince
Largest city
Thimphu (population: 98,676)
Port-au-Prince (population: 1,234,740)
Human Development Index
0.613
0.521
GDP per capita
$6,200 US
$1,300 US
Literacy Rate
47%
52.9%
Corruption Perception Index
5.2
1.4
Percentage of Women in Parliament
13.9%
5.2%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
4.000%
40.600%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
in transition to constitutional monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
republic
Independence date
1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)
1 January 1804 (from France)
Religions
Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% note: roughly half of the population practices voodoo
Languages
Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.279 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003) note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee
gourdes (HTG) per US dollar - 39.216 (2008 est.), 37.138 (2007), 40.232 (2006), 40.449 (2005), 38.352 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.000%
0.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Southern Asia, between China and India
Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Area
38,394 km sq
27,750 km sq
Coastline
0 km
1,771 km
Climate
varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
