Bhutan
Asia Β· Capital: Thimphu
How it is run: Bhutan is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Bhutan is home to 796,682 people in Southern Asia, where people speak Dzongkha.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
796,682 people
That is about 98 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
38,394 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 21 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
46th most people in Asia
36th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Dzongkha
π° Money
Bhutanese ngultrum (Nu.), Indian rupee (βΉ)
More than one currency is used here.
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
73.3 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$4,493
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
43.4% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
20.4% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+975
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.bt
π§ People here are called
Bhutanese
π·οΈ Name at home
ΰ½ ΰ½ΰΎ²ΰ½΄ΰ½ΰΌΰ½‘ུལΰΌ
Also written: Kingdom of Bhutan.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Bhutan is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
ButΓ‘n
French
Bhoutan
Arabic
Ψ¨ΩΨͺΨ§Ω
Chinese
δΈδΈΉ
Japanese
γγΌγΏγ³
Russian
ΠΡΡΠ°Π½
Portuguese
ButΓ£o
German
Bhutan
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 1837.5Γ as many people as Bhutan.
- Bhutan covers roughly 366 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Bhutan lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 398 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: π§πΉ is the flag of Bhutan. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is BT.
π·οΈ Official name
Kingdom of Bhutan
ποΈ Capital
Thimphu
π Region
Asia Β· Southern Asia
π€ Country code
BT
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Bhutan π
π§ Where on the map
27.5Β° N, 90.5Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+6 β when it is noon in London it is about 18:00 in Thimphu.
- Bhutan is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Bhutan is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- π§πΉ is the flag of Bhutan. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is BT.
- The capital of Bhutan is Thimphu β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Bhutan shares its part of the world with Nepal. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Bhutan has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led Bhutan?
- If Bhutan spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Bhutan?
Thimphu
Which money do people spend in Bhutan?
Bhutanese ngultrum (Nu.), Indian rupee (βΉ)
How many countries share a land border with Bhutan?
2 β China, India.
Roughly how many people live in Bhutan?
796,682 people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.