Demographics of Bhutan
Encyclopedia
This article is about the demographic
features of the population
of Bhutan
, including population density
, ethnicity
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
One explanation for this discrepancy given inside Bhutan is that the higher CIA numbers ultimately trace back to an inflated population number the Bhutanese government supplied to the United Nations
in the early 1970s in order to gain entry into that body (the UN reportedly had a cutoff population of one million at that time). According to this theory the CIA population experts have retained this original inflated number year after year while adjusting it each year for normal population growth.
An alternative theory is that the western and central districts of the country wish to underestimate the populations of the southern and eastern districts in order to maintain their historical dominance over those districts. This is the claim made by some Bhutanese refugee groups. Certainly the government numbers do not include people in the refugee camps in Nepal and other persons forced out of Bhutan, which total approximately 125,000.
The Bhutanese numbers can be reconstructed from their 9th Five Year Plan
documents, which lists the exact number of households in each gewog
. If the Bhutanese refugee advocate groups are correct, a spot check of a southern gewog should show a massive under-reporting of population (although this would have to be done by a non-interested party to have credibility).
The CIA World Fact book number has since been adjusted with a note of former inconstancies, and explains the difference on the old numbers from the government not including the "first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005". It should also be noted in the 1970s Bhutan was one of the most isolated countries in the world and nobody knew how many people lived there since no census had ever been taken.
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
.
in Bhutan
, representing just over 0.3% of the population. In July 2010, there were a total of 217 cases detected, however Health Ministry sources indicated actual numbers were estimated at more than 500 by UNAIDS.
Through July 2010, there had been a total of 40 deaths due to HIV/AIDS-related causes, and one suicide.
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
features of the population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, including population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
, ethnicity
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Bhutan's bimodal population estimates
The Royal Government of Bhutan lists their country's population as 752,700 (2003). The CIA Factbook in 2003 estimated the population at 2,327,849.One explanation for this discrepancy given inside Bhutan is that the higher CIA numbers ultimately trace back to an inflated population number the Bhutanese government supplied to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in the early 1970s in order to gain entry into that body (the UN reportedly had a cutoff population of one million at that time). According to this theory the CIA population experts have retained this original inflated number year after year while adjusting it each year for normal population growth.
An alternative theory is that the western and central districts of the country wish to underestimate the populations of the southern and eastern districts in order to maintain their historical dominance over those districts. This is the claim made by some Bhutanese refugee groups. Certainly the government numbers do not include people in the refugee camps in Nepal and other persons forced out of Bhutan, which total approximately 125,000.
The Bhutanese numbers can be reconstructed from their 9th Five Year Plan
Five-Year Plans of Bhutan
The Five Year Plans of Bhutan are a series of national economic development plans created by the government of Bhutan since 1961.The government of Bhutan has played a pervasive role in its economy and development...
documents, which lists the exact number of households in each gewog
Gewog
A gewog, or geog refers to a group of villages in Bhutan. Gewogs form a geographic administrative unit below dzongkhag districts , and above thromde municipalities. Bhutan comprises 205 gewogs, which average 230 km² in area...
. If the Bhutanese refugee advocate groups are correct, a spot check of a southern gewog should show a massive under-reporting of population (although this would have to be done by a non-interested party to have credibility).
The CIA World Fact book number has since been adjusted with a note of former inconstancies, and explains the difference on the old numbers from the government not including the "first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005". It should also be noted in the 1970s Bhutan was one of the most isolated countries in the world and nobody knew how many people lived there since no census had ever been taken.
Demographic statistics
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.Ethnic groups
- NgalopNgalopThe Ngalop are people of Tibetan origin who migrated to Bhutan as early as the ninth century. For this reason, they are often referred to in literature as "Bhote"...
(Northern Bhutanese) 50%, LhotshampaLhotshampaLhotshampa, or Lhotsampa, means "southerners" in Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan. The term refers to the heterogeneous ethnic Nepalese population of Bhutan.-History:...
(ethnic Nepalese) 35%, indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Religions
Approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of the population practice Drukpa Kagyupa or Ningmapa Buddhism, both of which are disciplines of Mahayana Buddhism. Approximately one-quarter of the population is ethnic Nepalese and practice Hinduism. They live mainly in the south and follow the Shaivite, Vaishnavite, Shakta, Ghanapathi, Puranic, and Vedic schools. Christians both Roman Catholic and Protestant and nonreligious groups comprised less than 1 percent of the population. Bön, the country's animist and shamanistic belief system, revolves around the worship of nature and predates Buddhism. Very few citizens adhere exclusively to this religious group.Languages
- Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects. Ethnologue lists 25 languages for Bhutan. Up to 109,000 immigrants speak AssameseAssamese languageAssamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
.- NepaliNepali languageNepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
: 256,000 (40.1%) - Dzongkha: 160,000 (2006) (25.1%)
- Tshangla: 157,000 (24.6%)
- Nepali
Literacy
- Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
- Total population: 47%
- Male: 60%
- Female: 34% (2003 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years: 28.9% (male 104,622/female 100,383)
- 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 245,054/female 217,864)
- 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 21,347/female 19,157) (2011 est.)
Sex ratio
- At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
- Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
- Total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
- Total population: 67.3 years
- Male: 66.46 years
- Female: 68.19 years (2011 est.)
Vital statistics
Below is a table of Bhutan vital statistics since 1950 published by the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs is part of the United Nations Secretariat and is responsible for the follow-up to the major United Nations Summits and Conferences, as well as services to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the Second and Third Committees...
.
| Period | Live births per year | Deaths per year | Natural change per year | CBR | CDR | NC | TFR | IMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950-1955 | 9,000 | 5,000 | 4,000 | 47.9 | 27.1 | 20.8 | 6.67 | 184.8 |
| 1955-1960 | 10,000 | 6,000 | 5,000 | 49.0 | 26.8 | 22.3 | 6.67 | 181.4 |
| 1960-1965 | 12,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 48.5 | 25.7 | 22.8 | 6.67 | 174.1 |
| 1965-1970 | 13,000 | 7,000 | 7,000 | 47.8 | 24.1 | 23.8 | 6.67 | 163.1 |
| 1970-1975 | 16,000 | 7,000 | 8,000 | 47.0 | 22.0 | 25.1 | 6.67 | 149.3 |
| 1975-1980 | 18,000 | 8,000 | 10,000 | 45.8 | 19.6 | 26.2 | 6.67 | 133.2 |
| 1980-1985 | 20,000 | 8,000 | 12,000 | 42.7 | 17.1 | 25.6 | 6.39 | 117.1 |
| 1985-1990 | 21,000 | 8,000 | 13,000 | 40.4 | 15.0 | 25.3 | 6.11 | 104.0 |
| 1990-1995 | 19,000 | 7,000 | 12,000 | 35.2 | 12.5 | 22.7 | 5.27 | 87.5 |
| 1995-2000 | 16,000 | 5,000 | 11,000 | 29.2 | 9.9 | 19.3 | 4.13 | 69.7 |
| 2000-2005 | 15,000 | 5,000 | 11,000 | 25.2 | 7.9 | 17.2 | 3.30 | 52.8 |
| 2005-2010 | 15,000 | 5,000 | 10,000 | 21.5 | 7.2 | 14.4 | 2.61 | 44.4 |
HIV/AIDS
In 2011, there were 246 reported cases of HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
in Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, representing just over 0.3% of the population. In July 2010, there were a total of 217 cases detected, however Health Ministry sources indicated actual numbers were estimated at more than 500 by UNAIDS.
Through July 2010, there had been a total of 40 deaths due to HIV/AIDS-related causes, and one suicide.