CORE —
EXTRACTED
EXTRACTED
THICKNESS ∝ EVENTS
← THE SECTION CUT · ASIA
Bhutan
27.5N 90.5E · 27 EVENTS · 9 DOMAINS
FOUNDING OF THE WANGCHUCK MONARCHY · 17 DEC 1907
▼ PULL DOWN TO EXTRACT THE CORE
1998 – present · Democracy and the Modern Kingdom
8 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
1988 · The census and the citizenship rules 2 REFS
early 1990s · Exodus of the Lhotshampa 2 REFS
1952 – 1998 · Opening to the World
5 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
1953 · National Assembly established 2 REFS
21 Sep 1971 · Bhutan joins the United Nations 2 REFS
1907 – 1952 · Founding of the Wangchuck Monarchy
3 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
17 Dec 1907 · Ugyen Wangchuck crowned first king 2 REFS
1926 · Accession of the second king 2 REFS
1651 – 1910 · Civil Strife and the British Treaties
5 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
1864–1865 · The Duar War with British India 2 REFS
11 Nov 1865 · Treaty of Sinchula 2 REFS
1616 – 1651 · Unification under the Zhabdrung
3 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
1616 · Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal arrives in Bhutan 2 REFS
1637 · Punakha Dzong founded 2 REFS
7th – 12th centuries · Buddhism and the Valleys of the Thunder Dragon
3 EVENTS · READ THE BED →
7th century · First Buddhist temples founded 2 REFS
8th century · Guru Rinpoche brings Buddhism to Bhutan 2 REFS
Read the chronicle
EVERY ERA, EVENT AND REFERENCE ON ONE PAGE
↓
Quick facts · atlas reference
- Capital
- Thimphu
- Population
- 758,000
- Area
- 38,394 km²
- Region
- Southern Asia
- Languages
- Dzongkha
- Currency
- Bhutanese ngultrum (Nu.)
- Demonym
- Bhutanese
- UN member
- Yes
Dossier · press a specimen — it turns over
Specimen bench
PRESS A SPECIMEN — IT TURNS OVER
Economy
GDP
$3.6 B’25 WB-WDI
GDP per capita
$4,493’25 WB-WDI
GDP growth
8.0%’25 WB-WDI
Inflation
3.6%’25 WB-WDI
Trade openness
79.4%’24 WB-WDI
Society
Population
797,000’25 WB-WDI
Life expectancy
73.3 yrs’24 WB-WDI
Urban population
43.4%’25 WB-WDI
Fertility rate
1.4’24 WB-WDI
Literacy rate
64.9%’22 WB-WDI
Governance
Voice & accountability
63.9’24 WB-WGI
Political stability
89.0’24 WB-WGI
Government effectiveness
62.6’24 WB-WGI
Regulatory quality
53.4’24 WB-WGI
Rule of law
70.6’24 WB-WGI
Control of corruption
77.7’24 WB-WGI
Health
Health spending
4.4%’23 WB-WHO
Physicians
0.55’22 WB-WHO
Under-5 mortality
17.2’24 WB-UNICEF-WHO
Measles immunisation
97.0%’24 WB-UNICEF-WHO
Safe drinking water
65.6%’24 WB-WHO
Education
Adult literacy
64.9%’22 WB-UNESCO
Education spending
5.8%’23 WB-UNESCO
Primary enrolment
114.9%’24 WB-UNESCO
Secondary enrolment
86.2%’24 WB-UNESCO
Tertiary enrolment
13.0%’24 WB-UNESCO
Technology
R&D spending
0.1%’24 WB-UNESCO
Researchers (per million)
236’24 WB-UNESCO
Internet users
91.3%’24 WB-ITU
Mobile subscriptions
100’24 WB-ITU
High-tech exports
0.0%’23 WB-WDI
Geography
Land area
38,140 km²’23 WB-WDI
Forest area
71.6%’23 WB-WDI
Agricultural land
13.8%’23 WB-WDI
CO₂ per capita (t)
2.0’24 WB-WDI
Renewable energy
82.5%’22 WB-WDI
Resources
Resource rents
2.7%’21 WB-WDI
Oil rents
0.0%’21 WB-WDI
Mineral rents
0.1%’21 WB-WDI
Forest rents
2.7%’21 WB-WDI
Electricity access
100.0%’24 WB-WDI
Military
Armed forces
6,000’00 WB-SIPRI
A hatched gap has no underside — there is nothing to turn over. Absence is stated, never zeroed.
The record · what changed here
- GDP — 2025 observation published ($3.6 B), superseding 2023 ($3.0 B) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- GDP per capita — 2025 observation published ($4,493), superseding 2023 ($3,831) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- GDP growth — 2025 observation published (8.0%), superseding 2023 (4.6%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Inflation — 2025 observation published (3.6%), superseding 2024 (2.8%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Trade openness — 2024 observation published (79.4%), superseding 2023 (81.7%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Electricity access — 2024 observation published (100.0%), superseding 2023 (100.0%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Population — 2025 observation published (797,000), superseding 2024 (792,000) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14
- Urban population — 2025 observation published (43.4%), superseding 2024 (42.6%) → THE SPECIMENLEDGER № 0001 · 2026-08-14