Demographics of Bhutan

Population pyramid of Bhutan in 2020

Population| 786,387 (2023)[1]
Birth rate| 12.66 births/1,000 population (2023)[2]
Death rate| 6.11 deaths/1,000 population (2023)[3]
Life expectancy| 74.9 years (2021)[4]
• male| 73.9 years (2021)[5]
• female| 75.9 years (2021)[6]
Fertility rate| 1.46 children born/woman (2023)[7]
Infant mortality rate| 19.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023)[8]
Nationality
Major ethnic|

*     * Tibeto-Burman (96.60%)
* Dzongkha-speaking Ngalop (Bhutia) (35.67%)
* Sharchops (30.41%)
* Lhotshampa (Nepali) (24.32%)
* Other Tibeto-Burmans (e.g., Brokpa, Layap) (6.20%)

Minor ethnic|

*     * Indo-Aryan (2.64%)
* Nepali speakers (non-Lhotshampa) (1.88%)
* Other Indo-Aryans (e.g; Assamese) (0.76%)
* Others (0.76%)
* Dravidian (e.g., Tamil) (0.30%)
* Other Ethnicities (e.g., foreigners, minor groups) (0.46%)

This is a demography 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.

Bhutanese people in national dress at the Wangdi Phodrang festival

The Royal Government of Bhutan listed the country's population as 752,700 in 2003.[needs update][9]

The Bhutanese numbers can be reconstructed from their 9th Five Year Plan documents,[10] 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.[citation needed]

The CIA World Fact book number has since been adjusted with a note of former inconsistencies, and attributes the difference to the government not including the "first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005".[9] 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

[edit]

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

## Population

[edit]

708,427 (July 2011 est.)
716,896 (July 2012 est.)
750,125 (July 2016 est.)[11]

### Population by Sex and Age Group

[edit]

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2013) (Data refer to projected figures based on the Population and Housing Census 2005 (district projection)):[12]

Age Group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | %

|
|
|
|

Total  | 381 582  | 351 421  | 733 004  | 100
0-4  | 42 725  | 41 999  | 84 724  | 11,56
5-9  | 38 396  | 37 725  | 76 121  | 10,38
10-14  | 32 169  | 31 593  | 63 762  | 8,70
15-19  | 35 432  | 34 403  | 69 835  | 9,53
20-24  | 36 526  | 34 745  | 71 271  | 9,72
25-29  | 35 433  | 32 065  | 67 498  | 9,21
30-34  | 33 279  | 28 491  | 61 770  | 8,43
35-39  | 28 766  | 24 060  | 52 827  | 7,21
40-44  | 23 774  | 19 545  | 43 319  | 5,91
45-49  | 19 391  | 16 213  | 35 604  | 4,86
50-54  | 15 245  | 13 209  | 28 455  | 3,88
55-59  | 12 257  | 10 806  | 23 063  | 3,15
60-64  | 9 602  | 8 645  | 18 247  | 2,49
65-69  | 7 268  | 6 741  | 14 009  | 1,91
70-74  | 5 169  | 4 956  | 10 124  | 1,38
75-79  | 3 338  | 3 313  | 6 651  | 0,91
80+  | 2 812  | 2 912  | 5 724  | 0,78
Age group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | Percent
0-14  | 113 290  | 111 317  | 224 607  | 30,64
15-64  | 249 705  | 222 182  | 471 887  | 64,38
65+  | 18 587  | 17 922  | 36 509  | 4,98

Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 30.V.2017) (Excluding 8408 non-Bhutanese/tourists found in hotels on the census reference day.):[13]

Age Group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | %

|
|
|
|

Total  | 380 453  | 346 692  | 727 145  | 100
0–4  | 29 176  | 28 298  | 57 474  | 7.90
5–9  | 32 035  | 30 956  | 62 991  | 8.66
10–14  | 34 656  | 34 296  | 68 952  | 9.48
15–19  | 34 679  | 33 607  | 68 286  | 9.39
20–24  | 41 075  | 34 340  | 75 415  | 10.37
25–29  | 42 802  | 36 478  | 79 280  | 10.90
30–34  | 35 059  | 30 121  | 65 180  | 8.96
35–39  | 29 689  | 25 860  | 55 549  | 7.64
40–44  | 22 274  | 19 221  | 41 495  | 5.71
45–49  | 18 865  | 16 668  | 35 533  | 4.89
50–54  | 15 456  | 13 861  | 29 317  | 4.03
55–59  | 12 379  | 11 519  | 23 898  | 3.29
60–64  | 10 498  | 10 213  | 20 711  | 2.85
65-69  | 7 585  | 7 069  | 14 654  | 2.02
70-74  | 5 876  | 5 592  | 11 468  | 1.58
75-79  | 3 965  | 3 906  | 7 871  | 1.08
80-84  | 2 651  | 2 746  | 5 397  | 0.74
85-89  | 1 262  | 1 338  | 2 600  | 0.36
90-94  | 338  | 439  | 777  | 0.11
95-99  | 120  | 143  | 263  | 0.04
100+  | 13  | 21  | 34  | <0.01
Age group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | Percent
0–14  | 95 867  | 93 550  | 189 417  | 26.05
15–64  | 262 776  | 231 888  | 494 664  | 68.03
65+  | 21 810  | 21 254  | 43 064  | 5.92

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (30.VII.2020) (Estimates or projections based on the 2017 Population Census.):[13]

Age Group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | %

|
|
|
|

Total  | 390 877  | 358 054  | 748 931  | 100
0–4  | 29 208  | 28 557  | 57 765  | 7.71
5–9  | 30 495  | 29 235  | 59 730  | 7.98
10–14  | 33 159  | 32 388  | 65 547  | 8.75
15–19  | 34 343  | 34 200  | 68 543  | 9.15
20–24  | 36 655  | 33 428  | 70 083  | 9.36
25–29  | 42 547  | 35 456  | 78 003  | 10.42
30–34  | 39 913  | 34 311  | 74 224  | 9.91
35–39  | 32 294  | 28 047  | 60 341  | 8.06
40–44  | 26 259  | 22 904  | 49 163  | 6.56
45–49  | 20 171  | 17 597  | 37 768  | 5.04
50–54  | 17 115  | 15 289  | 32 404  | 4.33
55–59  | 13 709  | 12 419  | 26 128  | 3.49
60–64  | 11 132  | 10 667  | 21 799  | 2.91
65-69  | 8 849  | 8 583  | 17 432  | 2.33
70-74  | 6 171  | 5 792  | 11 963  | 1.60
75-79  | 4 399  | 4 346  | 8 745  | 1.17
80-84  | 2 587  | 2 734  | 5 321  | 0.71
85+  | 1 871  | 2 101  | 3 972  | 0.53
Age group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | Percent
0–14  | 92 862  | 90 180  | 183 042  | 24.44
15–64  | 274 138  | 244 318  | 518 456  | 69.23
65+  | 23 877  | 23 556  | 47 433  | 6.33

Median age

Total: 27.2 years
Male: 27.7 years
Female: 26.6 years (2016 est.[14])

Urbanization[15]

urban population: 38.6% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 3.69% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

## Vital statistics

[edit]

### UN estimates

[edit]

Below is a table of Bhutan vital statistics since 1950 published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.[16]

Period  | Live births per year  | Deaths per year  | Natural change per year  | CBR1 | CDR1 | NC1 | TFR1 | IMR1

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

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
1 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births

### Registered births and deaths

[edit]

[17][18][19]

| Population  | Live births  | Deaths  | Natural increase  | Crude birth rate  | Crude death rate  | Rate of natural increase  | TFR

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2005  | 635,000  | 12,538  | 4,498  | 8,040  | 19.7  | 7.1  | 12.6  | 2.4
2016  | 726,596  | 9,718  | 3,541  | 6,177  | 13.4  | 4.9  | 8.5  |
2017  | 727,145  | 9,841  | 3,367  | 6,474  | 13.5  | 4.6  | 8.9  | 1.7
2018  | 734,374  | 10,711  | 3,364  | 7,347  | 14.6  | 4.6  | 10.0  |
2019  | 741,672  | 9,667  | 3,220  | 6,447  | 13.0  | 4.3  | 8.7  |
2020  | 748,931  | 9,769  | 3,109  | 6,660  | 13.0  | 4.2  | 8.8  |
2021  | 756,129  | 10,248  | 3,192  | 7,638  | 13.6  | 4.2  | 9.4  |
2022  | 763,249  | 9,711  | 3,605  | 6,106  | 13.3  | 4.7  | 8.6  |
2023  | 770,276  | 8,988  | 3,579  | 5,409  | 11.7  | 4.6  | 7.1  |
Life expectancy in Bhutan

### Life expectancy at birth

[edit]

Total population: 70.2 years
Male: 68.8 years
Female: 71.7 years (2017[11] est.)

Life expectancy at birth is 70.2 years, which is an increase from 66.3 years in 2005. Women (71.7 years) live longer than men (68.8).

In 2018, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay announced that the average life expectancy at birth has surpassed 70.[20]

## Ethnic groups

[edit]

Main article: Ethnic groups in Bhutan

[9]

1. Ngalop people and Sharchop people (63.0%)
2. Lhotsampas (also known as Nepalis) (22.0%)
3. Indigenous or migrant ethnic groups (15.0%)

## Religions

[edit]

Main article: Religion in Bhutan

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2025)

|

[9]

1. Buddhism (75.3%)
2. Hinduism (22.6%)
3. Other (2.60%)

## Languages

[edit]

Main article: Languages of Bhutan

[9]

1. Tshangla (sometimes referred to as Sharchopkha) (28.0%)
2. Dzongkha (official) (24.0%)
3. Nepali (locally referred as Lhotshamkha) (22.0%)
4. Other (26.0%)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Population and Demography Explorer". Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
2. ^ "Birth Rate Explorer". Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
3. ^ "Death Rate Explorer". Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
4. ^ "Bhutan Country Profile". World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 23 December 2024.
5. ^ "Bhutan Country Profile". World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 23 December 2024.
6. ^ "Bhutan Country Profile". World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 23 December 2024.
7. ^ "Fertility rate in Bhutan". Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
8. ^ "Infant mortality rate in Bhutan". Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
9. ^ a b c d e "South Asia ::BHUTAN". CIA The World Factbook. 13 March 2024.
10. ^ "Reports". Department of Planning, Ministry of Finance. Archived from the original on 2005-09-06. Retrieved 2005-08-19.
11. ^ a b "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency". cia.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
12. ^ "Demographic Yearbook – 2020". New York: United Nations Statistics Division. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
13. ^ a b "Demographic Yearbook – 2020". New York: United Nations Statistics Division. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
14. ^ "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency". cia.gov. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
15. ^ "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency". cia.gov. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
16. ^ "Bhutan: Demographic Profile, Medium Variant 1950–2100". World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, Population Projections and Estimates Section. Retrieved 2011-10-30. (entry: Bhutan)
17. ^ "Live births, deaths, and infant deaths, latest available year (2002 - 2016)" (PDF). United Nations Statistics Division. 2 January 2018.
18. ^ "Vital Statistics Report 2020". Bhutan National Statistics Bureau. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
19. ^ "Population". Bhutan National Statiscits Bureau. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
20. ^ KuenselOnline

## External links

[edit]

* This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2025 ed.). CIA. (Archived 2007 edition.)

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