* SUMMARY

Introduction

Basic facts about Bhutan
Bhutan is a small economy with a total land area of 38,394 square kilometers and a population of 683,407 in 2009. The population density was estimated at 16 people per km2 (31% urban and 69% rural. Over the last decade there has been a high rate of rural to urban areas migration. With a population growth at 1.3%, Bhutan does not have a severe population problem at present but localized population pressures exist due to skewed geographical distribution. About 45% of the population is under the age of twenty, a youthful demographic profile.

The country has a rich forest and freshwater natural resource base. Natural vegetation covers 72.5% of the total land area. It encompasses rich and diverse ecological systems with more than half the total land area classified as protected areas. With this abundance of water availability, Bhutan has 35,000 MW of hydropower potential which the country has started tapping. Bhutan also has non-metallic mineral resources but the mining industry is relatively underdeveloped and little exploration has been done.