Bhutan at its true size
Bhutan covers 38,394 km², number 133 of 194 countries by area. Home to 796,682 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 38,394 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 796,682 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 21 per km² |
| Capital | Thimphu |
| Local time in Thimphu | |
| Time zone | UTC+6 IANA |
| Currency | Ngultrum (BTN) Wikidata |
| Languages | Dzongkha |
| Traffic | On the left |
| Region | Southern Asia, Asia |
| Status | Independent state |
| Coast | Landlocked |
| Calling code | +975 |
| Codes | BT · BTN · 064 |
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Where Bhutan ranks
Among the independent states, in 43 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#162 of 194796,682 people#46 of 48 in Asia
- Population density#164 of 19421 people per km²#43 of 48 in Asia
- Urban population#143 of 19243% urban#33 of 47 in Asia
- Fertility rate#146 of 1921.45 births per woman#39 of 47 in Asia
- Population growth#116 of 192+0.65% a year#33 of 47 in Asia
- Birth rate#108 of 19212.5 births per 1,000 people#30 of 47 in Asia
- Death rate#137 of 1926.1 deaths per 1,000 people#21 of 47 in Asia
- Children under 15#114 of 19220.4% under 15#34 of 47 in Asia
- People over 65#107 of 1926.6% aged 65 and over#24 of 47 in Asia
- Net migration#55 of 192+0.6 per 1,000 people#17 of 47 in Asia
- Refugees abroad#20 of 1909.11 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#5 of 47 in Asia
Health & education
- Life expectancy#102 of 19273.3 years#29 of 47 in Asia
- Infant mortality#91 of 19113.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births#19 of 47 in Asia
- Doctors#124 of 1780.55 doctors per 1,000 people#40 of 46 in Asia
- University enrolment#126 of 14513.0% gross enrolment#40 of 42 in Asia
- Human Development Index#124 of 190an index of 0.698#33 of 46 in Asia
Economy
- GNI per capita#123 of 185$4,310 a person#31 of 45 in Asia
- Internet users#47 of 18491% online#15 of 43 in Asia
- GDP per capita (PPP)#96 of 184$19,594 a person#25 of 45 in Asia
- GDP growth#11 of 187+8.0% a year#3 of 45 in Asia
- Inflation#71 of 176+3.6% a year#13 of 42 in Asia
- Unemployment#133 of 1783.2% of the labour force#31 of 47 in Asia
- Extreme poverty#136 of 1490.0% under $3.00 a day#25 of 33 in Asia
- Income inequality (Gini)#129 of 149a Gini index of 28.5#28 of 33 in Asia
- Jobs in agriculture#36 of 17842.4% of jobs#8 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in industry#130 of 17815.9% of jobs#41 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in services#142 of 17841.8% of jobs#37 of 47 in Asia
- Foreign investment#156 of 1840.2% of GDP#40 of 44 in Asia
- Exports#97 of 16831.5% of GDP#21 of 42 in Asia
- Mobile subscriptions#127 of 191100 subscriptions per 100 people#34 of 47 in Asia
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#103 of 1852.01 tonnes a person#33 of 47 in Asia
- Forest area#15 of 19270% forest#3 of 47 in Asia
- Renewable energy#12 of 19082.5% renewable#1 of 47 in Asia
- Access to electricity#1 of 192100.0% with electricity#1 of 47 in Asia
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#49 of 19130.1 µg/m³#23 of 47 in Asia
- Protected land#3 of 19151.6% of the land protected#1 of 47 in Asia
- Arable land#154 of 1902.6% of the land arable#35 of 47 in Asia
- Water stress#157 of 1761.4% of its available fresh water#46 of 47 in Asia
- Precipitation#24 of 1802,200 mm a year#7 of 47 in Asia
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of Bhutan’s area, lit up on the map →
- Taiwan1.06×Bhutan is 6% larger than Taiwan.
- Guinea-Bissau1.06×Bhutan is 6% larger than Guinea-Bissau.
- Switzerland0.93×Bhutan is 7% smaller than Switzerland.
- Netherlands0.91×Bhutan is 9% smaller than Netherlands.
- Denmark0.89×Bhutan is 11% smaller than Denmark.
- Moldova1.13×Bhutan is 13% larger than Moldova.
How many times does Bhutan fit into…
- Russia: about 445 times
- Canada: about 260 times
- United States: about 256 times
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes Bhutan shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Summits
- Gangkhar Puensum7,570 m
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside Bhutan. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Neighbours
Questions about Bhutan
- How big is Bhutan?
- Bhutan covers 38,394 km², which makes it number 133 of 194 countries by area. About 796,682 people live there (2025), 21 per km².
- Is Bhutan bigger than Taiwan?
- Bhutan is 6% larger than Taiwan. Bhutan: 38,394 km²; Taiwan: 36,193 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Bhutan?
- Bhutan lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Bhutan?
- Bhutan shares a land border with China, India.