Economy - overview:
Bhutan's economy, small and less developed, is based largely on hydropower, agriculture, and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than half of the population. Because rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive, industrial production is primarily of the cottage industry type. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and is dependent on India for financial assistance and migrant laborers for development projects, especially for road construction. Bhutan inked a pact in December 2014 to expand duty-free trade with Bangladesh, the only trade partner with which Bhutan enjoys a surplus.Multilateral development organizations administer most educational, social, and environment programs, and take into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Complicated controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.Bhutan’s largest export - hydropower to India - could spur sustainable growth in the coming years if Bhutan resolves chronic delays in construction. Bhutan currently taps only 5% of its 30,000-megawatt hydropower potential and is behind schedule in building 12 new hydropower dams with a combined capacity of 10,000 megawatts by 2020 in accordance with a deal signed in 2008 with India. The high volume of imported materials to build hydropower plants has expanded Bhutan's trade and current account deficits. However, Bhutan and India in April 2014 agreed to begin four additional hydropower projects, which would generate 2,120 megawatts in total.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$6.383 billion (2015 est.) $5.929 billion (2014 est.) $5.571 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 168
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.209 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
7.7% (2015 est.) 6.4% (2014 est.) 4.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,200 (2015 est.) $7,700 (2014 est.) $7,200 (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 147
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
21.5% of GDP (2015 est.) 22.2% of GDP (2014 est.) 28.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 68.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 21.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 47.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 37.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -74.3% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 16.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 40.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 42.7% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, root crops, citrus; dairy products, eggs

Industries:
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
6% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
348,800
note: major shortage of skilled labor (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 57%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 21%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 22% (2013 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
2.6% (2014 est.) 2.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
12% (2012 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 30.6% (2003)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.7 (2012) 38.1 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 72
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $608 million
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $692.7 million
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]
note: the government of India finances nearly one-quarter of Bhutan's budget expenditures (2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues:
26.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-3.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
98.5% of GDP (2015 est.) 91.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.7% (2015 est.) 8.3% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
NA%
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.2% (31 December 2015 est.) 14.2% (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$738.7 million (31 December 2015 est.) $683.7 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$1.305 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.184 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$1.018 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.01 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$320 million (31 December 2013) $283.4 million (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 115
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$591 million (2015 est.) -$459 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$375 million (2015 est.) $409.2 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
electricity (to India), ferrosilicon, cement, calcium carbide, copper wire, manganese, vegetable oil

Exports - partners:
India 83.8%, Hong Kong 10.8% (2013 est.)

Imports:
$965 million (2015 est.) $927.6 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
fuel and lubricants, passenger cars, machinery and parts, fabrics, rice

Imports - partners:
India 72.3%, South Korea 6% (2013 est.)

Debt - external:
$1.855 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $1.844 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$173.8 million (31 December 2015 est.) $145.4 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
ngultrum (BTN) per US dollar - 63.9 (2015 est.) 60.98 (2014 est.) 61.03 (2013 est.) 53.44 (2012 est.) 46.67 (2011 est.)