village-level elections
Elections:
no national elections
Executive branch:
monarch, chairman of the Royal Advisory Council, Royal Advisory Council
(Lodoi Tsokde), chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers
(Lhengye Shungtsog)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Tshogdu)
Judicial branch:
High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
Member of:
AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, INTELSAT, IOC, ITU,
NAM, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in US:
no formal diplomatic relations; the Bhutanese mission to the UN in New York
has consular jurisdiction in the US
US diplomatic representation:
no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained
between the Bhutanese and US Embassies in New Delhi (India)
Flag:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is
orange and the lower triangle is red; centered along the dividing line is a
large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side

*Bhutan, Economy

Overview:
The economy, one of the world's least developed, is based on agriculture and
forestry, which provide the main livelihood for 90% of the population and
account for about 50% of GDP. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make
the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The
economy is closely aligned with that of India through strong trade and
monetary links. The industrial sector is small and technologically backward,
with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development
projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's
hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are its most important
natural resources; however, the government limits the number of tourists to
3,000/year to minimize foreign influence.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $320 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
3.1% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
$200 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10% (FY91 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $112 million; expenditures $121 million, including capital
expenditures of $58 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
$74 million (f.o.b., FY91 est.)
commodities:
cardamon, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement