Bhutan (Kingdom of Bhutan)

Bhutan Kingdom of Bhutan
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	129th best
Capital	Thimphu
Land Area	38 394km21
Location	Asia
Population	0.8m2
Life Expectancy	71.82yrs (2017)3
GNI	$9 438 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	BT, BTN, 645
Internet Domain	.bt6
Currency	Ngultrum (BTN)7
Telephone	+9758

1. Overview
2. Bhutan National and Social Development
3. Bhutan's Demographics and Migration
4. Bhutan's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Bhutan's Health
6. Bhutan's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Bhutan's Modernity and Learning
8. Bhutan's Culture, Peace and Inequality
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

#buddhism #nepal

“In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs, and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned to Bhutan the areas annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which introduced major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. Elections for seating the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008; the king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008. The disposition of some 40,000 Bhutanese refugees - housed in two UN refugee camps in Nepal - remains unresolved.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Bhutan is no ordinary place. It is a Himalayan kingdom with a reputation for mystery and magic, where a traditional Buddhist culture carefully embraces global developments. Bhutan holds many surprises. It´s a country where the rice is red and where chillies aren´t just a seasoning but the main ingredient. It´s also a deeply Buddhist land, where monasteries are part of the mainstream, and where giant protective penises are painted beside the entrance to many houses. ... You will find the Bhutanese well educated, fun loving and vibrant.

[It has an] amazing Himalayan landscape, where snowcapped peaks rise above shadowy gorges cloaked in primeval forests. Taking up prime positions in this picture-book landscape are the majestic, fortress-like dzongs and monasteries. This unique architecture embodies Buddhist culture and sets the scene for spectacular tsechus (dance festivals). Then there are the textiles and handicrafts, outrageous archery competitions, high-altitude trekking trails, and stunning flora and fauna.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Bhutan National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
124=	Morocco	0.683
125	El Salvador	0.675
126	Nicaragua	0.667
127	Bhutan	0.666
128	Cape Verde	0.662
129	Bangladesh	0.661
130	Tuvalu	0.641
131	Marshall Islands	0.639
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
110	Iraq	$9 977
111	Jordan	$9 924
112	Lebanon	$9 526
113	Bhutan	$9 438
114	Philippines	$8 920
115	Jamaica	$8 834
116	Guatemala	$8 723
117	Namibia	$8 634
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	27.0
2	Norway	29.9
3	Sweden	31.8
	...
126	Iran	100.3
127	Egypt	100.3
128	Bangladesh	100.6
129	Bhutan	100.8
130	Saudi Arabia	101.6
131	Uzbekistan	101.6
132	Honduras	102.0
133	Kenya	102.2
	Asia Avg	92.0
	World Avg	88.6
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Bhutan's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Bhutan's population is predicted to rise to 899 053 by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.40. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₃

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
159	Fiji	0.9m
160	Comoros	0.8m
161	Guyana	0.8m
162	Bhutan	0.8m
163	Solomon Islands	0.7m
164	Montenegro	0.6m
165	Luxembourg	0.6m
166	Suriname	0.6m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
93	Syria	72.1
94	Armenia	72.0
95	Libya	71.9
96	Bhutan	71.8
97	Bulgaria	71.8
98	Georgia	71.7
99	St Kitts & Nevis	71.7
100	Ukraine	71.6
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		202214
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
104=	Austria	1.41
104=	Norway	1.41
104=	Estonia	1.41
107	Bhutan	1.40
108	Switzerland	1.39
109	St Lucia	1.39
110	Turkmenistan	2.62
111	Bahamas	1.38
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15
Pos.		2016 Per 10015
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
74	S. Africa	10.5
75	Bangladesh	10.6
76=	Nepal	10.8
76=	Bhutan	10.8
76=	Micronesia	10.8
79	Honduras	11.0
80=	Turkmenistan	11.0
80=	Maldives	11.0
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants16
Pos.		2017 %16
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
73	S. Sudan	6.7%
74	Grenada	6.6%
75	Armenia	6.5%
76	Bhutan	6.5%
77	Macedonia	6.3%
78	Finland	6.2%
79	Marshall Islands	6.2%
80	Turkey	6.0%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants17
Pos.		2010 %17
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
89	Guinea-Bissau	6.8%
90	Slovenia	6.5%
91	Kiribati	6.5%
92	Bhutan	6.3%
93	Tunisia	6.3%
94	Finland	6.2%
95	Singapore	6.1%
96	Guatemala	6.1%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Bhutan's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #freethought #gender #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #mass_media #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #tolerance #women

Compared to Asia (2025)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	Japan	34.5
2	Cyprus	40.5
3	Taiwan	43.7
	...
31	Vietnam	111.6
32	Bangladesh	112.2
33	Bahrain	115.4
34	Bhutan	115.8
35	Uzbekistan	121.1
36	Qatar	121.7
37	UAE	122.3
38	Cambodia	122.8
39	Oman	122.9
	Asia Avg	103.00
q=52.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	Sweden	6.1
2	Denmark	8.6
3	Norway	9.0
	...
149	S. Sudan	113.3
150	Papua New Guinea	113.5
151	Bahrain	115.4
152	Bhutan	115.8
153	Nigeria	117.1
154	Niger	117.3
155	Rwanda	117.3
156	Egypt	118.4
	World Avg	86.55
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway₁₉. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, N. Korea and Afghanistan₁₉.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₉, whereas the worst are Africa, The Middle East and Asia₁₉.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Press Freedom Higher is better20
Pos.		202520
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
148	Bangladesh	33.71
149	Laos	33.22
150	India	32.96
151	Bhutan	32.62
152	Tajikistan	32.21
153	Yemen	31.45
154	Iraq	30.69
155	Sudan	30.34
	Asia Avg	39.69
	World Avg	54.65
q=179.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better21
Pos.		2014 Rank21
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
77=	Paraguay	77
77=	Mexico	77
79	Trinidad & Tobago	79
80=	Bhutan	79
80=	Benin	79
82	Brazil	82
83	Tajikistan	83
84	Nepal	84
	Asia Avg	94.6
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
82	Lesotho	2.5
83=	Namibia	2.5
83=	Brazil	2.5
83=	Bhutan	2.5
86	Liberia	3.0
87=	Peru	3.0
87=	Paraguay	3.0
87=	Malawi	3.0
	Asia Avg	5.0
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better22
Pos.		2009 Treaties22
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
187	Singapore	5
188=	Nauru	5
189	Marshall Islands	4
190=	Myanmar (Burma)	4
190=	Palau	4
190=	Malaysia	4
193	Bhutan	3
194=	Kiribati	3
	Asia Avg	12.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better23
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty23
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
150	Georgia	12.77
151	Suriname	12.81
152	Andorra	12.91
153	Bhutan	13.01
154	Swaziland	13.16
155	Equatorial Guinea	13.18
156	Vanuatu	13.21
157	Guinea-Bissau	13.23
	Asia Avg	10.97
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Gender Equality:

The 1950s saw a late rush of 43 countries, including Bhutan and many developing nations, move to cease preventing women from voting. Bhutan has made some steps towards ending gender inequality but much more needs to be done.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

Gender Inequality Lower is better24
Pos.		202224
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
72	Mongolia	0.30
73	Cuba	0.30
74	Thailand	0.31
75	Bhutan	0.33
76	Azerbaijan	0.33
77	Fiji	0.33
78=	Bahamas	0.33
78=	Maldives	0.33
	Asia Avg	0.33
	World Avg	0.34
q=166.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
94=	Lebanon	1952
95	Guyana	1953
96=	Mexico	1953
96=	Bhutan	1953
96=	Syria	1953
99	Colombia	1954
100=	Belize	1954
100=	Ghana	1954
	Asia Avg	1907
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

LGBT Equality Higher is better25
Pos.		2017 Score25
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
156=	Maldives	-19
156=	Afghanistan	-19
158	Liberia	-20
159=	Bhutan	-20
159=	Burundi	-20
161	Nigeria	-22
162=	Malawi	-22
162=	Uganda	-22
	Asia Avg	-02.1
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better26
Pos.		202126
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
49	Kenya	2.5
50=	Romania	2.5
50=	Mali	2.5
50=	Bhutan	2.5
50=	Tonga	2.5
50=	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.5
50=	Bulgaria	2.5
50=	Ukraine	2.5
	Asia Avg	3.7
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Bhutan's Health

#alcohol #bhutan #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2025)27
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank27
1=	Japan	44.1
2	Hong Kong	48.2
3	Singapore	49.5
	...
30	Myanmar (Burma)	94.9
31	India	96.5
32	Oman	97.7
33	Bhutan	98.6
34	Kyrgyzstan	100.5
35	Turkmenistan	102.7
36	Palestine	104.6
37	Bangladesh	106.5
38	Mongolia	107.7
	Asia Avg	80.90
q=50.

Health (2025)27
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank27
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
	...
118	Oman	97.7
119	Mexico	98.0
120	Libya	98.0
121	Bhutan	98.6
122	Guam	99.3
123	Kyrgyzstan	100.5
124	Algeria	100.7
125	El Salvador	101.3
	World Avg	96.74
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₂₈. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria₂₈.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans₂₈, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₂₈.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Bhutan does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Bhutan comes in the best 20 for its alcohol consumption rate₂₉. It does better than average for its smoking rate₃₀, its immunizations take-up₃₁, its adolescent birth rate₃₂ and in its average life expectancy₁₁. Bhutan doesn't do so well in other areas. Bhutan does worse than average in its fertility rate₁₄. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Bhutan improved by +15.4yrs in the 30 years from 1990, almost double the global average of +7.9yrs. Bhutan is amongst only 41 countries who have seen their fertility rate drop by more than 4 since the 1960s. Its peak fertility rate was 6.7 in 1960.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
93	Syria	72.1
94	Armenia	72.0
95	Libya	71.9
96	Bhutan	71.8
97	Bulgaria	71.8
98	Georgia	71.7
99	St Kitts & Nevis	71.7
100	Ukraine	71.6
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better29
Pos.		2016 Per Capita29
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
15=	Djibouti	0.5
15=	Niger	0.5
15=	Sudan	0.5
18	Bhutan	0.6
19=	Morocco	0.6
20	Jordan	0.7
21=	Senegal	0.7
22	Oman	0.8
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		202214
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
104=	Austria	1.41
104=	Norway	1.41
104=	Estonia	1.41
107	Bhutan	1.40
108	Switzerland	1.39
109	St Lucia	1.39
110	Turkmenistan	2.62
111	Bahamas	1.38
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Smoking Rates Lower is better30
Pos.		201430
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
30	Benin	122
31	Zimbabwe	134
32	Mauritania	135
33	Bhutan	155
34	Chad	156
35	Zambia	165
36	Gambia	166
37	Paraguay	166
	Asia Avg	1 035
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Overweight Adults Lower is better33
Pos.		2016 %33
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
25	Guinea	26.6
26	Equatorial Guinea	26.7
27=	Comoros	27.1
27=	Bhutan	27.1
29	Japan	27.2
30	Angola	27.5
31	Philippines	27.6
32=	Sierra Leone	27.7
	Asia Avg	44.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better32
Pos.		2022 Per 100032
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
65	Macedonia	16.1
66	India	16.3
67	Armenia	18.3
68	Bhutan	18.5
69	Tonga	19.2
70	Lebanon	20.0
71	Kazakhstan	20.9
72	Turkmenistan	21.2
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better31
Pos.		2015 Avg %31
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
56=	Qatar	95.6
56=	Armenia	95.6
58	Uruguay	95.6
59	Bhutan	95.6
60	Turkey	95.5
61	Malta	95.5
62	Botswana	95.4
63	Gambia	95.4
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Bhutan has been significantly improving its adolescent birth rate every decade since the 1990s at a much greater rate than the global average each decade.

6. Bhutan's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2025)34
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank34
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
	...
42	Armenia	108.2
43	Kyrgyzstan	108.7
44	Kazakhstan	109.8
45	Bhutan	115.3
46	Uzbekistan	116.1
47	Tajikistan	128.6
48	Brunei	130.2
49	N. Korea	132.3
50	Turkmenistan	134.1
	Asia Avg	86.44
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)34
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank34
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
174	Barbados	110.1
175	Kiribati	111.4
176	Micronesia	114.6
177	Bhutan	115.3
178	Belarus	116.0
179	Uzbekistan	116.1
180	Cook Islands	119.6
181	Libya	121.4
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• " Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Regarding its responsibility towards the environment, Bhutan ranks 177th in the world. This rank is derived from 4 data sets. Bhutan does better than average when it comes to reducing annual meat consumption per person₃₅ and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₃₆. Bhutan does worse than average in its environmental performance₃₇. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better36
Pos.		Total36
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
52	Poland	4.6%
53	Macedonia	4.6%
54	Palau	4.6%
55	Bhutan	4.5%
56	Morocco	4.2%
57	Lebanon	3.8%
58	Bosnia & Herzegovina	3.6%
59	Djibouti	3.6%
	Asia Avg	3.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better37
Pos.		201837
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
128	Guyana	47.9
129	Tajikistan	47.9
130	Kenya	47.3
131	Bhutan	47.2
132	Vietnam	47.0
133	Indonesia	46.9
134	Guinea	46.6
135	Mozambique	46.4
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
186	Nauru	39%
187	S. Sudan	37%
188	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	36%
189	Bhutan	35%
190	Palau	34%
191	Angola	33%
192	Iraq	28%
193	San Marino	26%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

Meat Consumption Lower is better35
Pos.		2021 kg35
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
19	Ivory Coast	12.6
20	Cambodia	12.6
21	N. Korea	12.8
22	Bhutan	13.6
23	Cameroon	14.6
24	Guinea-Bissau	14.7
25	Djibouti	14.8
26	Benin	15.6
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

7. Bhutan's Modernity and Learning

#bhutan #capitalism #corruption #economics #education #extremism #health #human_development #inequality #life_expectancy #modernity #peace #politics #poverty #religious_violence #social_development #technology #terrorism #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2020)38
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank38
1	S. Korea	22.2
2	Japan	24.7
3	Israel	29.5
	...
38	Pakistan	116.1
39	Nepal	116.8
40	Bangladesh	121.2
41	Bhutan	123.9
42	Laos	124.4
43	Iraq	124.6
44	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	125.5
45	Syria	126.9
46	Myanmar (Burma)	137.3
	Asia Avg	78.26
q=49.

Modernity & Learning (2020)38
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank38
1	Finland	7.1
2	Belgium	12.9
3	Denmark	13.6
	...
139	Guatemala	121.5
140	Guyana	122.5
141	Rwanda	123.0
142	Bhutan	123.9
143	Guinea-Bissau	124.4
144	Laos	124.4
145	Iraq	124.6
146	Malawi	125.4
	World Avg	86.31
q=190.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark₃₉. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone₃₉. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₄₀.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₄₁

15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₃₉, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₃₉.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Modernity and Education:

In the 2000s, Bhutan increased its expected duration of education by almost 4 years, the eight-highest rise of any country in that decade. ₄₂

Secondary Education Higher is better43
Pos.		201843
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
161	Tanzania	14.3%
162	Mali	13.1%
163	Papua New Guinea	12.5%
164	Bhutan	12.0%
165	Guinea	11.7%
166	Burundi	9.3%
167	Burkina Faso	8.8%
168	Niger	6.6%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better44
Pos.		2021 Years44
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
99	Malaysia	13.3
100	Dominica	13.3
101	Andorra	13.3
102	Bhutan	13.2
103	Turkmenistan	13.2
104	Kyrgyzstan	13.2
105	Philippines	13.1
106	Armenia	13.1
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users Higher is better45
Pos.		201645
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
122	Guyana	40%
123	Grenada	39%
124	El Salvador	38%
125	Bhutan	37%
126	Mongolia	36%
127	India	35%
128	Kyrgyzstan	34%
129	Egypt	33%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better46
Pos.		2017 Ratio46
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
55	Nauru	0.5
56	Egypt	0.4
57	Mexico	0.4
58	Bhutan	0.4
59	China	0.3
60	Iceland	0.3
61	Turkey	0.3
62=	Uruguay	0.3
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

8. Bhutan's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#capitalism #charitability #corruption #culture #economics #equality #extremism #health #human_development #inequality #life_expectancy #peace #politics #poverty #religious_violence #social_development #terrorism

Compared to Asia (2020)47
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank47
1	Singapore	20.2
2	Taiwan	37.2
3	Hong Kong	40.5
4	UAE	41.1
5	Qatar	44.8
6	Japan	45.5
7	Cyprus	47.4
8	Bhutan	49.2
9	S. Korea	49.5
10	Malaysia	55.4
11	Oman	61.8
12	Mongolia	62.1
13	Jordan	65.4
	Asia Avg	79.59
q=49.

Culture, Peace & Inequality (2020)47
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank47
1	Denmark	11.2
2	Norway	13.9
3	Netherlands	14.4
	...
35	Mauritius	48.3
36	Italy	48.6
37	Slovakia	48.8
38	Bhutan	49.2
39	S. Korea	49.5
40	Uruguay	52.6
41	Croatia	52.9
42	USA	54.1
	World Avg	78.12
q=180.

This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 22 datasets, including multiple decades of data on World Giving Index, resisting corruption, overall happiness, Creativity and Culture, Open Trading, Aid and Development, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, Inequality in Life Expectancy, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.

For more, see:

• "Which are the Countries for International Contributions, Creativity, Peace and Inequality?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

National Culture:

Bhutan has a good long-term record on keeping corruption low, and has spent the last ten years making things even better.

Corruption Higher is better48
Pos.		2022 Points48
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
23	Seychelles	70.0
24	USA	69.0
25=	Taiwan	68.0
25=	Bhutan	68.0
27	UAE	67.0
28=	Chile	67.0
29	Barbados	65.0
30	Bahamas	64.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Peace Versus Instability:

Global Peace Index Lower is better49
Pos.		2023 Score49
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
14	Croatia	1.45
15	Germany	1.46
16	Netherlands	1.49
17	Bhutan	1.50
18	Hungary	1.51
19	Malaysia	1.51
20	Belgium	1.52
21	Qatar	1.52
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better50
Pos.		2019 Score50
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
11	Costa Rica	0.00
12	Romania	0.00
13	El Salvador	0.00
14	Bhutan	0.01
15=	Trinidad & Tobago	0.02
15=	Uzbekistan	0.02
17	Qatar	0.03
18=	Iceland	0.03
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

Economic Inequality and Poverty:

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better51
Pos.		201951
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
119	Tajikistan	16.70
120=	Dominican Rep.	17.00
120=	Sao Tome & Principe	17.00
122	Bhutan	17.10
123=	Venezuela	17.10
124	Bangladesh	17.30
125	Nepal	17.50
126	Cambodia	18.10
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better52
Pos.		2023 %52
1	Slovakia	24.1%53
2	Slovenia	24.3%53
3	Belarus	24.4%54
	...
19	Armenia	27.9%55
20	Denmark	28.3%53
21=	Poland	28.5%53
21=	Bhutan	28.5%55
23	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	28.7%56
24	Croatia	28.9%53
25	Kosovo	29.0%57
26=	Hungary	29.2%53
	Asia Avg	33.0%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167.

Income inequality data is rarely available for Bhutan - only for 4 years between 1980 and 2019.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better58
Pos.		2018 Severity58
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
	...
59	Cambodia	.170
60	Namibia	.171
61	Vanuatu	.174
62	Bhutan	.175
63	Myanmar (Burma)	.176
64	Kenya	.178
65	Comoros	.181
66	Bangladesh	.198
	Asia Avg	.084
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₅₉:

Christian	0.5%
Muslim	0.2%
Hindu	22.6%
Buddhist	74.7%
Folk Religion	1.9%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%₆₀.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems