hengye 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)
Political parties and leaders:
no legal parties
Suffrage:
each family has one vote in village-level elections
Elections:
no national elections
Communists:
no overt Communist presence
Other political or pressure groups:
Buddhist clergy, Indian merchant community; ethnic Nepalese organizations
leading militant antigovernment campaign
Member of:
AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IOC, ITU, NAM,
SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation:
no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained
between the Bhutanese and US Embassies in New Delhi (India); the Bhutanese
mission to the UN in New York has consular jurisdiction in the US
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. Low wages in industry lead most Bhutanese to stay in
agriculture. 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.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $320 million, per capita $200; real growth rate
3.1% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12% (FY90)
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)
commodities:
cardamon, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit
partners:
India 93%
Imports:
$106.4 million (c.i.f., FY91 est.)
commodities:
fuel and lubricants, grain, mac