designated by the king to represent
government and other secular interests)

Judicial branch: the Supreme Court of Appeal is the king; High
Court, judges appointed by the king

Political parties and leaders: no legal parties

Other political or pressure groups: Buddhist clergy; Indian
merchant community; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant
antigovernment campaign

International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, ITU, NAM, SAARC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO

Diplomatic representation in US: none; note - Bhutan has a
Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by Ugyen TSERING; address: 2
United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1]
(212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular
jurisdiction in the US
consulate(s) general: New York
honorary consulate(s): San Francisco; Washington, DC

US diplomatic representation: the US and Bhutan have no formal
diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained
between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the
upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered
along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing
away from the hoist side

Economy
-------

Economic overview: The economy, one of the world's smallest and
least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide
the main livelihood for 90% of the population and account for about
half of GDP. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and
animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the
building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive.
The economy is closely aligned with India's 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 key resources; however, the government limits the
number of tourists to 4,000 per year to minimize foreign influence.
The Bhutanese Government has made some progress in expanding the
nation's productive base and improving social welfare but growth
continues to be constrained by the governm