Bhutan, a small Himalayan kingdom, has experienced moderate population growth over the past several decades. According to the World Bank, Bhutan's population was approximately 1.1 million in 2022, up from around 750,000 in the early 2000s. The country’s annual population growth rate has gradually slowed, dropping from over 2% in the 1990s to about 1% in recent years. Factors contributing to this trend include improvements in healthcare and education, as well as government policies promoting family planning. While Bhutan remains one of the least populous countries in Asia, its steady growth is accompanied by a youthful demographic, with a significant proportion of the population under the age of 25. This presents both opportunities and challenges for the nation’s sustainable development and resource management in the coming years.
| Year | Population | Population Density Per Square KM |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 163,786 | 4.3 |
| 1955 | 186,282 | 4.9 |
| 1960 | 212,052 | 5.5 |
| 1965 | 254,722 | 6.6 |
| 1970 | 312,543 | 8.1 |
| 1975 | 381,119 | 9.9 |
| 1980 | 461,027 | 12 |
| 1985 | 551,993 | 14.4 |
| 1990 | 646,343 | 16.8 |
| 1995 | 606,676 | 15.8 |
| 2000 | 653,997 | 17 |
| 2005 | 709,325 | 18.5 |
| 2010 | 759,415 | 19.8 |
| 2015 | 806,078 | 21 |
| 2020 | 850,853 | 22.2 |
| 2022 | 867,775 | 22.6 |
| 2023 | 876,181 | 22.8 |
| 2024 | 884,546 | 23 |
| 2025 | 892,877 | 23.3 |
| 2030 | 932,691 | 24.3 |
| 2035 | 968,448 | 25.2 |
| 2040 | 999,784 | 26 |
| 2045 | 1,026,298 | 26.7 |
| 2050 | 1,047,471 | 27.3 |
| 2055 | 1,062,567 | 27.7 |
| 2060 | 1,070,911 | 27.9 |
| 2065 | 1,071,954 | 27.9 |
| 2070 | 1,065,702 | 27.8 |
| 2075 | 1,052,899 | 27.4 |
| 2080 | 1,035,011 | 27 |
| 2085 | 1,013,893 | 26.4 |
| 2090 | 991,278 | 25.8 |
| 2095 | 968,379 | 25.2 |
| 2100 | 945,647 | 24.6 |
Data from US Census International Database