Bhutan population
Current population of Bhutan
802,394
Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures
- Births today
- 5
- Deaths today
- 2
- Change today (UTC)
- +2
- World rank
- 166th of 218
- 0.01% of world population
- Population
- 796,682
- 2025 estimate
- Annual growth
- +0.65%
- 2025
- Density
- 21 /km²
- 2023
- Land area
- 38,140 km²
- Urban population
- 43%
- 2025
- Median age
- 30.5 yrs
- 2025 (UN WPP)
- Fertility rate
- 1.45
- births per woman, 2024
- Life expectancy
- 73.3 yrs
- 2024
- Net migration
- +455
- 2025
- Capital
- Thimphu
- Region
- South Asia
Population of Bhutan: overview
Bhutan is home to 796,682 people (2025 estimate), ranking 166th in the world by population. Bhutan is part of the South Asia region and its capital is Thimphu.
Growth has slowed to 0.65% per year. In absolute terms that meant roughly 5,158 additional people over the past year.
The country is sparsely settled, with only about 21 people per km², spread across 38,140 km² of land. The country remains predominantly rural, though cities are growing: 43% of residents are urban.
The median age is 30.5 years. Fertility is well below replacement, at 1.45 children per woman. Life expectancy at birth is 73.3 years (2024).
UN medium-variant projections point to continued growth, reaching 882.34 thousand by 2050 (11% above today's level). The 2030 projection is 820,694.
Bhutan population, 1960–2025 and projections
| Year | Population | Growth rate | Annual change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 796,682 | +0.65% | +5,158 |
| 2024 | 791,524 | +0.65% | +5,139 |
| 2023 | 786,385 | +0.70% | +5,471 |
| 2022 | 780,914 | +0.70% | +5,472 |
| 2021 | 775,442 | +0.70% | +5,436 |
| 2020 | 770,006 | +0.68% | +5,182 |
| 2019 | 764,824 | +0.66% | +5,065 |
| 2018 | 759,759 | +0.72% | +5,424 |
| 2017 | 754,335 | +0.86% | +6,469 |
| 2016 | 747,866 | +0.97% | +7,248 |
| 2015 | 740,618 | +1.02% | +7,479 |
| 2014 | 733,139 | +1.08% | +7,866 |
| 2010 | 701,632 | +1.10% | +7,644 |
| 2005 | 661,865 | +1.73% | +11,321 |
| 2000 | 596,863 | +2.42% | +14,284 |
| 1995 | 547,989 | −1.18% | −6,508 |
| 1990 | 589,287 | +2.70% | +15,701 |
| 1985 | 508,392 | +3.12% | +15,608 |
| 1980 | 433,404 | +3.33% | +14,204 |
| 1975 | 365,791 | +3.41% | +12,253 |
| 1970 | 308,528 | +3.40% | +10,314 |
| 1965 | 261,200 | +3.19% | +8,213 |
| 1960 | 224,084 | – | – |
Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.
Bhutan population forecast
United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.
| Year | Projected population | vs today |
|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 820,694 | +3.0% |
| 2050 | 882,340 | +10.8% |
Bhutan population pyramid (2025)
Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 20.4% of Bhutan's population is under 15, 73.0% is of working age (15–64), and 6.6% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.
Bhutan population FAQ
What is the population of Bhutan in 2026?
Bhutan's population is estimated at about 802.39 thousand in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 796,682 (2025). Bhutan ranks 166th in the world by population.
Is the population of Bhutan growing or shrinking?
Bhutan's population is growing at about 0.65% per year, an increase of roughly 5,158 people over the past year.
How densely populated is Bhutan?
Bhutan has about 21 people per square kilometre across a land area of 38,140 km².
What share of the world's population lives in Bhutan?
Bhutan is home to about 0.01% of the world's population.
What is Bhutan's projected population in 2050?
United Nations medium-variant projections put Bhutan's population at 882,340 in 2050, passing through 820,694 in 2030.
What is the median age in Bhutan?
The median age in Bhutan is 30.5 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.
Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.