Initial National Communication, under UNFCCC, September 2000

2
National Environment Commission
48
Executive Summary
National Circumstances
The Kingdom of Bhutan covers about 40,077 square kilometers and is bordered
by the Tibetan region of China in the north and India in the west, south and
east. It is endowed with rich natural resources, important among which are
forests and abundant water in the form of runoff rivers. The flora of Bhutan is
exceptionally diverse. Forest covers an estimated 72.5% of the country. The
magnitude of mineral resources is still unknown, since only 30% of the country
has been mapped geologically.
Criteria Units 1994
The population of Bhutan in 1998 was estimated at 637,777. Most of the
population is concentrated in the broad river valleys and southern foothills,
while large areas in the north are virtually uninhabited. Bhutan’s urban
population (14.5% in 1994) is expanding, thereby putting pressures on natural
resources especially in and around urban areas. Waste disposal and its
associated health hazards are other serious concerns linked to the growing
urban population. The policy of the Royal Government is to maintain the
present forest cover and restrict conversion to agricultural land for meeting
higher food requirements.