# Bhutan – Dzongkhags, Gewogs, Towns & Population > Source: https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/ Country · South Asia # Bhutan འབྲུག་ཡུལ་ Bhutan is a landlocked kingdom in the eastern Himalayas, between China (Tibet) to the north and India to the south. It had an estimated **777,224 people** in 2024, across 38,763 km². Bhutan has 20 dzongkhags (districts), each divided into gewogs (blocks of villages) — 205 in all. Towns (thromdes) sit within gewogs. - 777,224people (2024) - 38,763km² - 20dzongkhags - 2,316mapped services ## How many people live in Bhutan? Bhutan had an estimated **777,224 people** in 2024. There are 922 women for every 1,000 men. Spread over 38,763 km², that is about **20 people per km²**. 22.7% of people are children under 15 and 6.9% are 65 or older; the median age is about 30 years. For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 42 children and older people. 0–4 ****59,543** 5–9 ****56,777** 10–14 ****60,486** 15–19 ****66,762** 20–24 ****67,666** 25–29 ****71,196** 30–34 ****78,425** 35–39 ****69,954** 40–44 ****57,746** 45–49 ****45,163** 50–54 ****35,793** 55–59 ****29,971** 60–64 ****23,844** 65–69 ****19,909** 70–74 ****14,365** 75+ ****19,618** Source: [National Statistics Bureau of Bhutan / UNFPA via OCHA HDX, population projections 2024 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-btn). ## Dzongkhags of Bhutan Dzongkhag People per km² Area km² Gewogs Services [Thimphu Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/thimphu/) 166,833 93 1,796 8 930 [Chhukha Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/chhukha/) 70,205 37 1,880 11 108 [Samtse Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/samtse/) 63,245 48 1,305 15 39 [Paro Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/paro/) 52,905 41 1,287 10 212 [Sarpang Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/sarpang/) 50,969 31 1,655 12 69 [Wangduephodrang Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/wangduephodrang/) 47,894 12 4,036 15 81 [Trashigang Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/trashigang/) 41,723 19 2,202 15 59 [Monggar Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/monggar/) 36,060 19 1,944 17 93 [Samdrupjongkhar Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/samdrupjongkhar/) 34,845 19 1,876 11 49 [Punakha Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/punakha/) 31,676 29 1,110 11 146 [Dagana Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/dagana/) 26,067 15 1,723 14 53 [Tsirang Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/tsirang/) 24,373 38 638 12 29 [Pemagatshel Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/pemagatshel/) 23,876 23 1,022 11 85 [Trongsa Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/trongsa/) 23,430 13 1,814 5 57 [Bumthang Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/bumthang/) 18,499 7 2,717 4 57 [Zhemgang Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/zhemgang/) 16,573 7 2,416 8 81 [Yangtse Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/yangtse/) 16,442 11 1,448 8 19 [Haa Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/haa/) 13,884 7 1,905 6 63 [Lhuentse Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/lhuentse/) 13,290 5 2,858 8 74 [Gasa Dzongkhag](https://wherepedia.org/bhutan/gasa/) 4,435 1 3,134 4 12 Source: [OCHA ROAP via HDX, Bhutan administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-btn); [National Statistics Bureau of Bhutan / UNFPA via OCHA HDX, population projections 2024 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-btn). ## Largest towns in Bhutan - Thimphu98,676 - Phuntsholing27,658 - Tsirang22,376 - Punākha21,500 - Pemagatshel13,864 - Paro11,448 - Sarpang10,416 - Geylegphug9,858 - Samdrup Jongkhar9,325 - Wangdue Phodrang8,954 - Jakar6,243 - Samtse5,396 - Samtengang4,829 - Pajo3,032 - Trashi Yangtse3,025 Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/). Populations as recorded in GeoNames, which may be older than the estimates above. ## Landscape and landmarks of Bhutan Named natural and historic features inside Bhutan, from the GeoNames gazetteer. ### Water 18 rivers and streams; 1 dam. - Bigar Chu - Bumthang Chhu - Chamka - Dang Chhu - Galechugaon - Ha Chhu - Hi Chu - Kulong Chhu - Kuru Chhu - Lhobrak River - Mangde - Paro Chhu - Pho Chhu - Punatsangchhu-II HEP - Ragna Khola - Sama River - Tang Chu - Tawang Chu - Torsa Chhu ### Hills and mountains 29 mountain passes; 13 mountains; 1 valley. - Tongshanjiabu · 7,105 m - Gangkhar Puensum · 7,098 m - Cho-mo-la-li Shan · 7,079 m - Kangphu Kang I · 6,956 m - Chomolhari Kang · 6,618 m - Kangphu Kang II · 6,465 m - Jichu Drake · 6,449 m - Jejekangphu Kang · 6,414 m - Chura Kang · 6,000 m - Tsenda Kang · 5,977 m - Masang Kang · 5,936 m - Chhachhu La · 5,088 m - Kangri La · 4,844 m - Tremo La · 4,649 m - Black Mountain · 4,606 m - Yale La · 4,444 m - Orka La · 4,185 m - Gang La · 4,110 m - Kyu La · 4,054 m - Sage La · 3,787 m - Sele La · 3,767 m - Thungsi La · 3,762 m - Ha La · 3,757 m - Pumo La · 3,712 m …and 19 more. ### Forests and nature 1 park. - Jigme Dorji National Park ### History 18 forts; 1 museum. - Chekkha - Chhukha Dzong - Dichenphuk Dzong - Dukye Dzong - Folk Heritage museum - Gasa Dzong - Getta Dzong - Ha Dzong - Kapi Dzong - Lhuntse Dzong - Lingshi Dzong - Paro Dzong - Simu Dzong - Sintoka Dzong - Taga Dzong - Trashigang Dzong - Trashiyangtse Dzong - Ura Dzong - Wangdue Phodrang Dzong ### Getting around 4 airports; 1 bridge. - Bathpalathang Airport - Bitana Sang - Gelephu Airport - Paro Airport - Yonphula Airport Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/). Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate. ## Hospitals, banks and other services in Bhutan Places mapped inside Bhutan in open map data, by type. - Hospitals299 - Banks93 - ATMs29 - Petrol pumps43 - Hotels604 - Shopping malls16 - Schools372 - Colleges and universities77 - Cinemas7 - Pharmacies34 - Restaurants701 - Police stations40 - Dental clinics1 Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/). Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown. ## Bhutan in history The 11th edition of the *Encyclopaedia Britannica* (1911) described Bhutan as follows. Its wording reflects its time; spellings are as printed. > BHUTAN, an independent kingdom in the Eastern Himalayas, lying between the Brahmaputra and the southern face of the mountains. It is under various commercial and other arrangements with the government of India, from whom it receives an annual subsidy of £3333. The whole of Bhutan presents a succession of lofty and rugged mountains abounding in picturesque and sublime scenery. This alpine region sends out numerous rivers in a southerly direction, which, forcing their passage through narrow defiles, and precipitated in cataracts over the precipices, eventually pour themselves into the Brahmaputra. Of the rivers traversing Bhutan, the most considerable is the Manas, flowing in its progress to the Brahmaputra under the walls of Tasgaon, below which it is unfordable. At the foot of Tasgaon Hill it is crossed by a suspension bridge. The other principal rivers are the Machu, Tchinchu, Torsha, Manchi and Dharla. Information respecting the country accumulates but slowly. In 1863 Captain Godwin Austen accompanied Sir Ashley Eden’s mission to the court of the Deb raja, and made a survey of the route to Punakha. There has also been a certain amount of geographical sketching combined with trigonometrical observations; and there are the route surveys of native explorers. In 1887–1888 two native Indian explorers “R. A.” traversed a part of Western Bhutan, but were forced to retire owing to the disturbed state of the districts. They re-entered the country on the east from Dewangiri. Here they explored the Kuru, or Lhobrak Chu, which proves to be the largest river in Bhutan. It drains the tract between the Yamdok Tso and Tigu Lakes, and is fed by the glaciers of the Kulha Kangri and other great ranges. The Lhobrak was finally identified with the Manas river, a geographical discovery of some importance. Some excellent survey work was done in Bhutan by a native surveyor during the progress of the Tibetan Expedition in 1904. Source: [Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition (1911) — public domain; transcription via Wikisource](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica). Boundaries in 1901 may differ from today's; sentences describing castes or communities are omitted. ## Quick answers - What is the population of Bhutan?777,224 (2024 estimate) - What is the median age in Bhutan?About 30 years (2024 estimate) - What is the population density of Bhutan?About 20 people per km² - What is the largest town in Bhutan?Thimphu - What is the highest point in Bhutan?Tongshanjiabu (7,105 m, GeoNames elevation model) - How many hospitals are in Bhutan?299 mapped - How many banks are in Bhutan?93 mapped - How many ATMs are in Bhutan?29 mapped - How many petrol pumps are in Bhutan?43 mapped - How many dzongkhags does Bhutan have?20