Annual change in population in Bhutan
Bhutan: Annual change in population was 5,465 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
5,465 people
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
145th
of 236 countries
All-time high
16,591 people
in 1989
All-time low
-23,100 people
in 1993
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual change in population in Bhutan, 1951–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual change in population in Bhutan is 5,465 people, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 31.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in population in Bhutan peaked at 16,591 people in 1989 and was at its lowest, -23,100 people, in 1993.
Bhutan ranks 145th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in population in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 4,624 people | — |
| 1952 | 4,777 people | +3.3% |
| 1953 | 4,953 people | +3.7% |
| 1954 | 5,122 people | +3.4% |
| 1955 | 5,292 people | +3.3% |
| 1956 | 5,486 people | +3.7% |
| 1957 | 5,668 people | +3.3% |
| 1958 | 5,853 people | +3.3% |
| 1959 | 6,061 people | +3.6% |
| 1960 | 6,271 people | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 6,519 people | +4.0% |
| 1962 | 7,031 people | +7.9% |
| 1963 | 7,520 people | +7.0% |
| 1964 | 7,829 people | +4.1% |
| 1965 | 8,213 people | +4.9% |
| 1966 | 8,620 people | +5.0% |
| 1967 | 9,025 people | +4.7% |
| 1968 | 9,465 people | +4.9% |
| 1969 | 9,900 people | +4.6% |
| 1970 | 10,316 people | +4.2% |
| 1971 | 10,683 people | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 11,046 people | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 11,448 people | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 11,835 people | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 12,252 people | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 12,699 people | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 13,150 people | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 13,607 people | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 13,952 people | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 14,204 people | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 14,439 people | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 14,644 people | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 14,978 people | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 15,321 people | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 15,605 people | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 15,928 people | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 16,243 people | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 16,432 people | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 16,591 people | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 15,702 people | -5.4% |
| 1991 | 10,494 people | -33.2% |
| 1992 | -22,009 people | -309.7% |
| 1993 | -23,100 people | +5.0% |
| 1994 | -171 people | -99.3% |
| 1995 | -6,514 people | +3709.4% |
| 1996 | 797 people | -112.2% |
| 1997 | 9,906 people | +1142.9% |
| 1998 | 10,741 people | +8.4% |
| 1999 | 13,150 people | +22.4% |
| 2000 | 14,282 people | +8.6% |
| 2001 | 13,930 people | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 13,616 people | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 13,250 people | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 12,892 people | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 11,316 people | -12.2% |
| 2006 | 8,928 people | -21.1% |
| 2007 | 7,840 people | -12.2% |
| 2008 | 7,716 people | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 7,635 people | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 7,644 people | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 7,749 people | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 7,901 people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 7,994 people | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 7,869 people | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 7,472 people | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 7,255 people | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 6,465 people | -10.9% |
| 2018 | 5,423 people | -16.1% |
| 2019 | 5,064 people | -6.6% |
| 2020 | 5,183 people | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 5,437 people | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 5,471 people | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 5,465 people | -0.1% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 5,465 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 167,005 people, 3% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 5,465 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 71,058 people, 8% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in population in Bhutan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | -3709.4% | -171 people | -6,514 people |
| 1997 | +1142.9% | 797 people | 9,906 people |
| 1992 | -309.7% | 10,494 people | -22,009 people |
| 1996 | +112.2% | -6,514 people | 797 people |
| 1994 | +99.3% | -23,100 people | -171 people |
| 1991 | -33.2% | 15,702 people | 10,494 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5,315 people | 4,624 people | 6,061 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 8,039 people | 6,271 people | 9,900 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 12,099 people | 10,316 people | 13,952 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 15,438 people | 14,204 people | 16,591 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 899.6 people | -23,100 people | 15,702 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 11,140 people | 7,635 people | 14,282 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7,084 people | 5,064 people | 7,994 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,389 people | 5,183 people | 5,471 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More population data for Bhutan
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.716 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.0644 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.716 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.7852 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 874.29 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5776 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5679 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 18.1 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 27,662 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in population in Bhutan?
- Annual change in population in Bhutan was 5,465 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in population recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 16,591 people in 1989.
- What is the lowest annual change in population recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was -23,100 people in 1993.
- How does Bhutan rank for annual change in population?
- Bhutan ranks 145th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual change in population rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual change in population, calculated as the difference between population on 1 July of consecutive years.