Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Bhutan
Bhutan: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 0.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Bhutan, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 0.7% for population growth in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.7% on the previous year and down 39.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Bhutan peaked at 3.4% in 1977 and was at its lowest, -4.1%, in 1993.
Bhutan ranks 130th of 215 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.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.4% | — |
| 1971 | 3.4% | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 3.4% | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 3.4% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 3.4% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 3.4% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 3.4% | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 3.4% | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 3.3% | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 3.3% | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 3.2% | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 3.2% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 3.2% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 3.1% | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 3.1% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 3.0% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 3.0% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 2.9% | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 2.7% | -8.0% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | -34.6% |
| 1992 | -3.7% | -311.7% |
| 1993 | -4.1% | +9.1% |
| 1994 | -0.0% | -99.2% |
| 1995 | -1.2% | +3619.7% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | -112.3% |
| 1997 | 1.8% | +1134.9% |
| 1998 | 1.9% | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 2.3% | +19.9% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | +6.1% |
| 2001 | 2.3% | -4.8% |
| 2002 | 2.2% | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 1.7% | -13.7% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | -22.3% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | -13.3% |
| 2008 | 1.1% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | -5.9% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 0.9% | -11.6% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -16.8% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | -7.3% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | -6.7% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 0.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.8%, 37% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 0.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 0.5%, 1.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) 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 | -3619.7% | -0.0% | -1.2% |
| 1997 | +1134.9% | 0.1% | 1.8% |
| 1992 | -311.7% | 1.8% | -3.7% |
| 1996 | +112.3% | -1.2% | 0.1% |
| 1994 | +99.2% | -4.1% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -34.6% | 2.7% | 1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | -4.1% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 1.1% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 5 |
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)
- Population growth rate -0.739 (2100)
- Population density 18.1 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 27,662 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Bhutan?
- Population growth in Bhutan was 0.7% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 1977.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.1% in 1993.
- How does Bhutan rank for population growth?
- Bhutan ranks 130th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release