Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Bhutan
Bhutan: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 18,930 animals in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
18,930 animals
Change on year
down 12.2%
World rank
151st
of 198 countries
All-time high
63,000 animals
in 1990
All-time low
4,050 animals
in 2002
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Bhutan, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
The most recent figure for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Bhutan is 18,930 animals, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.2% on the previous year and up 152.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Bhutan peaked at 63,000 animals in 1990 and was at its lowest, 4,050 animals, in 2002.
That places Bhutan 151st out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 25,000 animals | — |
| 1962 | 28,000 animals | +12.0% |
| 1963 | 31,000 animals | +10.7% |
| 1964 | 31,700 animals | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 32,500 animals | +2.5% |
| 1966 | 33,000 animals | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 34,000 animals | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 34,500 animals | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 35,600 animals | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 36,600 animals | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 37,500 animals | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 38,400 animals | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 39,000 animals | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 40,000 animals | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 41,000 animals | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 42,000 animals | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 43,000 animals | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 44,000 animals | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 45,000 animals | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 46,000 animals | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 47,000 animals | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 49,500 animals | +5.3% |
| 1983 | 52,600 animals | +6.3% |
| 1984 | 55,480 animals | +5.5% |
| 1985 | 58,700 animals | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 58,600 animals | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 60,000 animals | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 61,000 animals | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 62,000 animals | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 63,000 animals | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 5,900 animals | -90.6% |
| 1992 | 5,400 animals | -8.5% |
| 1993 | 5,400 animals | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 5,400 animals | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 6,000 animals | +11.1% |
| 1996 | 7,685 animals | +28.1% |
| 1997 | 6,862 animals | -10.7% |
| 1998 | 5,700 animals | -16.9% |
| 1999 | 5,826 animals | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 4,866 animals | -16.5% |
| 2001 | 5,200 animals | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 4,050 animals | -22.1% |
| 2003 | 4,258 animals | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 5,490 animals | +28.9% |
| 2005 | 5,965 animals | +8.7% |
| 2006 | 8,732 animals | +46.4% |
| 2007 | 8,835 animals | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 8,838 animals | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 8,129 animals | -8.0% |
| 2010 | 8,190 animals | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 8,163 animals | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 13,000 animals | +59.3% |
| 2013 | 8,280 animals | -36.3% |
| 2014 | 7,500 animals | -9.4% |
| 2015 | 7,624 animals | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 7,787 animals | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 7,935 animals | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 8,454 animals | +6.5% |
| 2019 | 8,765 animals | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 10,720 animals | +22.3% |
| 2021 | 15,703 animals | +46.5% |
| 2022 | 26,787 animals | +70.6% |
| 2023 | 21,555 animals | -19.5% |
| 2024 | 18,930 animals | -12.2% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 18,930 animals is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 424,850 animals, 4% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 18,930 animals is below the median for South Asia, which is 484,000 animals, 4% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -90.6% | 63,000 animals | 5,900 animals |
| 2022 | +70.6% | 15,703 animals | 26,787 animals |
| 2012 | +59.3% | 8,163 animals | 13,000 animals |
| 2006 | +46.4% | 5,965 animals | 8,732 animals |
| 2021 | +46.5% | 10,720 animals | 15,703 animals |
| 2013 | -36.3% | 13,000 animals | 8,280 animals |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31,700 animals | 25,000 animals | 35,600 animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 40,650 animals | 36,600 animals | 45,000 animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 55,088 animals | 46,000 animals | 62,000 animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 11,717 animals | 5,400 animals | 63,000 animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 6,436 animals | 4,050 animals | 8,838 animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 8,570 animals | 7,500 animals | 13,000 animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 18,739 animals | 10,720 animals | 26,787 animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More agriculture & rural data for Bhutan
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 3.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1368 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 614.64 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8653 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5657 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 13.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 13.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Bhutan?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Bhutan was 18,930 animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 63,000 animals in 1990.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,050 animals in 2002.
- How does Bhutan rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- Bhutan ranks 151st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 152.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).