Surface area in Bhutan
Bhutan: Surface area was 38,390 sq. km in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
38,390 sq. km
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
134th
of 216 countries
All-time high
47,000 sq. km
in 1961
All-time low
38,390 sq. km
in 2018
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Surface area in Bhutan, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
The most recent figure for surface area in Bhutan is 38,390 sq. km, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, surface area in Bhutan peaked at 47,000 sq. km in 1961 and was at its lowest, 38,390 sq. km, in 2018.
Bhutan ranks 134th of 216 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Surface area in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 47,000 sq. km | — |
| 1962 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 47,000 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 40,077 sq. km | -14.7% |
| 1995 | 40,077 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 40,077 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 40,077 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 40,077 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 40,077 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 40,077 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 40,077 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 40,077 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 40,077 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 38,394 sq. km | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 38,394 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 38,390 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 38,390 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 38,390 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 38,390 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 38,390 sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 38,390 sq. km | +0.0% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 38,390 sq. km is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 199,950 sq. km, 19% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 38,390 sq. km is below the median for South Asia, which is 106,395 sq. km, 36% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 47,000 sq. km | 47,000 sq. km | 47,000 sq. km | 9 |
| 1970s | 47,000 sq. km | 47,000 sq. km | 47,000 sq. km | 10 |
| 1980s | 47,000 sq. km | 47,000 sq. km | 47,000 sq. km | 10 |
| 1990s | 42,846 sq. km | 40,077 sq. km | 47,000 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 39,067 sq. km | 38,394 sq. km | 40,077 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 38,393 sq. km | 38,390 sq. km | 38,394 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 38,390 sq. km | 38,390 sq. km | 38,390 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 131 Denmark 42,920 sq. km compare
- 132 Netherlands 41,540 sq. km compare
- 133 Switzerland 41,291 sq. km compare
- 135 Guinea-Bissau 36,130 sq. km compare
- 136 Moldova 33,850 sq. km compare
- 137 Belgium 30,689 sq. km compare
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 surface area in Bhutan?
- Surface area in Bhutan was 38,390 sq. km in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest surface area recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 47,000 sq. km in 1961.
- What is the lowest surface area recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 38,390 sq. km in 2018.
- How does Bhutan rank for surface area?
- Bhutan ranks 134th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is surface area rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Surface area (sq. km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.