Population of Bhutan

As of May 2026, the population of Bhutan is 801.4 thousand. The number of inhabitants has increased by 5 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 0.62%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 25.4 years in 2016 to 31.1 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 73.2 years and population density is 20.9 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of Bhutan peaked in 1977, reaching around 3.32% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.61% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 16.31 thousand in 1999 to nearly 4.9 thousand in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In Bhutan, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 66.4 years in 2006 to 73.2 years in 2026, representing an increase of almost 7 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in Bhutan

The cities of Bhutan are small, with the 5 most populated adding up to around 184.1 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Thimphu, Thimphu District, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 98.7 thousand inhabitants. It is followed by Phuntsholing, Chukha with 27.7 thousand and Tsirang, Tsirang District with 22.4 thousand.

These are the 20 most populous cities in Bhutan: