Bhutan — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Bhutan, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Bhutan was 0.65% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 3.42% in 1977. The lowest was -4.08% in 1993 (about -6.3× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -2.29% per year.
Bhutan ranks 127 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 59%. The median for South Asia is 0.65%, so Bhutan sits level with it. It peaked in 1977 and has fallen 81% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 36%. Within South Asia it ranks 3 of 6 economies; Maldives (0.35%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 3620% in 1995. That is 14% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 58th of 216 in 1961 → 23rd of 216 in 1970 → 32nd of 216 in 1980 → 63rd of 216 in 1990 → 48th of 217 in 2000 → 117th of 217 in 2010 → 125th of 217 in 2020 → 127th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.65% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 0.65% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 0.7% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 0.7% | -0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 0.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 0.68% | +0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 0.66% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 0.72% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 0.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 0.97% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 1.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 1.08% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 1.11% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 1.11% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 1.1% | +0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 1.1% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 1.11% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 1.13% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 1.16% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 1.34% | -0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 1.73% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 2.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 2.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 2.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 2.42% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 2.28% | +0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 1.9% | +0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 1.79% | +1.6 pp |
| 1996 | 0.14% | +1.3 pp |
| 1995 | -1.18% | -1.1 pp |
| 1994 | -0.03% | +4.0 pp |
| 1993 | -4.08% | -0.3 pp |
| 1992 | -3.74% | -5.5 pp |
| 1991 | 1.77% | -0.9 pp |
| 1990 | 2.7% | -0.2 pp |
| 1989 | 2.94% | -0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 2.99% | -0.1 pp |
| 1987 | 3.05% | -0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 3.09% | -0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 3.12% | -0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 3.16% | -0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 3.19% | -0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 3.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 1981 | 3.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 3.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 3.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 3.41% | -0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 3.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 3.41% | +0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 3.41% | +0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 3.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 3.41% | +0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 3.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 3.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 3.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 3.38% | +0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 3.34% | +0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 3.29% | +0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 3.25% | +0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 3.19% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 3.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 3.12% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 3% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 2.87% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bhutan’s Population growth in 1962?
3% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Bhutan’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -77.3% in total — about 2.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 0.65%; 2024: 0.65%; 2023: 0.7%; 2022: 0.7%; 2021: 0.7%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.