Until the 1960s Bhutan has avoided modernisation and has employed a conservation ethic that has maintained the integrity of the environment. This is attributed to the close links with Buddhism the main religion as well continued reliance on cultural rules, norms and knowledge systems. This commitment still prevails as an important feature in the new era.

At present Bhutan has 72.5% of its land area under forest cover that includes 26.23% as protected areas. Furthermore, biological corridors comprise an additional 9% of the country's land area. In 1995 the national assembly decreed that the 60% of country must remain under forest cover at all times.

93% of the population is still rural, but urbanisation is on the rise.

Economy is reliant on agriculture and trade links with India .

Population and Development Trends:

Human and Development Trends
Life expectance at birth (years) 2005	64.7
Adult literacy rate ( % age 15 and above, 2005)	47
GDP per capita (PPP US$ 2005)	-
Human development index ( HDI) value 2005	0.579
GDP per capita ( PPP US $) rank minus HDI rank	-14
Demographic Trends
Total population (millions) 2005	0.6
Annual population growth rate 2005 - 15	1.5
Urban population (% of total) 2005	11.1
Population under age 15 (% of total) 2005	33.0
Population age 65 and above (% of total) 2005	4.6
Total fertility rate (births per women) 2000 - 05	2.9
Human and Income Poverty
Population not using an improved water sources (%) 2004	38
Population bellow income poverty line (%) $1 a day 1990-2003	-
Population bellow income poverty line (%) National Poverty line 1990-2002	-
Human Poverty Index (HPI-1) Rank	86
Human Poverty Index (HPI-1) Value (%)	38.9
Water Sanitation and Nutritional Status
Population using improved sanitation (%) 1990	-
Population using improved sanitation (%) 2004	70
Population under nourished ( % of total population) 1990/92	-
Population under nourished (% of total population) 2002/2004	-
Infants with low birth weight (%) 1998/2005	15
Energy and the Environment
Electricity consumption per capita (kilowatt-hours, 2004)	229
Electricity consumption per capita (% change) 1990 - 2004	126.7
Electrification rate (%) 2000 - 2005	-
Population without electricity (millions) 2005	-
Forest area (% of total land area) 2005	68.0
Total forest area (thousand sq km) 2005	32.0
Forest area - total change (thousand sq km) 1990 - 2005	1.6
Forest area - average annual change (%) 1990 - 2005	0.4
Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Stocks
Total carbon dioxide emissions (Mt CO2) 1990	0.1
Total carbon dioxide emissions (Mt CO2) 2004	0.4
Annual change of carbon dioxide emissions (%) 1990 - 2004	15.9
Carbon dioxide emissions - share of world total (%) 1990	-
Carbon dioxide emissions - share of world total (%) 2004	-
Carbon dioxide emissions per capita (t CO2) 1990	0.1
Carbon dioxide emissions per capita (t CO2) 2004	0.2
Carbon dioxide emissions from forest biomass (Mt CO2/year) 1990 - 2005	-7.3
Carbon stocks in forest biomass (Mt carbon)	345.0
Status of Major International Environmental Treaties
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety - 2000	2002
Framework Convention on Climate Change - 1992	1995
Kyoto Protocol to the Framework Convention on Climate Change - 1997	2002
Convention on Biological Diversity - 1992	1995
Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer - 1988	2004
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer - 1989	2004
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants - 2001	-
Convention of the Law of the Sea - 1982	1982
Convention to Combat Desertification - 1994	2003

Source: UNDP Human Development Report, 2007/2008

Major Environmental Problems

Urban rural migration

Bhutan is among the least urbanised countries in the world, with its urban population of about 133 000 in 1999, comprising 21% of the total population (Ian 1996). However, the situation is changing rapidly as Bhutan 's cities continue to be thronged by large numbers of people coming in from nearby villages. Bhutan 's two largest urban centres - Thimphu, the capital, and Phuntsholing are under pressure due to migration of population from different parts of Bhutan . It creates pressure on existing roads and parking facilities, telecommunication facilities, water supply and drainage, solid waste disposal, and housing facilities.

Bhutan 's urban population as a whole is increasing at 6.7% annually, more than double the national population growth rate of 3.1% per year. If these trends continue, it is estimated that the country's urban population would grow four-fold to 400 000 over the next 20-25 years. By the year 2020, about half of the population of Bhutan is likely to be urban in contrast to the current 21% in 1999. Thimphu housed over 46,000 people in 1999, is growing at about 10% annually and is expected to have 100 000 inhabitants by 2006. Phuntsholing with a population of 23,000 showed a growth rate just slightly lower than that of Thimphu .

Land degradation

Land degradation in Bhutan is a man-made as well as natural phenomenon. Urbanisation and industrialisation are exerting pressure on the environment and on the natural resources of the country. Land degradation in the country is mostly manifested in displacement of soil material through water erosion and internal biophysical and chemical deterioration. Human induced activities mainly trigger soil erosion in the mountainous terrain. Loss of vegetation due to deforestation, over cutting beyond silviculturally permissible limits, unsustainable fuel wood extraction, shifting cultivation, encroachment into forest land, forest fire, over grazing, extension of cultivation onto lands of low potential or high natural hazards, non-adoption of adequate soil conservation measures and improper crop rotation are some of the important factors contributing to land degradation in Bhutan.

Air pollution

Air pollution is an emerging issue in Bhutan , resulted from increasing urbanization and industrialisation. Air pollution in the cities can be attributed to vehicular growth and wood burning in bukharis. Increasing trend of respiratory diseases has been reported in cities.

Vehicle population in Bhutan has grown by 14% in the last year, pushing the number from 14,206 to 16,335. Thimphu and Phuntsholing had the largest number of vehicles. In Thimphu , two-wheelers from about 45% of the total vehicles, while cars and jeeps account for about 35%, and buses, about 2%.

Solid waste management

Waste disposal is an emerging problem in almost all the urban towns in Bhutan . The increase in waste generation can be primarily attributed to factors such as rapid rates of urbanization, rural urban migration, changing consumption pattern and high population growth rate. While the magnitude of the problem is relatively small and manageable in rural areas, it appears to be growing significantly in urban areas in recent times.

Chronology of Major Events leading to Environment Protection & Sustainable Development, during the last two decades.
1989	Setting up of the National Environment Commission to coordinate all environmental activities. Their purview also involved ensuring the sustainable use of resources as a part of Bhutan 's economic development process.
1998	The 8 th Five Year Plan, formulated the National Environment Strategy (NES). The NES is the policy document for institutionalizing and guiding the conservation of natural resources and the environment in Bhutan . The same year saw the initiation on the Environment Sector Programme Support (ESPS) focusing on developing a regulatory framework for the environment sector.
1989	Secretariat and the Nature Conservation Division; and the establishment of the National Biodiversity Centre. NEC Secretariat's vision is to further
2000	The Environmental Assessment Act was approved ensuring EIAs are done for activities deemed to have significant environmental impacts.
	Formulation of the National Environmental Action Plan and the National Environmental Protection Acts are underway.
2002	Entry into force of the Regulation for Environmental Clearance of Projects and the Regulation on Strategic Environmental Assessment.