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Bangladesh vs Bhutan
Side-by-side comparison of Bangladesh and Bhutan from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Bhutan scores 52.0 in the NationsTree Index (79th in the world) and Bangladesh scores 43.6 (115th), a gap of 8.4 points. Their trees are 24 m and 2.4 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Bangladesh has 221 times the population of Bhutan. Bangladesh is 3.8 times larger than Bhutan by land area. Bangladesh has an economy 114 times the size of Bhutan (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Bangladesh 175.7 million and Bhutan 796,682 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $19,594 in Bhutan and $10,154 in Bangladesh (2025, international dollars). People in Bangladesh live on average 1.7 years longer (74.9 vs 73.3 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Bangladesh ranks higher in the world on 10 and Bhutan on 27. Bangladesh is clearly stronger in science & innovation, military and land & people. Bhutan is clearly stronger in institutions & safety and environment & energy.
As a nation, Bhutan is the older of the two (statehood since 1949, 77 years), compared with Bangladesh (since 1971). Over the last five years Bhutan improved faster (direction score 100 vs 66 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Bangladesh and Bhutan.
Bangladesh
49.1
178th of 207
Bhutanbetter
90.0
10th of 207
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Bangladesh
620
150th of 183
Bhutanbetter
99,883
4th of 183
Extreme povertySociety & health
Bangladesh
5.9%
79th of 108
Bhutanbetter
0.0%
1st of 108
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
Bangladesh
28.2
168th of 207
Bhutanbetter
77.8
21st of 207
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Bangladesh
99.5%
131st of 215
Bhutanbetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Bhutan overtook Bangladesh in the NationsTree Index in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Bangladesh overtook Bhutan in life expectancy in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Bhutan has been ahead of Bangladesh in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Bangladesh has been ahead of Bhutan in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
BangladeshBhutan All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Bangladesh | Bhutan |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 147,57093rd/216 · 2024 | 38,390134th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 130,17095th/216 · 2024 | 38,140133rd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 175.7 m8th/217 · 2025 | 796,682165th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.22%86th/217 · 2025 | 0.65%127th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 1,333.49th/216 · 2024 | 20.8184th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 33.2%187th/217 · 2025 | 43.4%166th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 27.6%82nd/217 · 2025 | 20.4%122nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 6.7%130th/217 · 2025 | 6.6%132nd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $456.32 bn37th/210 · 2025 | $3.58 bn175th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.78 trn25th/199 · 2025 | $15.61 bn156th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.52 trn25th/199 · 2025 | $13.34 bn156th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $2,597168th/210 · 2025 | $4,493144th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $10,154140th/199 · 2025 | $19,594108th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $2,840153rd/201 · 2025 | $4,310138th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.5%97th/210 · 2025 | 8.0%13th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 8.8%156th/180 · 2025 | 3.6%105th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.8%65th/187 · 2025 | 3.2%47th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 31.2%2003 | 111.0%51st/55 · 2020 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 42.0%66th/189 · 2025 | 102.6%172nd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.1%110th/192 · 2025 | -2.7%97th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 11.4%65th/197 · 2025 | 13.7%57th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 34.0%38th/200 · 2025 | 33.2%41st/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 22.4%12th/192 · 2025 | 6.6%136th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 52.1%136th/200 · 2025 | 53.2%130th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $50.72 bn65th/182 · 2025 | $1.05 bn160th/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $76.82 bn53rd/182 · 2025 | $1.60 bn163rd/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 11.1%172nd/183 · 2025 | 31.5%107th/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 16.8%174th/183 · 2025 | 47.9%86th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 28.0%178th/183 · 2025 | 79.4%97th/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 1.1%2018 | 0.0%162nd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 94.5%2018 | 58.7%57th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 3.4%2018 | 5.9%136th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.3%2018 | 26.0%22nd/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 0.5%2018 | 0.0%163rd/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 0.0%76th/191 · 2025 | -16.0%179th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.4%165th/196 · 2025 | 0.2%168th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.6%126th/209 · 2021 | 2.7%88th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.03%90th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.49%39th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.01%50th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.08%73rd/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.08%120th/209 · 2021 | 2.66%27th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 60.5%1st/206 · 2024 | 2.6%162nd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 620150th/183 · 2022 | 99,8834th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 323,000142nd/194 · 2019 | 29,800183rd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $217.9 m122nd/175 · 2020 | $84.0 m145th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 0.6%160th/168 · 2020 | 10.7%55th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 1.5 m2013 | 72,00099th/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 74.9107th/217 · 2024 | 73.3123rd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 30.5139th/196 · 2024 | 17.2111th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.72116th/174 · 2023 | 0.55120th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.9123rd/145 · 2023 | 2.285th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 98%20th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 48.6%117th/153 · 2021 | 27.8%134th/153 · 2022 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 64.3%142nd/173 · 2024 | 86.2%115th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 55.6%25th/55 · 2022 | 9.0%52nd/55 · 2022 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.2%130th/217 · 2025 | 9.1%138th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 2.2%192nd/193 · 2023 | 4.4%143rd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 79.0%66th/98 · 2022 | 64.9%84th/98 · 2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 23.7%114th/150 · 2024 | 13.0%134th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.685130th/193 · 2023 | 0.698125th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 30.929th/108 · 2022 | 28.515th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 5.9%79th/108 · 2022 | 0.0%1st/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 99.5%131st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 59.1%103rd/150 · 2024 | 65.6%93rd/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 37.3%100th/144 · 2024 | 49.5%84th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 53.4%146th/186 · 2024 | 91.3%49th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 108126th/210 · 2024 | 100139th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 8.1126th/208 · 2024 | 2.9151st/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.30117th/164 · 2022 | 2.20131st/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 2,87743rd/82 · 2019 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 6.6 m55th/161 · 2023 | 189,878129th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.7252nd/203 · 2024 | 2.0189th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 25.0%92nd/212 · 2021 | 82.5%12th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 69.3198th/200 · 2023 | 30.1152nd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 14.4%147th/214 · 2024 | 70.4%18th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 288145th/149 · 2024 | 3602007 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 43.2141st/205 · 2025 | 66.856th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 28.2168th/207 · 2025 | 77.821st/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 43.6156th/207 · 2025 | 70.550th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 49.1178th/207 · 2025 | 90.010th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 39.4173rd/205 · 2025 | 53.9103rd/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 44.5138th/205 · 2025 | 61.689th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 2.32018 | 2.576th/145 · 2020 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $3.83 bn53rd/156 · 2025 | — |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.8%129th/156 · 2025 | — |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 7.1%46th/154 · 2025 | — |
| Armed forces personnel people | 227,00029th/170 · 2020 | 6,0002000 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.32%143rd/168 · 2020 | 2.34%2000 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 32.0 m75th/163 · 2025 | 5.0 m129th/163 · 2021 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.10%98th/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 8773rd/137 · 2024 | 6113th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 8,25950th/197 · 2023 | 103140th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Bangladesh or Bhutan?
Bangladesh has the larger population: 175.7 m (2025) compared with 796,682 for Bhutan (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Bangladesh or Bhutan?
Bangladesh is larger: 147,570 km² (2024) compared with 38,390 km² for Bhutan (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Bangladesh or Bhutan?
Bangladesh has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.78 trn intl. (2025) compared with $15.61 bn intl. for Bhutan (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Bangladesh or Bhutan?
Bhutan has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $19,594 intl. (2025) compared with $10,154 intl. for Bangladesh (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Bangladesh or Bhutan?
Bangladesh has the higher life expectancy at birth: 74.9 years (2024) compared with 73.3 years for Bhutan (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Bangladesh or Bhutan?
Bhutan: 52.0 points (79th in the world); Bangladesh: 43.6 points (115th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Nepal
Sri LankaSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Bangladesh vs Bhutan — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/bangladesh-vs-bhutan. Data as of 26 October 2026.