 | |
 Austria |  Bhutan |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Austrian Embassy, New Delhi | Permanent Mission of Bhutan to the United Nations, Geneva |
Austria maintains a formal relation with the Kingdom of Bhutan with a non-resident embassy housed in New Delhi. Bhutan is represented in Austria by its permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva. [1] Bhutan also has two honorary consuls within Austria, one in Vienna and the other one in Tirol and Vorarlberg. [2]
While informal ties existed between Austria and Bhutan when Bhutan bought haflinger horses from Austria for crossbreeding in 1968, [3] [4] formal diplomatic ties between the two countries began on 26 April 1989 in a joint communique. This was followed by the signing of an "Agreement between the Austrian Federal Government and the Royal Government of Bhutan on Technical Co-operation” by Austrian Ambassador Christoph Cornaro and Bhutanese diplomat Dasho Chenkyab Dorji on 10 May 1989. [5]
In 1992, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) set up a field office in the capital city of Bhutan, Thimpu. Bhutan has had derived technology related to renewable energy, forestry and agriculture and tourism. [6] The ADA has supported numerous developmental projects in Bhutan ranging from governance to energy as well as poverty reduction. [7] A coordination centre of the Austrian Development Agency was also set up in Thimpu in 1994 aimed at supervising and monitoring the developmental projects in Bhutan. [1]
There have been several high level visits by the leaders of the two countries. In 2014, to celebrate the 25-year anniversary of diplomatic ties, the then Bhutanese Economy Minister Norbu Wangchuk and then Bhutanese Speaker of Parliament Tshering Tobgay visited Austria to meet the then Austrian President Heinz Fischer. Between October 2016 and 2018, a high level economic meet was conducted by both the countries where the then President of the Tourism and Leisure Industry Branch of the Austrian Economic Chamber Petra Nocker-Schwarzenbacher held talks with the then Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay. In March 2018, the then Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay visited Austria following an invitation by Andritz AG. He also held a meeting with the Foreign ministry of Austria. The most recent talks were conducted in February 2019 when the Foreign Minister of Austria Karin Kneissl visited Bhutan to attend the celebration of the 30-year anniversary of diplomatic ties. [1] [8] The final phase of the strategic development agreement for the period of 2019-2023 was also signed in this meet. [9]
As of 2022, the Austrian Development Agency operates a total of six active projects in Bhutan out of which three are in governance and civil sector, [10] [11] [12] two are in energy sector [13] [14] and one is in the environmental protection sector. [15] All the active six projects have received a total funding of EUR 5,653,750. [16] [6] Austria has helped Bhutan in the construction of Rangjung and Basochhu hydropower stations by assisting technically and financially. [17] [18] It has also helped Bhutan in the electrification of rural areas and the construction of courts. [6]
Both the countries had signed a strategic agreement for the period of 2010 to 2013 and then again for 2013 to 2015 improving human rights, condition of women and other factors. The countries signed the final phase of the agreement for 2019 to 2023. Bhutan is expected to become a middle income country by 2023 and the Austrian Development Agency is preparing to phase out assistance at the end of 2023. According to the Embassy of Austria in India, a total of EUR 85 million has been sent to Bhutan as developmental aid since 1994. [1]
Friendship associations established by common citizens also exist in the two countries. Austrian citizens operate Friends of Bhutan Association [19] and Austrian-Bhutan Society (ABS) in Bhutan. [20] [21] [22] Both the associations undertake community and public welfare works. Bhutanese citizens operate the Society of Friends of Bhutan in Austria to improve the living conditions of monks in Austria. [23] [24]
The economy of Bhutan is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than 60% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult. Bhutan is among the richest by gross domestic product (nominal) per capita in South Asia, at $3,491 as of 2022, but it still places 153rd, and among the poorest in the world. The total gross domestic product is only $2,653 million, and 178th according to IMF.
This is a demography of the population of Bhutan including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
The Government of Bhutan has been a constitutional monarchy since 18 July 2008. The King of Bhutan is the head of state. The executive power is exercised by the Lhengye Zhungtshog, or council of ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. Legislative power is vested in the bicameral Parliament, both the upper house, National Council, and the lower house, National Assembly. A royal edict issued on April 22, 2007 lifted the previous ban on political parties in anticipation of the National Assembly elections in the following year. In 2008, Bhutan adopted its first modern Constitution, codifying the institutions of government and the legal framework for a democratic multi-party system.
Jigme Singye Wangchuck is a member of the House of Wangchuck who was the king of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in 2006. During his reign, he advocated the use of a Gross National Happiness index to measure the well-being of citizens rather than Gross domestic product.
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked South Asian country situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainous country, Bhutan is known locally as "Druk Yul" or "Land of the Thunder Dragon", a name reflecting the cultural heritage of the country. The exonym Bhutan likely derives from the Prakrit hybrid word Bhŏṭṭaṃta, a name referring to its geographical proximity to Tibet (Bhŏṭṭa). Nepal and Bangladesh are located near Bhutan but do not share a border with it. The country has a population of over 727,145 and a territory of 38,394 square kilometres (14,824 sq mi) and ranks 133rd in land area and 160th in population. Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy with a king as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government. Vajrayana Buddhism is the state religion and the Je Khenpo is the head of the state religion.
The Council of Ministers is the highest executive body in Bhutan. It was created in 1999 by Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth King of Bhutan.
The bilateral relations between the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan and the Republic of India have been traditionally close and both countries share a "special relationship", making Bhutan a protected state, but not a protectorate, of India. India remains influential over Bhutan's foreign policy, defence and commerce. Bhutan is the largest beneficiary of India's foreign aid.
Bhutan–Nepal relations refer to the bilateral relations between the Bhutan and Nepal. Relations were formally established in 1983. The two Himalayan countries are both landlocked, separated only by the Indian State of Sikkim. Both countries are bordered by India and the People's Republic of China. However, the current state of relations remains strained owing to the Bhutanese refugee crisis.
Bangladesh–Bhutan relations are the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Bhutan. The King of Bhutan was the first world leader to announce an official recognition of Bangladesh's independence on 6 December 1971. The leadership of both countries have since exchanged many state visits. In 2016, the President of Bangladesh addressed the Parliament of Bhutan. On 6 December 2020, both countries signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with provisions for free trade in certain goods. The signing of the PTA was witnessed by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the Prime Minister of Bhutan.
Tshering Tobgay is a Bhutanese politician, environmentalist, and cultural advocate who was the Prime Minister of Bhutan from July 2013 to August 2018. Tobgay is the leader of the People's Democratic Party, and was also the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly from March 2008 to April 2013.
Energy in Bhutan has been a primary focus of development in the kingdom under its Five-Year Plans. In cooperation with India, Bhutan has undertaken several hydroelectric projects whose output is traded between the countries. Though Bhutan's many hydroelectric plants provide energy far in excess of its needs in the summer, dry winters and increased fuel demand makes the kingdom a marginal net importer of energy from India.
Renewable energy in Bhutan is the use of renewable energy for electricity generation in Bhutan. The renewable energy sources include hydropower.
Damcho Dorji is a Bhutanese politician who served as Home Minister and Foreign Minister of Bhutan, in Tobgay cabinet from August 2013 to 2018.
Bhutan and the United States have no formal diplomatic relations, but relations between the two nations are viewed as "friendly and close", due to shared values between the two countries. The increasingly close relationship between India and the U.S. has also helped to improve U.S.–Bhutanese relations.
BHUTAN-1 was the first Bhutanese nanosatellite to be launched into space. The satellite was built during Kyushu Institute of Technology's Birds-2 program. The Birds program helps countries fly their first satellite. BHUTAN-1 was launched into orbit aboard the SpaceX CRS-15 mission on 29 June 2018. It was deployed from the Kibō module of the International Space Station (ISS) on 10 August 2018. The satellite had cameras to image the Earth.
Dasho Tshering Wangchuk is a Bhutanese jurist who served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Bhutan from 2014 to 2019. In 2018, Wanghuck served as the interim Head of Government of Bhutan, when serving as the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government, following the dissolution of the Bhutanese National Assembly in preparation of elections.
Lotay Tshering is a Bhutanese politician and surgeon who was the prime minister of Bhutan, in office from 7 November 2018 to 1 November 2023. He has also been the president of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa since 14 May 2018.
Tandi Dorji is a Bhutanese politician who has been Foreign Minister for Bhutan since November 2018. He has been a member of the National Assembly of Bhutan, since October 2018.
Bhutan–Germany relations are the bilateral relations between Bhutan and Germany. Germany has a non-resident embassy housed in New Delhi. Bhutan is represented in Germany by its embassy in Brussels. Both Germany and Bhutan have honorary consuls in each of their countries.
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