Bhutan : key strategies for enhancing the quality of urban environment
Dorji, Ugyen
Bhutan is a small landlocked country measuring 38,394 kms and with a population of less than 700,000. Almost all of the country is mountainous with altitudes ranging from about 200 meters above sea level in the south to over 7500 meters above sea level in the north. The Government of Bhutanns vision for the country, Bhutan 2020: A vision for peace, Prosperity and Happinesss provides a strategy for the countryys distinct path of development over the next 15 years. It recognizes the countryys unique challenges as it undergoes a profound and rapid demographic transition from a largely subsistence rural economy to an urban society. Urban population is expected to increase four times over the period of 20 years and reach 50% of the total by 2020. Capacity to respond to the rapid urbanisation has become the RGOBBs priority attention. (This is particularly challenging in the environment of high dependence on international resource flows from hydro power and development assistance and simultaneously high transportation costs between cities.) One of its major goals is to achieve balanced and equitable development. It recognizes that the countryys relatively recent opening to the world economy offers many disadvantages, while at the same time it also carries risks to Bhutanns traditional values and fragile environment.
Only personal, non-commercial use of this document is allowed.