Bhutan: New businesses registered (number)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2022, Bhutan's new businesses registered (number) fell 11.1% on 2021 (from 45 to 40).

Across the 15 yearly changes before that (2007 to 2021), the average change was +24.9% and a typical year strayed about 66.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 222.7% in 2012 and the biggest yearly fall was 67.6% in 2013. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2013 to 2022 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 20% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2022, Bhutan had the 11th highest value of the 12 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Bhutan in the 2022 ranking

• Timor-Leste — 8th of 12: 1,911
• Suriname — 9th of 12: 1,147
• Samoa — 10th of 12: 86
• Tuvalu — 12th of 12: 7

What this measures

New businesses registered are the number of new limited liability corporations (or its equivalent) registered in the calendar year.

Limitations: The definition of entrepreneurship used is limited to the formal sector. Yet, it should be noted that the exclusion of the informal sector is based on the difficulties of quantifying the number of firms that compose it, rather than on its relevance for developing economies. Data collected from economies categorized as offshore financial centers by Eurostat are excluded from the analysis, because registered entities in these countries may not fit the objective of the Entrepreneurship Database aiming at measuring formally registered companies with actual economic activities.

All 17 values

New businesses registered (number) in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 7,365 (2024)
• India — 173,712 (2024)
• Maldives — 1,928 (2023)
• Nepal — 25,859 (2020)
• Sri Lanka — 17,447 (2022)

More private sector & trade data for Bhutan

• Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 83.28% (2025)
• Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$2.18 billion (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$800 million (2025)
• International tourism, number of arrivals — 29,800 (2020)
• International tourism, receipts (current US$) — US$84 million (2020)
• Import unit value index (2015 = 100) — 132.5 (2025)
• Export unit value index (2015 = 100) — 150.3 (2025)
• Merchandise imports from high-income economies (% of total merchandise imports) — 4.9% (2023)
• Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise imports)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Bhutan's new businesses registered (number)?

40 in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2006?

It is up 300% from 10 in 2006 (9.05% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 71 in 2012 and the lowest 10 in 2006.

How does Bhutan rank?

11th highest of 12 economies with data for 2022.

Is the latest change in new businesses registered (number) unusual for Bhutan?

In 2022, Bhutan's new businesses registered (number) fell 11.1% on 2021 (from 45 to 40). Across the 15 yearly changes before that (2007 to 2021), the average change was +24.9% and a typical year strayed about 66.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IC.BUS.NREG, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), uri: https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/entrepreneurship Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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