Country Profile: Bhutan

Country Resources


Geoscientific
SeriesPublisherScaleYearsSheets
China 1:2,500,000 Scale Geological Map (6 sheets)Dizhi Chubanshe / Geological Publishing House1:2,500,0002005 – 20051
China 1:2,500,000 Scale Quaternary Geological Map (9 sheets)Dizhi Chubanshe / Geological Publishing House1:2,500,0001990 – 19901
China 1:4,000,000 Scale Geological Map (2 sheets)Dizhi Chubanshe / Geological Publishing House1:4,000,0001977 – 19771
China 1:5,000,000 Scale Metallic Resources MapDizhi Chubanshe / Geological Publishing House1:5,000,0001992 – 19921
China 1:5,000,000 Scale Mineral Resources MapDizhi Chubanshe / Geological Publishing House1:5,000,0001992 – 19921
China 1:5,000,000 Scale Nonmetallic Resources MapDizhi Chubanshe / Geological Publishing House1:5,000,0001992 – 19921

Thematic
SeriesPublisherScaleYearsSheets
The World 1:30,000,000 Scale Topographic Map Series 1145 (NGA)DMA1:30,000,0002

Global Census Archive: GIS Census Data

East View Geospatial has an ongoing effort to add GIS census data to our Global Census Archive program. Please contact us for the status and availability of Bhutan census resources.


Global Resources

Topographic
SeriesPublisherScaleYearsSheets
Soviet Military City PlansVoenno-topograficheskoe upravlenie General’nogo shtaba (Soviet Union)Varies1944 – 20033017
Soviet Military 1:100,000 Scale Topographic MapsVoenno-topograficheskoe upravlenie General’nogo shtaba (Soviet Union)1:100,0001947 – 199924897
Soviet Military 1:200,000 Scale Topographic MapsVoenno-topograficheskoe upravlenie General’nogo shtaba (Soviet Union)1:200,0001949 – 200917799
Soviet Military 1:500,000 Scale Topographic MapsVoenno-topograficheskoe upravlenie General’nogo shtaba (Soviet Union)1:500,0001953 – 19983093

Nautical
SeriesPublisherScaleYearsSheets
NGA Nautical Charts POD Certified (All Scales)National Geospatial-Intelligence AgencyVaries1943 – 20134517

Aeronautical
SeriesPublisherScaleYearsSheets
Joint Operations Graphic (JOG) 1:250,000 – AeronauticalDefence Mapping Agency1:250,0001958 – 20074204
Tactical Pilotage Chart (TPC) 1:500,000 Scale – AeronauticalDefence Mapping Agency1:500,0001967 – 2006598
Operational Navigation Chart (ONC) 1:1,000,000 Scale – AeronauticalDefence Mapping Agency1:1,000,0001969 – 2001243
Jet Navigation Chart (JNC) 1:2,000,000 Scale – AeronauticalDefence Mapping Agency1:2,000,0001971 – 1999117
Global Navigation and Planning Chart (GNC) 1:5,000,000 Scale – AeronauticalDefence Mapping Agency1:5,000,0001981 – 199927

Geoscientific
SeriesPublisherScaleYearsSheets
Soviet Military 1:1,000,000 Scale Topographic MapsVoenno-topograficheskoe upravlenie General’nogo shtaba (Soviet Union)1:1,000,0001948 – 19941089

Note: East View Geospatial is continuously sourcing new resources that may not yet be listed in Global Explorer. Please contact us if you have geodata needs beyond what is listed above and we will be happy to discuss available off-the-shelf and custom solutions.


Historical Country Mapping Information

Jump to: Topographic | GIS/Vector | Geological/Scientific | Thematic

Topographic

The Himalayan mountain kingdom of Bhutan is poorly mapped and smaller scale coverage from adjacent countries and world series offers the most useful available coverage.  Official mapping is carried out by the Survey Department (SB) in the Department of Trade and Industries, which has inherited mapping systems from Survey of India.  A 1:50,000 scale series is in progress, and sheet lines follow the Indian hierarchical sheet division practice.  This six-color map is on a polyconic projection, Everest ellipsoid, and shows relief with 40 m contours.  It covers the country in 78 sheets, but only the maps around the capital Thimpu have so far been published.  SB has also recently published small scale administrative and physical maps of the country.

Soviet military topographic mapping of Bhutan exists at the following scales: 1:1,000,000 (4 sheets, complete coverage, published in 1973); 1:500,000 (4 sheets, complete coverage, published 1970-1987); 1:200,000 (13 sheets, complete coverage, published 1977-1989) and 1:100,000 (22 sheets, partial country coverage, published 1985-1986).  These products are available in print, digital raster and digital vector GIS formats from East View Geospatial.

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GIS/Vector

A project funded through UNDP/UNCHS is establishing an urban GIS for the capital Thimpu and the second largest settlement Phuentsholing.  Indian GIS consultants RMSI have established vector and raster databases for the cities, at 1:1,000 and 1:5,000 scales and captured from aerial coverage flown in 1997.  Multi-layered city mapping has been generated and is held in an ARC/INFO database by the Urban Development and Housing Division, Thimpu.

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Geological/Scientific

The earth science mapping agency in Bhutan is Department of Geology and Mines the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Power.  Small scale earth science mapping of Bhutan is provided in the Atlas of mineral resources of the ESCAP region published by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and by the Schweizerische Naturforschungsgesellschaft, now Schweizerische Nationalfonds.

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Thematic

General mapping of Bhutan includes a 1:600,000 scale German map, from the Technische Fachhochschule Karlsruhe, and 1:500 000 scale coverage from the Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research (SfAR).

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Content copyright © 2014 De Gruyter for e-version of World Mapping Today, 2nd Edition