Bhutan’s oil imports up by 9 million liters

Bhutan imported more than 103 million liters of petroleum products in 2009, 9 million liters higher than 2008, indicating the country’s rising dependence on fossil fuels. The country’s oil bill rose by Nu192 million (US$4.3 million) to Nu2.9 billion (US$65.01 million), due to the drop in global oil prices in 2009. The number of vehicles in the country is estimated to be around 40,000, with 10 new cars hitting the road every day. (May 13, 2010)