Poverty and living standards in Punakha, Bhutan: official figures
2.9% of people in Punakha lived below the national poverty line in 2022, according to the Bhutan Living Standards Survey, 2nd lowest of the 20 dzongkhags (Bhutan: 12.4%). The survey estimate has a standard error of 1.0 percentage points.
How much crime is there in Punakha?
The Royal Bhutan Police recorded 81 criminal incidents in Punakha in 2024, 26 per 10,000 residents, 7th highest of the 20 dzongkhags (Bhutan: 2,476 incidents, 32 per 10,000).
Source: Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division · saved copyHow many people die on the roads in Punakha?
4 people were killed in road accidents in Punakha in 2024, out of 98 motor vehicle accidents reported to the police (Bhutan: 97 deaths in 1,118 accidents).
Source: Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division · saved copyHow many people are arrested in Punakha?
Police in Punakha arrested 150 people in 2024, 47 per 10,000 residents (Bhutan: 5,743, 74 per 10,000).
Source: Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division · saved copyMore figures
- The police recorded 5 fire incidents in Punakha in 2024 (Bhutan: 139). Source: Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division · saved copy
How Punakha compares with other dzongkhags
Population below the national poverty line (BLSS) (2022)
Punakha ranks 19 of 20, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Population below the national poverty line (BLSS) |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Bumthang | 9.8% |
| 15 | Haa | 9.7% |
| 16 | Gasa | 8.2% |
| 17 | Paro | 6.0% |
| 18 | Sarpang | 5.6% |
| 19 | Punakha | 2.9% |
| 20 | Thimphu | 2.1% |
Criminal incidents per 10,000 people (2024)
Punakha ranks 7 of 20, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Criminal incidents per 10,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Paro | 36 |
| 5 | Wangdue Phodrang | 32 |
| 6 | Trashi Yangtse | 26 |
| 7 | Punakha | 26 |
| 8 | Tsirang | 24 |
| 9 | Haa | 24 |
| 10 | Samtse | 23 |
More on Punakha: overview · Bhutan
Sources
- National Statistics Bureau, Royal Government of Bhutan (with the World Bank): Poverty Mapping in Bhutan: Small Area Estimation, District and Town Level Results (2023), Table 4.1 survey estimates from the Bhutan Living Standards Survey 2022, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9241159c450d…)
- Royal Bhutan Police, Planning and Development Division: Statistical Yearbook 2024 (Table 3.1 criminal incidents, Table 6.1 fire incidents, Tables 7.3 and 7.7 motor vehicle accidents and deaths, by dzongkhag), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1f140360dcb9…)
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