THIMPHU, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Bhutan's population is projected to reach 883,866 persons by 2047, according to a population projection report compiled by the Bhutan Statistics Bureau (NSB) released in Thimphu this week.

A 2005 population census report by the NSB said that Bhutan's population is to increase to 887,000 by 2030.

In 2017 a National Housing and Population census showed that Bhutan population is 735,553, of which Bhutan's actual population was 680,000, and rest were recorded as tourists and non-Bhutanese visiting or working in the country during the time of census.

Officials said Bhutan's population has increased between 2005 to 2017 but at a very slow pace.

The current fertility rate of 1.9 children per woman is also expected fall to 1.7, as per the population projection report. The birth rate is also projected to decline substantially to 11 births per 1,000 populations, resulting in an annual population growth rate dropping to 0.27 in 2047 from 0.99 percent in 2017.

Launching the report, Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, who was a urologist, said the population control measures the government took about two decades ago were wrongly done.

"It is not good news for Bhutan," said the prime minister. Most of the population control measures were carried out assuming that Bhutan was suffering from population explosion, he said.

Following the launch of population projection report, officials and experts have called for the need of some interventions. Enditem

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