Bhutan measures prosperity by taking into consideration the citizens’ happiness levels and not the gross domestic product.
We call this development philosophy Gross National Happiness; a term coined by His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth King of Bhutan, in 1972.
Gross National Happiness (GNH) is a holistic and sustainable approach to development. The objective is to achieve balanced development essential for people’s happiness. The concept of GNH consists of four pillars: socioeconomic development, conservation and promotion of culture, protection of the environment and good governance.
The concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) has become popular in the west. Today, Bhutan is continuously ranked among the top 10 happiest countries in the world.
The United Nations General Assembly declared 20 March as the International Day of Happiness because the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal and in Bhutan it is a National Holiday.
