Bhutan is the landlocked country associated with Gross National Happiness as a national development concept.
Gross National Happiness, or GNH, was introduced in Bhutan in the 1970s during the reign of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. It presents national progress as broader than economic production alone, combining material well-being with social, cultural, environmental, and spiritual concerns.
Bhutan’s GNH framework includes domains such as psychological well-being, good governance, education, health, community vitality, cultural diversity, ecological resilience, and living standards. The government has used surveys and policy screening to assess these areas.
GNH is often mistaken for a single happiness score or a constitutional requirement that every citizen be happy. It is better understood as a policy philosophy and measurement framework. Bhutan remains a constitutional monarchy and became a democracy in 2008.