Bhutan regards “Gross National Happiness” as a more valuable and important measure than “Gross Domestic Product.”
In recent years, Bhutan, a small country nestled in the Himalayas, has become a globally recognized travel destination. What draws attention to Bhutan is its designation as the “happiest country in the world.” Bhutan presents a distinctly different image compared to the rest of the world: peaceful, misty, rustic, simple, yet immensely happy. Indeed, according to various surveys, the mental health quality in the kingdom consistently ranks very high, not due to economic development.
Bhutan is one of the world’s leading countries in clean energy. Hidden beneath the mountains are enormous tunnels and hydropower turbines that harness rain and melting snow from the Himalayas to power the nation.
The most popular religion here is Buddhism.
The people of Bhutan love nature and seek inner peace, living a serene and gentle life.
In the 1970s, Bhutan rejected GDP as the sole measure of success and instead opted for what they call Gross National Happiness. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck introduced this concept. The image shows workers preparing portraits of the former king and his son, the current King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, on the occasion of the 60th birthday.
However, Bhutan is neither backward nor isolated from the modern Western world. In this country, there is everything from rappers to pop bands influenced by musicians from around the globe.
The photo shows tour guide Karma Lotey dressed in traditional Bhutanese attire. Both men and women wear traditional uniforms during working hours. Men wear an outfit called gho, while women wear kira, a long dress. They love, take pride in, and consider traditional clothing as everyday wear.
Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, is one of the most developed areas of the country.
There are no traffic lights in Bhutan. The people protested when the first traffic light was installed, and the authorities removed it shortly thereafter.
Archery is a very popular sport in Bhutanese culture. The photo shows a farmer practicing archery in Paro, Bhutan.
Bhutan is the first country in the world to have a constitutional mandate requiring citizens to protect the environment. At least 60 percent of the country’s area must always be forested. It is also the only country in the world that prohibits the sale of tobacco.
