What did Bhutan do to become the happiest country in the world?

Not only is Bhutan attractive for its majestic natural scenery and ancient culture, it is also the happiest country in the world. People in this beautiful country live very simply, in harmony with nature and everyone feels happy.

Bhutan được ví như vùng đất “thuần khiết” cả về thiên nhiên và con người. (Nguồn: Dralanviau)

Bhutan is considered a "pure" land in both nature and people. (Source: Dralanviau)

Ignore GDP

Bhutan is one of the pioneering countries in placing the happiness of its citizens first, instead of focusing solely on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and other economic indicators. This South Asian country uses Gross National Happiness (GNH) as a measure of the country's development.

Since the 1970s, Bhutan’s leaders have prioritized the happiness of their people over economic growth. At that time, faced with rapid modernization and the risk of eroding traditional values, the country’s leaders introduced the concept of GNH as a comprehensive approach to development.

GNH includes nine areas: psychological well-being, living standards, good governance, community health and vitality, cultural diversity, time use and ecological resilience.

Therefore, the government of this country is always aware of the importance of bringing good things and happiness to people. All basic expenses such as health care, education... are free in this country.

At the same time, the government attaches great importance to preserving the diversity of the country's traditional cultural values. This is not only symbolic but also permeates economic - social - educational policies.

Immerse yourself in nature

Environmental conservation is considered a philosophy of life and one of the four pillars of happiness in Bhutan. The country has also become one of the greenest countries in the world with an impressive forest cover of about 72%.

Half of the country is national parks and reserves. People here are happy to live in harmony with nature. Lush forests, pristine landscapes, and fresh air are the conditions for Bhutanese to develop their spiritual life and nurture happiness.

Community lifestyle

Bhutanese society is built on a strong sense of community and social cohesion. People in the country are peace-loving and disciplined. They enjoy friendly relations with one another, regardless of social class or background.

This closeness makes people like each other more. People actively participate in vibrant community activities such as traditional festivals, religious ceremonies and community service. This tight-knit social network creates an environment of solidarity and cooperation where people feel connected and valued.

Spiritual happiness

Bhutan is the last stronghold of Vajrayana Buddhism. Traces of Buddhism and Tibetan religious roots can be seen everywhere throughout the country.

The people here have deep faith in Buddhism. The pursuit of inner peace, mindfulness, non-competition, non-anger and never thinking of doing anything bad to others are ingrained in the minds of the people.

They believe that if they live a good life, they will receive a happy outcome in the next life. This motivates them to become useful people and do many good deeds. For the people here, being alive is the happiest thing.

Limit exposure to technology

People in this South Asian country believe that news on television or social networks full of criminal cases, terrorism, war, etc. easily make people become negative. Therefore, this country has accepted technology slowly and cautiously.

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