Development Philosophy

Bhutan has identified four major areas as the main pillars of the "Gross National Happiness" a unique measurement of development; These are economic growth & development, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, preservation and sustainable use of the environment and good governance.

Three factors have exerted great influence on the course of Bhutan’s development the first being continuous culture. As Bhutan was never conquered or colonialised, the country developed a culture relatively free from outside influence, and maintained the institution of monarchy and a deep sense of nationhood.

The second factor is the environment, which is protected by mountainous, often difficult terrain.

Thirdly, Vajrayana Buddhism has given the country a view of the world on which the fourth King based his policy of developing Bhutan’s potential in every field. The continuing development of Bhutan has been crystallized in a philosophy crafted by His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, known as Gross National Happiness (GNH) in the late 1980s.

The concept of GNH defines Bhutan’s development objective as improvement in the happiness & satisfaction of the people rather than growth of Gross National product.

The country believes that for a holistic development of the individual and society, it is essential that development achieves a sustainable balance between economic, social, emotional, spiritual, and cultural needs of the people. This has led to the declared objective of viewing development as a continuous process towards achieving a balance between the material and the intangible needs of the individuals and society.