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In the span of a single generation, Bhutan has proven that its Gross National Happiness (GNH) approach to development can also lead to tangible GDP results. By managing its natural resources and unlocking its hydropower potential, the country has made impressive progress, enabling all segments of society to participate in, […]

  For a small nation of 700,000 people, Bhutan is a country of big aspirations – its people aim at nothing less than spearheading a new development paradigm that balances material wellbeing with the spiritual, emotional and cultural needs of society. This balancing act is not an easy one; when […]

  In a region marred by stories of rape, female infanticide, and organized trafficking, Bhutan stands alone as a beacon of gender equality. In Bhutan all women have equal and legally protected opportunities for education and employment; more women than men own land and property, including retail businesses; and 2 […]

Bhutan joined the growing number of democratic countries in the world in 2008 when the nation completed its first national elections and the signing of the Constitution. Five years after this historic transition, Bhutan is a young democracy. But Bhutan is not just a young democracy. It’s a democracy full […]

In 2008, Bhutan completed one of the most peaceful – and ironic – transitions  to democracy. Initiated by the Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the process involved a voluntary abdication of power in the face of public opposition to democracy. Imagine the living embodiment of a Platonic Philosopher King, someone universally […]