Which is the only country in the world to officially proclaim the Gross National Happiness (GNH) as the measure of the country's progress?

Bhutan is the only country in the world that has officially proclaimed Gross National Happiness (GNH) as its primary measure of progress. The term was coined in the 1970s by the Fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who famously asserted that 'Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product' [2]. This development philosophy emphasizes a holistic approach to progress, giving equal weight to non-economic aspects of well-being alongside sustainable socio-economic development [1]. The GNH framework is operationalized through nine domains and 33 indicators, serving as a screening tool for all new national policies [2]. While other nations participate in the UN's World Happiness Report, Bhutan remains unique in its formal constitutional and policy-level commitment to GNH as its official development index.

Sources

1. [1] Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 2: Economic Growth versus Economic Development > Gross National Happiness Index > p. 27
2. [2] https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/well-being-knowledge-exchange-platform-kep_93d45d63-en/bhutan-s-gross-national-happiness-gnh-index_ff75e0a9-en.html