It is hard to imagine that such a small country,the size of Indiana with the population of Alaska,tucked in the Himalaya Mountains,accessible only by two airplanes,is the "Happiest Country'' in the world and has one of the fastest growing GDP'S in the world.This country is Bhutan,"Land of the Thunder Dragon",which is located in South Asia and is _ by India,China,and Nepal. Bhutan is the last standing Buddhist Kingdom in the World and,until recently,has preserved much of their culture since the l7th century by avoiding globalization and staying isolated from the world.Internet,television,and western dress were banned from the country up until ten years ago.Over the past ten years globalization has begun to change in Bhutan,but things remain perfectly balanced. Bhutan is the only country in the world that has a 'GNH',which refers to "Gross National Happiness.''The process of measuring GNH began when Bhutan opened up to globalization.It measures people's quality of life,and makes sure that "material and spiritual development happen together."Bhutan has done an amazing job of finding this balance.Bhutan has continually been ranked as the happiest country in all of Asia,and the eighth Happiest Country in the world according to Business Week.In 2007,Bhutan had the second fastest growing GDP in the world,at the same time as maintaining their environment and cultural identity. In 2008,in Bhutan's first democratic election,28-year-old Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wang Chuck was elected president of Bhutan.He promises to "maintain a stance  of protection against the worst aspects of globalization,maintaining the 'Gross National Happiness'."But Jigme himself is no stranger to globalization.He attended high school at Phillips Academy and university at Wheaton College and then graduated from Oxford. Why is Bhutan regarded as "the happiest country"?
Because it changes its policy and begins to open up. Because it uses "GNH" to measure its achievement. Because it stresses both material and spiritual development. Because it has the second fastest growing GDP in the world.