Bhutan is known for using an unconventional measure of development since 1972: Gross National Happiness (GNH). Rather than using traditionally narrow economic criteria, Bhutan assesses its well-being on the basis of sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, environmental protection, promotion of culture, and good governance. Bhutan’s use of the GNH principles helped mobilize its whole population to avoid even a single COVID-19 death in 2020. Its positive experience offers lessons for other countries and spawned the World Population Review’s Happiness Report in 2002, which assesses the level of happiness in 149 countries.