大象传媒

Alan Johnston introduces insight, wit and analysis from 大象传媒 correspondents around the world. In this edition: Mark Tully asks how development and conservation are competing in Bhutan, while Tim Ecott learns just how tough you need to be to survive in the Faroe Islands.

Does getting richer make a country happy?

There's great debate over how we can best measure a nation's prosperity. Economists often look at its Gross Domestic Product, its GDP - the combined value of its goods and services - to see how well it's doing. But in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, between India and China, they're not much impressed by GDP. Its government has aimed instead to promote what it calls the nation's G-N-H: its "Gross National Happiness".

The idea has caught on, with the French President Nicholas Sarkozy and British Prime Minster David Cameron expressing interest. Mark Tully has been wondering if the Bhutanese really might be showing the world a better way.

Danger: steep cliffs, crashing waves and vomiting seabirds

Way out in the vastness of the north Atlantic lie the Faroe Islands. Their towering cliffs and green hills rise out of the sea halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The archipelago's tiny population is descended from tough Viking settlers who managed to survive - and even thrive - in this wild and lonely place.

Tim Ecott has been exploring the islands, and getting a feel for Faroese culture - although it took a while to get there!