Chandigarh is one of the earliest planned cities in post-independence India and is internationally known for its architecture and urban design. Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex – as part of a global ensemble of Corbusier’s buildings—was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO at the 40th session of the World Heritage Conference in July 2016.

The union territory has one of the highest Human Development Index among Indian states and territories. In 2015, a survey by LG Electronics ranked it as the happiest city in India on the happiness index.