Finland remains the world's happiest nation for the seventh consecutive year
Finland clinched the top spot for the seventh consecutive year in the World Happiness Report, reinforcing its status as the world's happiest nation. The ranking methodology involves assessing self-reported life evaluations and responses to the Cantril ladder question, which gauges individuals' perception of their quality of life on a scale from 0 to 10.
The report, compiled by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, considers various factors alongside the Cantril ladder question, including GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and freedom from corruption, across more than 130 countries.
While the top ten happiest countries remained largely unchanged, shifts occurred within the top 20, with notable jumps by Costa Rica and Kuwait to 12th and 13th place, respectively. Conversely, the United States and Germany dropped out of the top 20 entirely, with the U.S. slipping from 15th to 23rd place this year.
Among the top ten happiest countries,
only the Netherlands and Australia have populations exceeding 15 million, while only Canada and the U.K. have populations surpassing 30 million.
Finland: The Epitome of Happiness
Securing the coveted first position with a score of 7.741, Finland's happiness is attributed to its strong sense of community, altruism, and clear sense of purpose among its populace, as highlighted by Finnish philosopher and psychology researcher Frank Martela. Martela suggests that Finland could be viewed as the country with the least unhappy people globally, rather than simply the happiest.
Additionally, Finland excels in various aspects compared to the global average, including education, work-life balance, environmental quality, social connections, safety, and overall life satisfaction, as per the OECD Better Life Index. Notably, life expectancy in Finland stands at approximately 82 years, with a robust sense of community evidenced by 96% of residents believing they have someone dependable to turn to in times of need.
The Top Ten Happiest Countries
Finland
Denmark
Iceland
Sweden
Israel
Netherlands
Norway
Luxembourg
Switzerland
Australia
Denmark: A Paradigm of Equality and Social Welfare
Ranked second with a score of 7.583, Denmark's high happiness quotient is attributed to its emphasis on equality and social welfare responsibilities. The country's official website underscores the correlation between these factors and happiness, a sentiment echoed by the World Happiness Report.
Despite the imposition of high taxes - up to half of one's income - Denmark offers a plethora of social benefits, including free healthcare, subsidized childcare, tuition-free education with grants for students, and pensions coupled with elderly care support. According to the OECD Better Life Index, Denmark surpasses global averages in job opportunities, education, healthcare, environmental quality, social connectivity, civic engagement, and overall life satisfaction. Additionally, Denmark holds the distinction of being a founding member of both the OECD and NATO.