The latest World Happiness Report, released on Wednesday, reaffirms Finland’s position at the pinnacle of global happiness rankings for the seventh consecutive year. The report evaluates a nation’s happiness based on various factors including social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption.
According to the report, Finland is closely trailed by Denmark and Iceland, maintaining their high standings in global happiness. Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Director of the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford and Editor of the World Happiness Report, emphasized the significance of GDP per capita, wealth distribution, and a robust welfare state in contributing to people’s wellbeing.
Notably, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Spain have seen a notable shift where older demographics are reported to be significantly happier than the younger population. Conversely, Portugal and Greece exhibit an opposite trend.
The report also highlights substantial declines in happiness among youth aged 15-24 in North America, while Central and Eastern Europe experienced significant increases.
However, the Middle East and North Africa witnessed declines in happiness, particularly among middle-aged individuals. Afghanistan and Lebanon continue to rank as the least happy countries in the survey.
Initiated by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a United Nations global initiative, the World Happiness Report was first published in 2012 to gauge and promote global happiness and wellbeing.
